I had been a home health aide for many years in Phoenix. Honestly, you are screwed since you are a male. 95% of the clients will not accept a male. It is hit and miss, so I would not recommend trying to get steady work. I would get 60 hours a week and then be out of work for months waiting for another client. Since you are not a girl I would forget about being a HHA. http://www.city-data.com/forum/las-vegas/653373-entry-level-home-health-aide-starting.html
Is it true that 95% of clients will not accept a male HHA? Is it true in NYC?
Are there enough population that there is continuous line of work?
Specializes in MedSurg, PACU, Maternal/Child Health.
You said you have a degree in the humanities and that you are physically weak...how about being a case manager for a home health agency. Work would be office based with occasional visits to clients homes to recertify their home care services. You would be in charge of assigning HHAs and therapists to the patients and changing them when needed. Most of these case manager jobs require a bachelor's degree in liberal arts (which you have). For being HHA either in the home or in the nursing home (CNA), you need to be able to move patients there is no way around it. You also have to bathe them, change them, feed them. You cannot choose your assignment by requesting a slim patient. Refusing to lift a patient will have you charged with patient neglect. You have to take what you are assigned and besides, even slim elderly people are heavy due to bone mass and lack of them being able to support any of their weight.
You want to have a lot of free time at work, sometimes it happens due to low census on the unit (nursing home) or the patient in the home is sleeping. However you have to be minding the patient at all times, what if the patient falls or starts having a seizure or choking and you were busy enjoying free time? I think based on your mentioned reasons for being HHA, it would not work for you. Also they do not assign children to male HHAs as most families prefer females...that's just how it is. Try applying for case manager in a home health agency...you would work 9 to 5 and have time off after work and on weekends and you do not need to lift more than a few pounds.
I am physically weak and won't be able to do heavy lifting. But isn't NYC big enough that even excluding females and males who require strength (overweight), there might be many clients (males who are not overweight)?
How do you land a spot in a nursing or rehab facility? Are you talking about NYS HHA certification?
Flod. I personally think your plan is unsound. I've lived in New York City all my life. It's impossible to make a decent living on a HHA salary. I'm asking you seriously and nonjudgmental, what's your real goal? Just want a taste of the Big Apple? A career on Broadway or Wall Street? I don't know you. You don't know me. Feel free to speak your mind.
Flod. I personally think your plan is unsound. I've lived in New York City all my life. It's impossible to make a decent living on a HHA salary. I'm asking you seriously and nonjudgmental, what's your real goal? Just want a taste of the Big Apple? A career on Broadway or Wall Street? I don't know you. You don't know me. Feel free to speak your mind.
My goal is to have a job that consists of mostly free time where I can do personal research by reading books and using the internet, and eventually making my living through blog/website online.
Maybe I could become a overnight security guard? I guess they should have a lot of jobs of any kind in NYC but also that much more population to compete with. Or maybe I might be overqualified for security guard too?
Specifically this is the type of job that I'm thinking of:
When I was a CNA I worked for a home health company, and some of the overnight companion jobs allowed TONS of free time.
One job was come in at 10pm, sit in a dimly lit room (with book + book light) and monitor an Alzheimer patient during the night (in case he tried to get up). Only a few times did he wake up confused, and I redirected him back to bed or called staff to help him (the facility was responsible for changing him, we just prevented falls). That lasted about a year.
Another was an elderly paraplegic - I would arrive at his house at 8pm, watch TV with him until 10pm, do a twenty minute routine to get him to bed (bathroom, transfer, etc), then I went to my room (I had a private bedroom/bathroom/shower etc) and monitor him via baby monitor during the night. I was allowed to sleep (just turning the radio up high incase he yelled for me),,,usually I brought my laptop and talked online to my wife each night, then sleep at around 2am, wake up at 7am, shower, wake him up and the next shift would arrive and begin cooking breakfast.
Another had me driving someone who was post stroke to the gym each day for rehab - he got me a temporary membership, but I preferred bringing books and studying.
It was a very nice gig while it lasted (I became a nurse), base pay was $10 but went up to $15 depending. I worked with that company for about a year and a half.
Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
My goal is to have a job that consists of mostly free time where I can do personal research by reading books and using the internet, and eventually making my living through blog/website online.
