Home Health Aide shortages...

[hoolahan, ASN, RN]

Is everyone having such problems? I am particularly curious about in rural areas. I am in the suburbs, close to the city. There are only a few compnaies left who will offer HHA/PCA under medicaid, only becausethey just can't staff the cases. It is easier in the city if the pt's are on bus routes, but I am hearing patient's tell me they cannot find an agency to provide a PCA because they are not in the city, and not on a bus route.

How are other agencies handling this? Or do you not have this problem?

[Traveler]

I am in a rural area- no bus routes, often dirt roads. The last agency I worked for did do HHA visits for Medicaid (Tenncare here). Where I am now we do not take Medicaid. We haven't had any problems with finding HHA's, it's just finding good ones. The main problem we're having is finding good nurses.

[veronurse54]

Find out if there is a local American Red Cross Chapter in your area and if so if they offer the HHA/CNA program. It is a nationally sanctioned program and is probably one of the best I have seen. I had the challenging experience of opening a school at my local chapter and enrolling the first class. The response was tremendous and I was able to work with One Stop career centers to get referrals as well as obtain grants for scholarships for students who could not afford the tuition.

Good luck!