When a loved one begins needing additional support at home, families may hear the terms home care and home health used interchangeably. While both services can help people remain at home, they are designed to address different needs.
Understanding the difference between home care and home health can help families have more informed conversations about care options and determine what type of support may be appropriate for their loved one.
The simplest distinction is that non-medical home care focuses on everyday support and assistance with daily living, while home health generally focuses on skilled healthcare services provided in the home.
What Is Home Care?
Home care provides non-medical assistance that can help an individual remain safe, comfortable and supported in their own home. Depending on the person’s needs and the services offered by the agency, home care may include assistance with personal care, companionship, meal preparation, light housekeeping, respite care and everyday routines.
Home care can be helpful for older adults, individuals living with disabilities, people who need additional assistance with daily activities and families who need additional support while caring for a loved one.
Examples of Home Care Services
- Assistance with bathing, grooming and dressing
- Companionship and conversation
- Meal preparation
- Light housekeeping
- Respite support for family caregivers
- Assistance with everyday routines
- Mobility and safety support
- Fall-prevention and home-safety assistance
Who May Benefit From Home Care?
A person may benefit from non-medical home care when they can remain at home but need assistance with everyday activities or additional support throughout the day.
Family caregivers may also benefit from home care when they need dependable respite or additional help managing the responsibilities of caregiving.
What Is Home Health?
Home health generally refers to skilled healthcare services delivered in a person’s home. Depending on the individual’s needs, services may include skilled nursing or rehabilitation services such as physical, occupational or speech therapy.
Unlike non-medical home care, home health is focused primarily on skilled healthcare needs rather than assistance with ordinary activities of daily living.
Home Health Can Support Medical and Rehabilitation Needs
Home health may be appropriate for individuals who need skilled services in the home related to an illness, injury, surgery, rehabilitation or another qualifying healthcare need. The specific services available depend on the individual’s circumstances, care plan, provider and applicable coverage or eligibility requirements.
Home Care vs. Home Health: What’s the Difference?
Although home care and home health both support people in their homes, their primary purposes are different. The following comparison can help families understand how the services generally differ.
| Area | Home Care | Home Health |
|---|---|---|
| Primary focus | Everyday support and non-medical assistance | Skilled healthcare services |
| Personal care | May assist with bathing, grooming and dressing | Generally not the primary purpose |
| Companionship | Often an important part of service | Not the primary focus |
| Meal preparation | May be included as a non-medical service | Generally not the primary service |
| Light housekeeping | May be included | Generally not the primary service |
| Skilled nursing | Not provided by a non-medical home care agency | May be provided when clinically appropriate |
| Therapy | Not a skilled therapy service | May include physical, occupational or speech therapy |
| Family caregiver respite | Can provide valuable respite support | Not generally the primary purpose |
Can Someone Receive Both Home Care and Home Health?
In some situations, yes. Home care and home health can complement one another because they address different types of needs.
For example, someone recovering at home after an illness, injury or procedure may receive skilled home health services for an appropriate medical or rehabilitation need while also receiving non-medical home care for assistance with meals, personal routines, companionship or household tasks.
Different Services Can Work Together
The decision does not always have to be home care or home health. When appropriate, different services may work alongside one another to address different aspects of a person’s needs at home.
Why Understanding the Difference Matters
Families often begin looking for care after noticing that a loved one is having more difficulty managing everyday activities or recovering at home. Knowing the difference between home care and home health can make it easier to ask the right questions and explore appropriate resources.
Everyday Assistance
Someone may need help with personal routines, meals, companionship or household tasks without needing skilled medical services.
Skilled Healthcare Needs
Someone recovering from an illness, injury or procedure may need skilled healthcare services delivered in the home.
Family Caregiver Support
Family members may need additional assistance or respite while continuing to participate in their loved one’s care.
Different Needs, Different Services
Understanding the purpose of each service can help families identify the type of support that may fit their loved one’s needs.
Where Ladner Caregivers Fits
Ladner Caregivers provides non-medical home care designed to help individuals receive support with everyday needs while remaining in the comfort of their own homes.
Our services may include personal care, companionship, respite care, meal preparation, light housekeeping and other non-medical support based on the services available and the individual’s needs.
We understand that every family situation is different. Our goal is to provide dependable support while respecting each individual’s routines, preferences and decisions.
Not Sure What Type of Care Your Loved One Needs?
Understanding the difference between home care and home health is an important first step. If your family is exploring non-medical home care options, Ladner Caregivers can help you learn more about the services available.
Contact Ladner Caregivers