Fastest-Growing Health Care Jobs

by Sarah Clark
sarah.clark@careertrainingdirectory.com
Career Training Directory Columnist

Over the next twenty years, some 70 million baby boomers will retire. Their aging will be a significant driver of health care job growth. In particular, home care aid and home health aid jobs will grow considerably.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of home care aid and home health care aid jobs will increase by about 600,000 from 2004 to 2014. To respond to the increasing demand for home care and home aid workers, many degree and certification programs are cropping up.

Health Care Degrees and Certifications

To work as a home health aide or personal care aide, you don’t need a college degree. For health care jobs such as these, a simple certification will usually do. Certificate programs are generally pretty short, providing the training you need within a few days to a few months. You can find them at community colleges, private postsecondary institutions, and within professional organizations such as the National Association for Home Care. Licensing requirements may vary from state to state, so make sure you learn which legal requirements you must meet to work as a home health aide or home care aide in your state.

If you want to work on the management or administration side of a health services delivery organization, however, you might benefit from a health care-related degree. You might find a health care degree within a school of health policy or health services administration—talk to your school’s advisor to learn more about available degrees in these areas and the jobs they prepare you for.

The Difference between Home Health Aides and Home Care Aides

You might be wondering, what is the difference between home care aide and home health care aide jobs? Both provide assistance to people who are disabled or elderly who live in their homes, rather than an assisted living facility or nursing home. Home care aids may prepare meals, cook, and clean. Home health aids, on the other hand, carry out some medical duties, such as monitoring blood pressure, changing nonsterile dressings, and assisting with artificial limbs.

If you have a desire to help people, consider a career in home health care, one of the fastest-growing careers in the U.S.

Sources:

The Bureau of Labor Statistics

About the Author

Sarah Clark is a freelance writer who specializes in postsecondary education and career development.