“KNOWING THE DIFFERENCE
HOME HEALTH CARE VS. HOME CARE”
The terms commonly known as “home care” and “home health care” are often perceived as being the same service. However; these two care types though similar, but are in fact not the same. Individuals may refer to these care type as home health care services, senior home care, at home health care, and so on and so forth. Besides, the common denominator “home” makes the variation of terms seem relative to one another. The convenience surrounding any type of service needed for a loved one within this industry is getting the help for yourself or family members in need without having to leave home. Listed below are the differences:
“Home Care”
Home care service is provided to aging seniors or individuals in need for companionship and/or assistance with activities. Care type and level of care needed varies from person to person. These services is provided primarily by trained home health care aides providing basic care assistance to a patient, ranging from companionship in forming healthy relationships, assisting with household chores, maintaining personal hygiene, and providing transportation.
“Home Health Care”
Home health care services include basic care assistance combined with clinical and/or medical services.
- Firstly, this type of care primarily catered to individuals including, but not limited to, children, young adults and seniors.
- Secondly, it is based on the medical need of a patient’s customized care plan developed by the care team working with the individual.
- Thirdly, “Home Health Care Services” require medical professionals like RN’s or LVN’s to provide certain care services to patients comfortably at home. Along with registered and licensed nurses, CNA’s or certified nurses assistants are included into a patient’s care team. CNA’s are able to perform certain duties that a “home aide” is not qualified to perform.
Assisting in bathing, transferring from bed to chair, assistance with eating or incontinence. They are trained and certified to work alongside with the nurses to make for more effective and efficient care. Primarily, for short term rehabilitative care or long term care following the result of serious illness or injury that have life altering consequences. In general, the specific service provided varies based upon both medical and non medical needs aligning with the care plan put in place by doctors and nurses working with a patient.
It is quite common for a patient needing care to use a combination of care types. Sometimes a patient or family member may seek to provide services that may not be approved. This depends solely upon the level of care and types of care services needed according to the care plan created.
The Difference In Services
The Chart Below are a few examples of care services and the categories in which they would fall into.
| Service | HOME HEALTH CARE | HOME CARE |
| Bathroom assistance | Y | Y |
| Cleaning service | Y | Y |
| Transportation services | Y | Y |
| Medication administration | Y | N |
| Skilled Nursing | Y | N |
| Meal Prep | Y | Y |
| Speech Therapy | Y | N |
| Rehabilitative care | Y | N |
| Dementia Care | Y | N |
| Wound Care | Y | N |
| Pain Management | Y | N |
| Injections | Y | N |
