Home care and home health care may sound similar, but there are distinct differences. Home care provides nonmedical services like companionship, bathing, and meal preparation, whereas home health care is specialized, doctor-prescribed medical assistance such as skilled nursing care, wound care, and medication administration. Differing costs and payment options also set these two care types apart. Understanding the costs, services, and benefits of home care and home health care can help you choose the best care for your loved one.
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Home care — sometimes called “in-home care” — means nonmedical services for seniors who require assistance with daily tasks. Levels of care can vary based on a senior’s specific needs, while the frequency may range from daily to weekly visits to provide the following services:
Home care providers, who are sometimes referred to as “personal care aides,” can be hired privately or through a home care agency.
Home care aides can free up time for overwhelmed family caregivers and provide support for seniors who want to age in place but need:
Home health care is prescribed by a doctor as part of a patient’s care plan. Services are provided in a patient’s home by licensed medical professionals.
Home health care is typically arranged and provided through home health agencies and may include the following services:
Home health care benefits someone who has challenging medical needs or is recovering from an injury or illness. This could include seniors who:
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The following chart compares the services that are provided by home care and home health care. However, keep in mind that nonmedical and medical home-based services can be combined to provide a senior with comprehensive support.
Home-based service | Home care | Home health |
---|---|---|
Bathing/dressing assistance | Yes | No |
Bathroom support | Yes | Sometimes |
Cleaning | Yes | No |
Companionship | Yes | No |
Health monitoring | No | Yes |
Injections and IV therapies | No | Yes |
Meal prep or delivery | Yes | No |
Medical tests | No | Yes |
Medication administration | No | Yes |
Medication reminders | Yes | Yes |
Pain management | No | Yes |
Rehabilitative therapies | No | Yes |
Skilled nursing | No | Yes |
Transportation | Yes | No |
Wound care | No | Yes |
Home care and home health care offer different levels of care, which are reflected in the different costs families should expect to pay for each care type.
The national median cost of home care in 2023 is $30 per hour, based on proprietary data gathered from A Place for Mom’s home care provider network.[02] Factors such as location, state wage laws, and agency requirements can affect the cost of home care near you.
The amount a family will pay for home health care depends on the type of insurance they have and the level of care their loved one needs. Because home health care services are typically prescribed by a doctor, Medicare, Medicaid, and private health insurance plans will usually cover at least some of these costs if certain eligibility criteria are met.
Any needed durable medical equipment is often included in addition to services like injections, wound care, and physical and occupational therapy. Home health care providers may also assist individuals with ADLs and other homemaking tasks if these services are part of a senior’s care plan.[01]
Out-of-pocket home health care expenses are usually higher than home care expenses because the services provided are specialized and are provided by licensed medical professionals. However, the costs can vary by location, services, and the level of care required.
The following list highlights the most common payment methods and the types of home care they cover.
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Your loved one’s doctor or hospital social worker will likely be the main resource for finding home health care services. They’ll either arrange services through a Medicare-certified home health agency or furnish a list of providers to contact directly.
If home care is the right fit for your loved one, you have the option to hire an independent caregiver on your own or hire caregivers through a home care agency. Both approaches have pros and cons, but hiring independently often requires a family to be fully involved in every step of the process. An agency is typically more expensive, but their staff handles things like background checks, taxes and payroll, and finding replacement care when it’s needed.
A Place for Mom’s Senior Living Advisors can help you explore home-based care options at no cost to your family. They can answer your questions about home care, assess your loved one’s needs, and guide you through the next steps of your search.
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Home health services coverage.
A Place for Mom. (2023). A Place for Mom Proprietary Home Care Price Index.
The information contained on this page is for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute medical, legal or financial advice or create a professional relationship between A Place for Mom and the reader. Always seek the advice of your health care provider, attorney or financial advisor with respect to any particular matter, and do not act or refrain from acting on the basis of anything you have read on this site. Links to third-party websites are only for the convenience of the reader; A Place for Mom does not endorse the contents of the third-party sites.
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