What is Home Care? Types, Costs & Senior Care Options

At some point in an older adult’s life, they may rely on an in-home caregiver. In fact, many would tell you that they prefer to stay at home for as long as possible. With the use of an in-home caregiver, they can do so, either with the help of a loved one or a caring professional.  More than 70 million people provide essential support that helps older adults and people with disabilities live independently.

Choosing home care services can feel overwhelming at first, especially when inviting a caregiver into your home. However, professional caregivers are trained to provide compassionate support that helps older adults maintain independence, safety, and quality of life.

What Are Home Care Services?

Home care services provide non-medical or medical support to those who need assistance while continuing to live at home. Depending on the level of care needed, services may include personal care, skilled nursing, therapy, companionship, medication reminders, and help with daily activities.

Professional home care providers are trained, experienced, and often certified based on the type of care they provide. Some services may also involve licensed nurses, therapists, or home health professionals.

Home care can also be provided by a family member, but they may be limited in what they can do if they are not adequately trained.

Some common duties of a home care provider may include:

• Meal preparation
• Medication reminders
• Transportation and errands
• Bathing and dressing assistance
• Mobility support
• Companion care
• Wound care and skilled nursing support
• Physical and occupational therapy

Types of Home Care Services

There are three main types of home healthcare available. They include:

Personal Care and Companion Care

This type of home care doesn’t typically require the assistance of a nurse.

Personal care and companion care are non-medical home care services focused on helping individuals with activities of daily living and emotional support.

These home caregiving services may include:

• Meal preparation
• Bathing and grooming assistance
• Transportation
• Medication reminders
• Companionship and social interaction
• Light housekeeping

This type of care can be especially helpful for those living with:

• Mobility limitations
• Dementia or Alzheimer’s disease
• Chronic health conditions

Other names for this type of care include companion care, senior care, assistive care, and home health aide services.

The national median cost of non-medical home care services continues to rise based on location, caregiver demand, level of care needed, and hours of support required. Costs vary significantly by state and care type.

Private Duty Nursing Care

Private duty nursing care provides skilled medical support for individuals with chronic illnesses, disabilities, or complex medical conditions who need long term ongoing care at home.

This type of care often goes alongside a personal care worker, as you will likely require both health care and assistance with routine tasks.

Private duty nurses may assist with:

• Wound care
• Respite care
• Feeding tubes
• Catheter care
• Ventilator support
• Medication administration
• Monitoring vital signs

This type of care is commonly used for conditions such as:

• ALS
• Multiple sclerosis (MS)
• Spinal cord injuries
• Neurological disorders

Because private duty nursing involves licensed medical professionals, costs are generally higher than standard, non-medical home care services.

Home Health Care

Home health care involves short-term, medically necessary care prescribed by a physician, often following surgery, illness, or injury. Services may include:

• Physical therapy
• Occupational therapy
• Skilled nursing
• Speech therapy
• Wound care
• Medical social work

Other names for this type of care include:

• Visiting nurse services
• Intermittent skilled care
• Medicare-certified home health care

Many home health care services may be covered by Medicare, Medicaid, or private insurance when eligibility requirements are met.

Because this care requires the assistance of a medically-trained professional, paying out-of-pocket will cost you about the same per hour as private duty nursing care. In all cases, any care requiring medical assistance will be more expensive than your average caregiver. 

With several types of home care services available, families are better able to choose home care agencies that offer the specific services their loved one needs based on their budget. Financial planning is key, but there are also a few resources that offer financial support for qualified recipients.

Home Care vs Home Health Care

Home care services typically focus on non-medical support such as companionship, personal care, and help with daily activities. Home health care involves medically necessary skilled services prescribed by a doctor.

How Much Do Home Care Services Cost?

The cost of home care services depends on several factors, including:

• Location
• Level of care needed
• Caregiver qualifications
• Hours of support required
• Medical complexity

According to current industry data, home care costs continue to increase nationwide due to caregiver demand and workforce shortages.

Choosing the Right Home Care Services

When selecting home care services, families should consider:

• Level of care needed
• Caregiver experience and credentials
• Agency reputation
• Cost and insurance coverage
• Flexibility of services
• Communication and care planning

Families should also ask whether caregivers are:

• Trained and certified
• Background checked
• Supervised by licensed professionals
• Experienced with specific health conditions

FAQs About Home Care Services