Maybe I could become a overnight security guard? I guess they should have a lot of jobs of any kind in NYC but also that much more population to compete with. Or maybe I might be overqualified for security guard too?
Any job has many applicants for a single listing in a major metropolitan area like NYC. Moving without a job offer is not wise. Why not just stay where you are and take a security job or fast food job? You say you have no car, no home to move to, no money. Any job in the city is going to require reliable transportation.
You have no way of knowing whether the anonymous poster regarding a "cushy" overnight HHA job is reality or even what area of the country the poster is located. The excess free time HHA job could be in rural Kansas and from 5 years ago. Unless private pay, those who qualify for overnight HHA often have needs that need to be met throughout the night
Specializes in MedSurg, PACU, Maternal/Child Health.
Maybe overnight security works better for you. As long as you dont have a criminal record you should qualify for the training. You get lots of free time. Of course you still need to be aware of your surroundings but you dont have to monitor anyone for health issues and you do not have to lift anyone. I think the pay is better for security guard also. I wouldnt recommend HHA to you unless you have a real interest in health care, which from your posts seems not really. Overnight HHA is not a piece of cake. The agencies only approve overnight services for patients who have a real need certified by a doctor...for example frequent life threatening episodes of seizures, choking, waking up disoriented or violent, etc. So you may not have as much free time as you think.
I know there's lots of posts for security in any urban or suburban area so based on what you want for a job...security guard may be your perfect job.
Yeah I think I would prefer the security job. For some reason though I never got a call back when I applied to security jobs in my area. I heard that a lot of them are ex-military people. So I guess all the ex-military people gets the job?
Or maybe if I move to NYC there will be so many jobs that I will land a security job?
Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
Yeah I think I would prefer the security job. For some reason though I never got a call back when I applied to security jobs in my area. I heard that a lot of them are ex-military people. So I guess all the ex-military people gets the job?
Or maybe if I move to NYC there will be so many jobs that I will land a security job?
You need a license to work as a security guard in NY
Specializes in MedSurg, PACU, Maternal/Child Health.
Great! You found what really fits you so go for it. You may have not gotten a call because you do not have a security license yet it seems. Find security training and once you do it and have a license and certificate you should get more response. I advise you to go to your local Workforce Center or whatever agency helps people find jobs. They should connect you to a security training course and help you make your resume fitting for the job. You may not have security experience but may have transferable skills...maybe good people skills, always aware of your surroundings, etc. Maybe also start working out at a gym to get more strenght which you can also mention in your resume/interview for security.
My goal is to have a job that consists of mostly free time where I can do personal research by reading books and using the internet, and eventually making my living through blog/website online.
Maybe I could become a overnight security guard? I guess they should have a lot of jobs of any kind in NYC but also that much more population to compete with. Or maybe I might be overqualified for security guard too?
Good work if you can get it. TSA screener they work Part time and get federal benefits. Heard of few who did exactly what you're proposing to do. Substitute teacher also could work. All you need is a BA.
estrellaCR, BSN, RN
465 Posts
You said you have a degree in the humanities and that you are physically weak...how about being a case manager for a home health agency. Work would be office based with occasional visits to clients homes to recertify their home care services. You would be in charge of assigning HHAs and therapists to the patients and changing them when needed. Most of these case manager jobs require a bachelor's degree in liberal arts (which you have). For being HHA either in the home or in the nursing home (CNA), you need to be able to move patients there is no way around it. You also have to bathe them, change them, feed them. You cannot choose your assignment by requesting a slim patient. Refusing to lift a patient will have you charged with patient neglect. You have to take what you are assigned and besides, even slim elderly people are heavy due to bone mass and lack of them being able to support any of their weight.
You want to have a lot of free time at work, sometimes it happens due to low census on the unit (nursing home) or the patient in the home is sleeping. However you have to be minding the patient at all times, what if the patient falls or starts having a seizure or choking and you were busy enjoying free time? I think based on your mentioned reasons for being HHA, it would not work for you. Also they do not assign children to male HHAs as most families prefer females...that's just how it is. Try applying for case manager in a home health agency...you would work 9 to 5 and have time off after work and on weekends and you do not need to lift more than a few pounds.