LTCF vs Home Health?

interceptinglight, CNA · Mar 27, 2011

One reason perhaps that there are so many openings for Home Health CNA's could be that depending on who you are hired by, they may not reimburse for gas if you have to drive far to your assignments. CNA's who work in Home Health here where I live may have to drive 15-20 miles (or more!) one way every day for their jobs. Unless your pay can make up for how much driving you'll be doing, it can make you think twice about accepting such a job.

Bbo.W · Mar 27, 2011

That is a good example of things I need to know, I assumed that all agencies reimbursed for mileage. Thank you!

MurrR · Mar 28, 2011

LTCF love to retain people too, at least that's the way it is in my city. There may not be many openings because there aren't that many people leaving their facilities.

HH can be challenging, from what I've been told, if you're not used to being on your own. I don't know too much about it except what some people in my CNA2 classes told me.

fuzzywuzzy, CNA · Mar 28, 2011

I feel like you'd probably have an easier time in HH after working at an LTC. Facilities provide a lot of opportunity to practice skills, and exposure to all different kinds of people and their families. Plus, you have a support system when you're still new and unsure. You can watch other people and ask for help instead of being stuck in somebody's house all by yourself with someone who is uncooperative or otherwise difficult.

That's just my opinion. In my area HH doesn't pay as much, but the pace is much easier. My first caregiving job was at someone's home. We had a regular rotation of home health aides that would come for an hour each day to help me bathe my client. There was no rushing at all and I learned a LOT from those women.

Bbo.W · Mar 28, 2011

Thank you for all the advice so far! My feeling was that HH would be easier after working in a facility also, as I would have more support in that environment. Thank you!

Sally Lou · Mar 29, 2011

I'm currently working in home health. I have 5 clients a week, the hours i see them vary.

The reason why there are so many HH jobs? Most clients are only 1 hr visits.

I was started at 11.50/hr. I'm making 12.50/hr now.

The good stuff: It's much more flexible. You get more of personal relationship with the clients and their families.

The bad stuff: The "downtime", the time you have between clients. Issues with clients family.

yousoldtheworld · Mar 29, 2011

I will say that if you are wanting to go to nursing school, you might be better off working in an LTCF to start. You'd get a lot more hands on experience, that's for sure, and a lot more practice with things like time management.

Home health definitely tends to be less stressful (though NOT stress free, you do still get difficult clients...but at least you only deal with them one at a time). However, it can be very time consuming when trying to get enough hours. Most agencies around here, you get paid for the time you work with the clients, but NOT the time you spend between appointments. If you have an hour between clients, that's an you aren't getting paid, but it's too short of an amount of time to accomplish much else Gas reimbursement can be iffy and to get reimbursed for gas, you have to keep very close records of what you drive. Here, they pay for your drive between clients, but NOT your initial drive to the first client or your last drive home...which can be a considerable distance.

Many people prefer HH. I am not one of them, but I prefer to keep busy at work. However, HH isn't usually the best choice for a brand new aide, just because you have less of a chance to get comfortable with your skills.

Bbo.W · Mar 29, 2011

Alright, I think LTC is more for me! Thank you everybody!

kaylen26 · Mar 29, 2011

I have worked both and I'm not sure with others but home health here is more housework, which is why I'm no longer in home health. I personally enjoy the hustle and bustle of ltc facility. I do agree that ltc will allow you to use your skills. I have some crazy stories about both but home health takes the cake. Good Luck in either choice.