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It should be no secret to anyone that the population of the United States is aging. As the “greatest generation” fades into honored memory and the “baby boomers” begin to approach retirement, the health care industries in our country are facing a major increase in demand. This in turn puts a strain on existing hospital and medical clinic resources, often forcing them to become less personal and more systematic in their treatment of patients. People seeking careers in health care can be put off by this reality and seek alternatives which will allow them to practice their skills in a more personal environment-the home.

Many of our most talented medical providers are opting to work in a home health agency. This growing trend is expected to increase as the population ages and demand for care increases. A home health agency has some definite benefits for a health care professional wanting a more personal practice environment.

“Working in a home health agency offers some very significant advantages over a hospital or clinic setting,” explained Maria Bushebi, Manager of Private Duty for Family Home Care and Hospice, located in Spokane, WA. “Seeing a patient in a home setting allows a nurse or home health aide the time to develop a relationship with the patient, observe the progress of care and make recommendations that may escape the attention of a hospital or clinic based professional. Plus, it’s much easier in our system to follow the progress of care and that’s a major part of our job satisfaction.”

The largest privately owned home health agency in the Inland Northwest, Family Home Care and Hospice (FHCH) has more than 250 employees. The growing demand for home care services has company president, Michael Nowling sensitive to the difficulties of running a health care business.

One of the biggest difficulties of running a health care business is staffing,” explained Nowling. “We have great success in recruiting high quality candidates because they are the type of people who are interested in working in a system which emphasizes personal attention and interaction.”

Not only do home health workers experience greater job satisfaction, but they also have greater flexibility in their work schedules than do clinic or hospital based professionals. As a result, a home health agency is an ideal situation for workers with families. The scheduling options allow them to be available for family or other obligations.

If other home health agencies are anything like Family Home Care, then the whole industry is probably seeing an influx of family oriented employees,” said Bushebi. “We are fortunate to have regular work hours plus the flexibility to arrange our schedules so we can be available for things like parent-teacher conferences and dental appointments, etc.”

Home health agencies are attracting a large number of mature workers, Bushebi explained. Often these are workers who have raised their families and would like to re-enter the workforce. They like the home health environment because of the personal aspect of the work and the sense of satisfaction it gives them.

“The home health environment works well for these employees because they are mature and responsible and tend to have a highly developed sense of compassion and concern,” said Bushebi. “They fit well into a home environment and gain a real sense of accomplishment and appreciation as they develop a relationship with patients and see them progress.”

Health care workers in hospitals and clinics are also moving into home health agencies. Improvements in technologies have seen many of the latest therapies and equipment now moving into home applications.

“Health professionals don’t have to worry any longer that they’re leaving behind the technical knowledge they accumulated working with high-tech medical equipment or state of the art procedures,” Bushebi added. “Much of this experience and technology can now be used in a home environment, so they can have the best of both worlds. They can keep up on the latest developments in their field and have fulfilling patient interactions.”

There are training programs available for workers which will allow them to receive the necessary certifications and licenses to work for a home health agency. Many of the Nursing Assistant programs are offered at community colleges throughout the nation and are very affordable. Plus, according to Bushebi, many home care agencies like Family Home Care will reimburse workers for these training programs.

For people both young and old who are interested in a health care career which offers a unique combination of old fashioned patient care and relationship building along with the latest in medical advances, the best choice these days seems to be the home health agency. And, as Bushebi concludes, if her experience at Family Home Care and Hospice is any indication, home health workers will find all that and more in the home health industry.