What is Home Health Care?
The term home health care embodies a wide range of services that are provided to allow elderly, ill, disabled or recovering individuals to remain in the independence of home. Services can fall anywhere between skilled nursing care to transportation and light housekeeping. Care can range from short weekly visits to around-the-clock 24-hour care.
Caregiving is a demanding job that is generally most successful when done as a team. Home care assists with the duties of caregiving, when they become too much for a spouse or loved one to handle. Sometimes, additional help comes from a friend or family member. Some people refer to a caregiver registry or staffing agency. Often, families opt to contact a home care agency – such as Seniors Home Care.
Services provided among home care agencies vary. (When contacting an agency, it is wise to make a list of the needs that you require to ensure that they will be covered.) Technically, there is a difference between a home care agency and a home health care agency. This article primarily focuses on home care services – those which are mostly non-skilled in nature.
Home care agencies generally provide services that are not considered to be skilled care – which is not to say that these caregivers are not skilled, but that they are not performing highly medical tasks. These services range from housekeeping and companion care to transportation and assistance with personal care, such as bathing, dressing, toileting and eating. This care is not covered by Medicare and thus paid for privately or by private long-term care insurance.
Seniors Home Care falls under this category of home care – also referred to as private duty home care. However, SHC does also employ a team of RN Case Managers to offer skilled nursing services that caregivers may not be equipped to administer. SHC has experience working and communicating with other services, such as Hospice, to ensure that our clients receive complete care.
Home health care agencies are licensed and usually Medicare certified. These agencies primarily focus on the medical aspects of care, such as skilled nursing, physical and occupational therapy and speech therapy. If you are in need of these services, contact us and we will be happy to provide recommendations in your area.
For more information on home care, please feel free to contact us. We would be happy to send you an informational packet. This not only includes the services that SHC provides, but also a detailed checklist to help determine need for home care services as well as a list of questions to ask when considering and selecting a home care provider. If you are a resident of the greater St. Louis area, take advantage of our free RN assessment to help determine the level of need and best plan of action for you or a loved one.
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scott
November 29, 2017
I like that you talked about how home health care services can focus on medical needs for seniors. My father is getting older and I would like someone to make sure he is staying healthy. I can see how it would be nice to try home health care. That way I don’t have to worry about him mixing up his medications.
Mats Wolff
May 24, 2022
Its great when you said that home health care agencies are usually licensed and certified by Medicare. I recently found a new job and I want to hire someone who can take care of my elderly mother in my house. Thanks for the benefits of home health care and I hope that I can find someone trustworthy soon.
Mats Wolff
June 21, 2022
It’s fantastic that you said that Medicare usually licenses and certifies home health care agencies. I recently started a new work, and I’d like to employ someone to look after my elderly mother at home. Thank you for the advantages of home health care, and I hope to find someone dependable soon.
Amy Saunders
July 05, 2022
Hey there. One of the elders in my neighborhood will be living alone for the next couple of weeks since his daughter will be attending a business conference out of town. In my opinion, hiring a caretaker to look after him should be something he takes into consideration some time soon. In the meantime, you caught my interest by stating that most home care officers should carry insurance policies as some sort of protections against any possible workplace hazard.
Mats Wolff
September 01, 2022
It’s nice that you mentioned that home health care providers typically have licenses and certifications from Medicare. I recently got a new job, so I’m looking to hire someone to look after my ageing mother in my home. I appreciate the advantages of home health care and am hoping to find a reliable provider soon.
Max P
September 07, 2022
I found it helpful when you said that services that are not considered to be skilled care could be provided by home care agencies, and this includes housekeeping and companion care. This reminds me of my best friend’s 67-year-old mother who has been living alone. She wants to make sure that she will get assistance in completing household and self-care chores for her peace of mind moving forward, so I will ask her to consider hiring a home care service.
Taylor Abrams
September 08, 2022
What you said about home care helping with responsibilities of caregiving when it’s too much to handle for the other family members is really insightful. When I was in college, my roomie was stressed over finding a home health care service provider for her mom who has dementia. It must be heartbreaking for people to have to call someone else to do something they want to do but can’t. At the same time, it feels good that services like that exists.
Taylor Abrams
October 25, 2022
When the responsibilities of caregiving become too much for a spouse or loved one to undertake, it’s good to know that home care may help. My grandma has been diagnosed with dementia last month and with everyone working, we feel like taking care of her 24/7 isn’t something possible. So, we collectively thought of home care for her so she can still be at home while being cared for by a professional.
