When a loved one needs help at home, "home health aide" is often one of the first terms you'll encounter. But what exactly does a home health aide do? Understanding their role—and how it differs from other types of caregivers—is essential for making the right care decision for your family.

At 360 Degree Care, we've helped hundreds of Bergen County and Passaic County families navigate these questions. Based in Ridgewood and serving communities throughout Northern New Jersey, we understand the unique needs of families in our area. In this guide, we'll walk you through everything a home health aide can (and can't) do, so you know exactly what to expect.

What Is a Home Health Aide?

A home health aide (HHA) is a trained caregiver who provides hands-on assistance to individuals who need help with daily activities due to age, illness, injury, or disability. In New Jersey, home health aides must complete state-approved training and certification to provide care.

Home health aides work in private homes, assisted living facilities, and other residential settings. Their primary goal is to help clients maintain their independence, dignity, and quality of life while remaining safely in their own homes.

Core Duties of a Home Health Aide

Personal Care Assistance

The foundation of home health aide services is personal care—helping with the intimate daily tasks that become difficult as we age or recover from illness.

Bathing and hygiene support is one of the most common services. This includes helping your loved one get in and out of the shower or tub safely, washing and drying, and ensuring proper hygiene is maintained. For many families, this is the service that first signals the need for professional help—when a parent can no longer safely bathe alone.

Dressing assistance involves helping clients choose appropriate clothing, manage buttons and zippers, and get dressed and undressed. This might seem simple, but for someone with arthritis, limited mobility, or cognitive decline, getting dressed independently can become exhausting or even dangerous.

Grooming and personal hygiene covers oral care, hair brushing and styling, shaving, nail care, and skin care. These tasks help your loved one maintain their dignity and self-esteem.

Toileting and incontinence care is sensitive but essential. Home health aides help with safe transfers to and from the bathroom, personal cleanliness, and managing incontinence products with professionalism and respect.

Mobility and Transfer Assistance

Falls are one of the greatest risks for seniors living at home. Home health aides provide crucial support for safe movement throughout the day.

This includes helping clients get in and out of bed, transferring from bed to wheelchair or chair, walking assistance (with or without mobility aids), and repositioning bedridden clients to prevent pressure sores.

A skilled home health aide knows proper body mechanics and transfer techniques that protect both the client and themselves from injury.

Meal Preparation and Nutrition Support

Proper nutrition is vital for health, healing, and maintaining strength. Home health aides help ensure your loved one eats well by preparing nutritious meals according to dietary requirements or restrictions, assisting with feeding when necessary, monitoring food intake and hydration, and grocery shopping and kitchen organization.

For clients with diabetes, heart disease, or other conditions requiring special diets, having a caregiver who understands these needs can make a significant difference in health outcomes.

Light Housekeeping

While home health aides aren't housekeepers, they do help maintain a clean, safe living environment. Light housekeeping duties typically include changing bed linens, doing laundry, washing dishes, tidying living spaces, and taking out trash.

The goal is to keep the immediate living area safe and sanitary—not deep cleaning or heavy household chores.

Medication Reminders

Home health aides can provide medication reminders to help clients take the right medications at the right times. They can also observe and report any side effects or concerns to family members or healthcare providers.

Important distinction: Home health aides cannot administer medications, adjust dosages, or make decisions about medication management. That requires a licensed nurse.

Companionship and Emotional Support

Beyond physical care, home health aides provide something equally valuable: human connection. Many seniors experience isolation and loneliness, especially if they live alone or have limited mobility.

Home health aides offer conversation and social interaction, accompaniment on walks or outings, engagement in hobbies and activities, and a watchful, caring presence that provides peace of mind for families.

This companionship aspect shouldn't be underestimated. Studies consistently show that social connection improves health outcomes and quality of life for seniors.

What Home Health Aides Cannot Do

Understanding the boundaries of home health aide services is just as important as knowing what they provide. In New Jersey, home health aides are not permitted to:

• •Administer medications (including injections)
• •Perform wound care or change dressings
• •Provide any skilled nursing services
• •Make medical decisions or diagnoses
• •Provide physical, occupational, or speech therapy
• •Perform heavy housekeeping (moving furniture, deep cleaning, yard work)

If your loved one needs skilled medical care, you'll need a licensed practical nurse (LPN) or registered nurse (RN) in addition to or instead of a home health aide. Learn more about our nursing services.

