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What is the Difference Between Home Care and Home Health?
Date Updated: December 9, 2024
Written by:
Tiffany Amber Stockton, an award-winning author and speaker, excels in crafting narratives on senior healthcare, with an expertise in memory care after helping her grandfather live with dementia. With twenty-six published books to her credit, she uniquely blends literary prowess with a compassionate understanding of the challenges faced by older adults. Follow her on LinkedIn for updates on her distinguished writing career in the realm of professional copywriting and copyediting.
Reviewed by:
Dr. Brindusa Vanta is a health care professional, researcher, and an experienced medical writer (2000+ articles published online and several medical ebooks). She received her MD degree from “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine, Romania, and her HD diploma from OCHM – Toronto, Canada.
Medical support is the difference between home care and home health. Home care includes a broad range of nonmedical services that assist individuals with daily activities, while caretakers also provide companionship and handle household tasks. Home health care, on the other hand, involves skilled medical services that licensed health care professionals provide in the home setting.
Daily Living Support with Home Care
Home care focuses on helping individuals with activities of daily living. These nonmedical tasks include bathing, grooming, meal preparation, medication reminders, light housekeeping and transportation. Caregivers, often referred to as home health aides or personal care assistants, help seniors maintain independence and quality of life in the comfort of their own homes. Home care services meet the unique needs and preferences of each individual, with options to arrange care on an hourly, daily or as-needed basis.
Caretakers help combat loneliness and isolation for seniors living alone or whose families can't provide ongoing care due to work or other commitments. Some agencies offer access to wellness programs and assistance with technology to help individuals stay connected with family and friends. Overall, home care allows individuals to age in place with dignity and comfort while also providing essential support and peace of mind for family members.
The Skilled Medical Services of Home Health Care
When more demanding needs exist, home health care provides skilled medical services that licensed health care professionals deliver. These professionals offer specialized medical care to individuals recovering from illness, injury or surgery, as well as those with acute or chronic conditions requiring ongoing management. Services involve wound care, medication management, intravenous therapy, post-operative care, rehabilitation exercises and disease education.
All caretakers must have certified medical training. These include registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists and speech-language pathologists. Primary care physicians or specialists also sometimes come to visit. Delivering high-quality medical care in a familiar and comfortable environment often improves health outcomes. A home health care program called "The Hospital at Home SM program" provides hospital-level care to seniors in their own homes. A research study found this program decreased hospital readmission rates and costs compared to traditional inpatient care.