Certified home health aides are the dedicated professionals who make it possible for thousands of New Jersey residents to live their day-to-day lives from the security and comfort of home, rather than rely on costly hospital stays or other institutional care.
Aides provide essential support to older adults, individuals recovering from illness or injury, and people living with disabilities. Working under the supervision of registered nurses, these professionals assist with personal care and daily living tasks, like preparing breakfast and keeping medications on track.
For many clients, aides become trusted companions—the person who notices when they’re eating less, remembers how they take their tea, or listens to stories that keep memories alive.
Toni Modak, vice president of Valley Home Care, sits on the Board of Directors to the Home Care & Hospice Association of New Jersey. According to Modak, when staff ask their patients what matters most in their days, the patients will often respond that it’s being able to shower and get dressed. “They’ll say they love the nurses and the therapists and need the skilled care—but without the aides, they simply wouldn’t have been able to do it.”
That kind of one-on-one care happens in homes across the state—and the need for it is only growing. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the employment of home health aides to grow 33% from 2020 to 2030—faster than the average for all occupations. In New Jersey specifically, this growth is driven by an expanding older population and an increasing preference for home and community-based care, especially post-COVID.
The dedication and skill of these professionals rarely make headlines—but they are the reason thousands of New Jerseyans are able to live safely and comfortably at home. Next month, the foundation of the Home Care & Hospice Association of New Jersey will bring CHHA’s daily heroism into the spotlight at the annual Home Health Aide Recognition Day.
The celebration—held at the Sheraton Eatontown Hotel on November 12—will feature lunch, awards, raffles, and community recognition of certified home health aides at all points of their careers across the state.
“Recognition Day is our chance to celebrate these professionals whose work often goes unseen but makes an extraordinary difference in people’s lives,” says Mary Pradilla, executive director of Atlantic Visiting Nurse and board chair of the Home Care & Hospice Association of New Jersey.
Home Health Aide Recognition Day is part of the association’s ongoing commitment to elevating and supporting New Jersey’s direct care workforce. By recognizing and honoring certified home health aides, the association hopes to inspire more people to enter this essential profession and to remind communities of the value of care at home.
About the Home Care & Hospice Association of New Jersey
The Home Care & Hospice Association of NJ serves home care and hospice agencies, healthcare service firms, and industry partners across the state. It advocates on behalf of organizations and home care providers on state and federal issues, shares real-time resources and information, fosters community, and offers the day-to-day support that organizations need so they can focus more on the work that matters most — caring for patients in their homes. Learn more at homecarenj.org.
About the Home Care & Hospice Foundation of New Jersey
The Home Care Foundation of New Jersey is an established 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to empowering essential home health & hospice providers with education, training, safety, leadership, and growth. Contact logan@homecarenj.org to explore how you can get involved in supporting home-based professionals and end-of-life care.