Home Health Aide vs. Other Caregivers: What's the Difference?

The terminology in home care can be confusing. Here's how home health aides compare to other types of caregivers:

Home Health Aide vs. Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)

Both require certification, and their scopes are similar. The main difference is the setting—CNAs typically work in facilities (nursing homes, hospitals), while HHAs work in private homes. Many caregivers hold both certifications.

Home Health Aide vs. Personal Care Aide

Personal care aides (PCAs) provide similar services but may have less formal training requirements. In practice, these terms are often used interchangeably in New Jersey. Explore our personal care services.

Home Health Aide vs. Companion Caregiver

Companion caregivers focus primarily on socialization, supervision, and light support—they typically don't provide hands-on personal care like bathing or toileting assistance. Learn about companion care.

Home Health Aide vs. Home Health Nurse

Registered nurses and licensed practical nurses can provide skilled medical care that home health aides cannot. If your loved one needs wound care, IV therapy, injections, or medical monitoring, a nurse is required.

Types of Home Health Aide Schedules

Home health aide services can be arranged in several ways depending on your family's needs:

Hourly care is the most flexible option, ranging from a few hours per day to 12-hour shifts. This works well for families who need help during specific times—morning routines, evenings, or while family caregivers are at work.

24-hour care provides around-the-clock support, typically with caregivers working in shifts. This ensures someone is always awake and alert to assist your loved one.

Live-in care involves a caregiver who resides in the home, providing care throughout the day with scheduled sleep time at night. This can be more cost-effective than 24-hour care for clients who don't need overnight assistance. Contact us to discuss which schedule fits your needs.

How to Know If Your Loved One Needs a Home Health Aide

Recognizing when it's time to bring in professional help isn't always obvious. Consider home health aide services if your loved one is:

• •Struggling with bathing, dressing, or personal hygiene
• •Experiencing frequent falls or balance issues
• •Losing weight or not eating properly
• •Having difficulty managing medications
• •Becoming increasingly isolated or withdrawn
• •Recovering from surgery, illness, or hospitalization
• •Showing signs of cognitive decline

The earlier you arrange support, the safer your loved one will be—and the more effectively you can prevent accidents and health declines.

Finding the Right Home Health Aide in Bergen County and Passaic County

Choosing a home health aide is a significant decision. At 360 Degree Care, we understand that you're not just hiring a caregiver—you're inviting someone into your family's life during a vulnerable time.

As a family-run agency based in Ridgewood, we take the time to understand each client's unique needs, preferences, and personality. We don't believe in one-size-fits-all care. Every care plan we create is tailored specifically to your loved one.

Our home health aides are carefully screened, trained, and matched with clients based on compatibility—because the relationship between caregiver and client matters as much as the services provided.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a home health aide cost in New Jersey? Home health aide costs vary based on hours needed, level of care required, and scheduling (daytime vs. overnight, weekday vs. weekend). For detailed pricing information, see our guide on the cost of home care in Northern New Jersey. Contact us for a personalized assessment and care plan tailored to your family's needs and budget.

Does Medicare pay for home health aides? Medicare covers home health aide services only when they're part of a skilled care plan ordered by a doctor and provided by a Medicare-certified agency. For custodial (non-medical) home health aide services, Medicare typically does not pay. Other options include Medicaid, long-term care insurance, and private pay. Learn more about how to pay for home care.

What's the difference between home care and home health care? Home care (sometimes called non-medical home care) includes personal care, companionship, and household help. Home health care includes skilled medical services provided by nurses or therapists. Many families need both types of support.

Ready to Learn More?

If you're considering home health aide services for a loved one in Bergen County, Passaic County, or the surrounding Northern New Jersey area, we're here to help you understand your options. At 360 Degree Care, we treat every client like family—because that's how we'd want our own loved ones to be treated.

Schedule a free consultation or call us at (201) 299-4243 to discuss your family's needs and learn how a home health aide can help your loved one thrive at home.