Ava M
November 10, 2022
It was nice that you mentioned that families usually opt to hire a senior home care service, especially when they cannot handle the job anymore. My husband worries about her 67-year-old mother who has been insisting to live alone. She does not want to move to another place. Since my husband wants to have peace of mind when it comes to the safety of his mother, I will ask her to consider your tips.
Elle Jones
February 03, 2023
Your statement that home care providers may offer services like housekeeping and companion care that are not regarded as skilled was very beneficial to me. This makes me think of the 67-year-old mother of my best friend who has been living alone. I would suggest that she consider hiring a home care service since she wants to be sure that she will receive assistance with finishing domestic and self-care tasks for the sake of her peace of mind.
Elle Jones
March 25, 2023
Due to his daughter’s upcoming attendance at an out-of-town business conference, one of the elderly residents of my neighborhood will be living alone for the next few weeks. He ought to consider getting a caretaker soon, in my opinion, to take care of him. While I wait, you piqued my interest by saying that the majority of home care workers should be covered by insurance as a form of defense against any potential workplace risks.
Elina Brooks
July 19, 2023
My grandmother has Alzheimer’s and since I can no longer take care of her on my own with how busy I am with work these days, I’m considering hiring a caregiver to watch over her for me instead. I appreciate you letting us know that the services provided by home care agencies may vary, which is why it is advised to create a list of the needs we require before contacting the agency to ensure we have everything covered. I’ll keep this in mind while I look for a home health care service to hire for help soon.
Clare Martin
August 08, 2023
I’m thankful you recommended that we consider home care if we don’t need our caregiver to perform high medical tasks and only need services like housekeeping, companion care, and assistance with personal care. My grandmother doesn’t like people fussing over her but since she can’t handle some daily tasks on her sometimes, I’m considering getting a caregiver to assist her. I’ll take note of this while I look for a home care agency to call for inquiries soon.
Dr.Zeeshan
August 21, 2023
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Lily Bridgers
October 19, 2023
I appreciate you suggesting that we look into home care if we simply require services like housekeeping, companion care, and aid with personal care and don’t need our caregiver to undertake high-level medical chores. My grandma dislikes attention, but because she occasionally needs help with some daily duties, I’m thinking of hiring a caretaker to help her. I’ll remember this when I start looking for a home companion care service to contact with questions.
synergyphysiotherapyclinic
December 02, 2023
Their personalized approach and compassionate services create a safe and nurturing environment for seniors. The dedication and professionalism of the team at SeniorsHomeCare truly make a positive impact on the lives of our beloved elders. Thank you for your unwavering commitment to enhancing the quality of life for seniors and providing peace of mind to their families.
synergyphysiotherapyclinic
December 18, 2023
We are indebted to seniorshomecare for removing the mystery from “What is Home Health Care?” Your March 11, 2013, blog post sheds light on the crucial topic of home health care in a clear and informative manner. Your obligation to giving significant bits of knowledge to families exploring senior consideration is genuinely praiseworthy.
Lily Bridgers
February 16, 2024
I now know that when a spouse or loved one’s caring responsibilities become too much for them to bear, home care can help. This reminds me of how last month, my sister had the opportunity to care for our elderly neighbor who had recently undergone surgery. Inspired by this experience and fueled by her innate compassion, she’s now determined to pursue home health aide training, recognizing the immense value of providing personalized care and support to those in need within our community.
Visiting-angels
May 14, 2024
It’s good that you highlighted how home care allows our senior loved ones to remain at home.
Proxen
December 26, 2024
I recently came across your blog and found it incredibly informative about home health aide agencies in Queens. The services you described are essential for families like mine who have elderly relatives needing personalized care. It’s comforting to know that such agencies provide trained professionals who prioritize compassion and reliability. I appreciate how you highlighted the importance of customized care plans. It truly makes a difference when caregivers understand the unique needs of each patient. Thank you for sharing this valuable information. It’s a relief to know that quality home care options are available in our community.
Alexandra Grey
December 26, 2024
Home health care is essential for maintaining independence at home. This clear distinction between home care and home health care helps families make informed decisions.
Prada
March 26, 2025
Selecting the right home health aide is crucial for ensuring the best care for your loved one. It’s important to find someone who is not only trained but also compassionate and patient. A good HHA should have proper certifications, experience, and excellent communication skills. Checking references, reading reviews, and conducting interviews can help determine if an aide is the right fit. Since they spend a lot of time with the patient, a strong bond and trust must develop. Families should also ensure that the aide understands specific medical needs to provide the best possible care.