Our Home Health Aide graduates have met and surpassed the training requirements as outlined by the New Mexico Department of Health and the federal government. This includes:

• 15-week Home Health Aide training and certificates for Personal Care Attendant, Home Health Aide and CPR/First Aid
• Certificate of completion for Personal Care Attendant
• Certificate of completion for Home Health Aide
• Hands-on training in a laboratory setting
• CPR certification
• Continuing education offerings at Encuentro, which include:
  • English as a Second Language for Health Care Workers
  • Independent Contracting for Home Health Aides
  • Nutrition for Seniors
  • One-hour refresher training sessions on topics such as Caring for Persons with Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, Fall Prevention, others.

Typical home health services include some combination of the following:

• Help with daily activities like dressing, bathing, toileting, oral hygiene, and shaving.
• Prepare meals and snacks. Accompaniment while eating.
• Give medication reminders and monitor medications.
• Check blood pressure, temperature, pulse rate and other vital signs, if needed.
• Do light housekeeping and laundry tasks.
• Spend quality time such as playing cards and puzzles, gardening, and looking at photos.
• Provide transportation and accompaniment to the grocery store, pharmacy, doctor’s office, senior center, and other such places.

Upon graduating from the course, our Home Health Aides are encouraged to complete an in-state background check through the New Mexico Department of Public Safety.  In addition, we provide them with information on obtaining liability insurance, if this is requested of them by the EnCasa Care Connections client. 

It is important to know that the Home Health Aide graduates have interacted with Encuentro staff over a period of 15 weeks and have  completed all requirements of a time-intensive and demanding course. We believe that this accomplishment demonstrates responsibility, commitment and trustworthiness.

•  Using an independent caregiver can save a family 20% - 30%
•  Independent or private caregivers are employed directly by the family. There is no intermediary agency between the care recipient and the caregiver.
• Independent caregivers can provide a broader range of services.
• In Albuquerque, the average hourly rate for a Home Health Aide through a home care agency in 2021 was $27 per hour*.

*Genworth Cost of Care Calculator 

All participating EnCasa Care Connections Home Health Aides have been fully vaccinated against COVID.

During their training, the Home Health Aide students learn the importance of preventing infection, how to protect against disease, about the chain of infection, and preventative practices (such as handwashing) as part of medical asepsis. Home Health Aide graduates working in the field practice Standard Precautions with every client (as appropriate) as directed by the Centers for Disease Control. Encuentro supplies masks, gloves and hand sanitizer for Home Health Aides that acquire contractual work through EnCasa Care Connections. In addition, Home Health Aides are encouraged to follow these protocols:

• Limit exposure to other people (because the person you care for may be particularly vulnerable to serious symptoms from coronavirus, it is especially important that you reduce the chances that you yourself are exposed to the virus so you don’t risk spreading it to your client).
  • Maintain open and ongoing communication about risk of exposure
  • Be honest about where you go and who you see
• Wash your hands well and often, especially after doing direct client care (personal care/feeding/changing linens/laundry etc).
• Change your clothes upon return home from work.
• Follow all CDC guidelines as appropriate:
• Avoid close contact with sick people
• If you are sick, stay home and away from others.
• Cover your nose and mouth when you sneeze.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, mouth.
• Clean and disinfect surfaces or objects that are frequently used.
• Wash your hands well and often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• Maintain distance when you can; set-up furniture in a way that keeps distance between you and the client.
• Wear a clean mask. Recognizing that social distancing is difficult in this line of work, masks help limit transmission.
• Commit to social distancing and masks in public.
• Notify your client if you were exposed to someone who tests positive for COVID-19.
• Notify your client if you have a fever, cough, and/or shortness of breath as they may be symptoms of COVID-19. Other, less common symptoms are red or purple lesions on the hands and feet, diarrhea, severe appetite loss, and a loss of the sense of taste and smell.
• Get tested for COVID-19 once a month (this does not apply if you are fully vaccinated).