Habilitation Aide/Rehabilitation Aide

Learn about the Habilitation Aide career...

According to a report by the Disability Statistics Rehabilitation Research and Training Center, there are over 3.7 million people in the United States that need help from another person in order to complete the activities of daily living.1

Activities of daily living can include any activity people perform for self-care, work, homemaking, and leisure.  For the disabled, the activities of daily living can be impossible, or extremely burdensome to complete.  Habilitation Aides, also referred to as Rehabilitation Aides, provide assistance to people with disabilities who need help with daily tasks.  This assistance enables people with disabilities to lead healthy, dynamic lives.

Depending on a person’s disability, she or he may be unable to complete the simplest of daily tasks.  For example, individuals with Cerebral Palsy, a disorder that causes damage to the part of the brain responsible for movement, often need long-term care and help with daily chores.  Habilitation Aides typically help Cerebral Palsy patients with tasks that require precise muscular coordination, such as dressing, bathing, cleaning, and driving.  With the help of a Habilitation Aide, individuals with incurable disorders, like Cerebral Palsy, can improve their self-care skills and make time for other activities, such as education and socializing.  Being able to engage in these activities, adds intellectual stimulation and personal satisfaction to their lives.

Habilitation Aides also work with people who require short-term care, such as someone who has suffered trauma from an accident.  For instance, a person who has broken their legs may need a Habilitation Aide to help them dress and bathe, or to run a few errands for them during the day, such as grocery shopping.  When working with patients recovering from trauma, Habilitation Aides will also provide the emotional support patients need during their recovery.  This kind of care facilitates the healing process, and gives patients the strength necessary to make a full recovery.  

Not surprisingly, because most Habilitation Aides work closely, and on a daily basis, with the same patients, they have the unique opportunity to build friendships with their patients.  These friendships are usually a result of the joy that the Habilitation Aide brings to the life of his or her patient, and vice versa.  For example, the happiness that a Habilitation Aide brings to someone’s life when he or she is able to help their patient go back to work, enroll in school, make dinner, or even brush their teeth, can be a very powerful experience for Habilitation Aides. This reciprocal relationship can inspire lasting friendships.

Habilitation Aides usually work in the home of their clients.  They are patient, understanding, and able to work with people from a variety of social and cultural backgrounds.  If you think that you may enjoy working one-on-one with disabled patients in residential homes, a career as a Habilitation Aide may be for you.  Habilitation Aides are usually required to have high school diplomas. Some employers may require additional education, such as a college education in the form of a psychology degree, nursing degree, or social work degree.

Request information from schools offering Counseling or Psychology degree programs.

Resources:
1Disability Statistics Center