School Is in Session! Preferred Opens Private Vocational School for Certified Home Health Aides
Preferred Home Health Care & Nursing Services (PHHC), Eatontown, recently held an open house at 145 Wyckoff Road to unveil its private vocational school program for men and women 18-years-old and older who are interested in becoming Certified Homemaker Home Health Aides (CHHHA).
“With the demand for home health care growing by leaps and bounds it seems there will never be enough home health aides to care for everyone,” said Joel Markel, Marlboro, who is the founder of Preferred Home Health Care, a company with numerous locations throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
“Our goal is to help train people to add to the supply of certified individuals so the entire state of New Jersey can be better serviced,” he said.
Markel said now that Preferred has opened its own vocational school and is licensed, students may be eligible to receive grants, scholarships and financial aid for their education. “In many instances, the cost of their tuition will be paid in full. I am extremely pleased to be able to offer these courses to men and women who won’t have to pay tuition,” he said.
Eatontown Mayor Gerald J. Tarantolo said he is pleased that Preferred is continuing its growth in Eatontown. “When I see empty buildings it worries me. When I see space occupied by a growing business that will bring in ratables, it thrills me,” said Tarantolo, adding that he will tell people, “Preferred is employing people and filling a growing need by offering this certification program.”
During the open house, Ellen Stone, RN, who is the program manager for Preferred, showed the classroom, which contained a hospital bed and other equipment necessary for caring for a client at home, and a laboratory filled with new equipment and supplies used by health care aides.
The 76-hour Certified Homemaker Home Health Aide program can be completed in about six weeks in the evening or about three weeks during the day. “After students successfully complete the program, they must be certified by the state and cannot work until the certification process is completed,” Stone said. “Being a Certified Homemaker Home Health Aide is a great career path and gives you a chance to experience direct care hands-on so you can decide whether this is the career for you,” she said.
“In addition, Brookdale Community College requires that students entering the college RN program already be a Certified Nurse’s Aide or a Certified Homemaker Home Health Aide.” Markel and Stone said that Preferred would be supportive of students who would like to continue their education to become registered nurses.
Agencies that employ aides are regulated by the state Division of Consumer Affairs and the aides themselves are regulated by the New Jersey Board of Nursing.
Markel said that it took several years for Preferred to receive approval for its vocational school program from the state Department of Labor, state Department of Education, and the state Board of Nursing.
For more information, contact Ellen Stone, RN, BSN, program director for Preferred, at 732-687-6432, or visit PreferredCares.com and click on the Education tab.
About Preferred’s Certified Homemaker Home Health Aides (CHHHA) Class: The CHHHA class, a 76-hour state-approved program, open to males and females 18-years-old or older, costs about $1300.00 and includes all requirements, such as books, labs, state certifications, physicals, CPR certification, and employer-signed paperwork. Those on general assistance, underemployed or on unemployment may qualify for state funding. Private students will also be accepted. A few grants are available for financial assistance. Classes are 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; evening classes are 5:30 to 10:00 p.m. Students can enroll now for classes upcoming classes. Preferred offers both training and possible employment for certified individuals.
About Preferred Home Health Care & Nursing Services: Since 1987, Preferred Home Health Care & Nursing Services (PHHC), 45 Main Street, Eatontown, N.J., has provided a wide range of medical and non-medical home health care services from pediatric to geriatric care throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania. PHHC is accredited by CHAP (Community Health Accreditation Program), an accrediting organization for the home health care industry.
Preferred works collaboratively with physicians, hospitals, nursing homes and facilities to ensure a smooth transition to one’s home. In-house services include skilled nursing care for infants, children, adults, and seniors; personal care services, including bathing, grooming, dressing, feeding, etc.; private duty nursing services; and at-home physical therapy, among others. All of the care can be provided in-house and is coordinated by registered nurses, with clinical supervision available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Visit Preferred at PreferredCares.com for more information.