Summary: Home care service providers assist elderly and disabled individuals with activities of daily living. This assistance often allows individuals to remain in their own home rather than needing to move to an assisted living facility.
Outlook: Demand for home care services should remain strong and even continue to grow as the population ages and more people need assistance with daily activities
Earnings: $10-15 per hour
Start-Up Costs: $0
Equipment: The home care business does not require any special equipment or supplies.
Detailed Review
The home care business involves helping elderly people or people with disabilities with activities of daily living. Individuals may need assistance with house cleaning, preparing meals, showering and bathing, or using the toilet.
It is quite possible to earn a fair wage in this business; however, billable rates may be lower than in other businesses since the customers may need care 24 hours each day and is often paying out of pocket. Rates will frequently vary based on the level of care that is required and the finances of the family.
The outlook for this business if quite good considering the present demographics in the USA. US Census Bureau data indicates that 17.3 percent of the US population is above the age of 60 in 2008 [1]. The Census Bureau also reports that more than 8 million Americans are living with some type of self-care disability [2]. Aging senior citizens and individuals living with self-care disabilities are increasingly choosing home-care options over institutional care. This trend, coupled with population demographics, suggest increased demand for home services in the future.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that “employment of personal and home care aides is projected to grow by 51 percent between 2006 and 2016, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. This occupation will be amongst the occupations adding the most new jobs, growing by about 389,000 jobs. The expected growth is due, in large part, to the projected rise in the number of elderly people, an age group that often has mounting health problems and that needs some assistance with daily activities. The elderly and other patients, such as the mentally disabled, increasingly rely on home care.” [3]
Any field that is predicted to grow 51 percent in a single decade is probably worth considering.
Getting Started
Many people enter the home care field after working as a nurse, nursing assistant, or in some other medical position. However, this is not a requirement, particularly since many individuals in need of home care services do not require significant medical care.
Some home care providers work for only one client while others may work for quite a few different clients. Both scenarios offer advantages and disadvantages. Working for one client can provide steady income without needing to juggle multiple clients. Working for multiple clients can protect your income if a client is hospitalized or dies unexpectedly.
Which approach you pursue is up to you. You may also find that at times you have one or two clients who provide a lot of work while at other times you may have many clients each providing a few hours each week.
The National Association for Home Care and Hospice (NAHC) offers a national certification for home care professionals. Visit their website [4] for more information about educational opportunities for home care providers.
You may also consider taking a basic life support CPR class. These classes are frequently offered through the Red Cross [5] or the American Heart Association [6].
Marketing
The home care business may be marketed in several ways depending on your budget and prospective market. Here are several suggestions I have compiled based on my own experience in the medical field.
- word of mouth referrals are particularly effective – ask friends and family for referrals
- advertising in the services section of a community newspaper (daily newspapers tend to be quite expensive though)
- post business cards and fliers at laundromats, grocery stores, etc.
- contact the local senior citizens center and inform them of your services
- contact your local health department and inquire as to whether they maintain a list of home care providers and ask to be added to the list
Cautions
Home care can be a rich and rewarding business. However, like any business, there are a few things that can be problematic.
Due to the fact that you will be caring for people with various illnesses and infirmities there will be times when clients are hospitalized or die unexpectedly. This can be traumatic emotionally since you may have become attached to the person after caring for them in their home for some time. This can also be rough on your budget since you will suddenly be without work. It is wise in the home care business, as in any business, to set aside some money in savings for the inevitable slow months.
Conclusion
The home care business can be a good business for people who like helping others and spending time with people. Patience and a good dose of common sense will probably go a long ways in this business. Good people skills are also essential since you will be dealing with people in difficult circumstances.
For the person who finds it rewarding to help others the home care business can be a rewarding and fulfilling business opportunity.
SOURCES
- US Census Bureau – Age and Sex in the United States: 2008 Gender Table 1 – Accessed on 23 June 2009 – http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/age/age_sex_2008.html
- US Census Bureau – Self-Care Disability for the Civilian Noninstitutionalized Population 5 Years and Over, Table B18006 – Accessed on 23 June 2009 – http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/disability/2006acs.html
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2008-2009 Edition – Accessed on 23 June 2009 – http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos173.htm
- National Association for Home Care & Hospice – http://www.nahc.org/education/home.htm
- American Red Cross – http://www.redcross.org/
-
American Heart Association – American Heart Association – http://www.americanheart.org/
American Heart Association –
