Types of Home Health Care Services

Care.com helps you find local caregivers ready to help with meal prep, bathing, companionship, transportation and more. We provide high quality, individualized care for patients of all ages where you feel most comfortable – your home or community. Our services and equipment are designed to help you regain and retain a level of independence. Once home health care starts, the patient and provider work together to determine the appropriate days and hours for visits. “It varies greatly—from one hour at a time to 24-hour care,” says Pecora.

The most common form of home health care is some type of nursing care depending on the person's needs. In consultation with the doctor, a registered nurse will set up a plan of care. Nursing care may include wound dressing, ostomy care, intravenous therapy, administering medication, monitoring the general health of the patient, pain control, and other health support. Some patients may need help relearning how to perform daily duties or improve their speech after an illness or injury. A physical therapist can put together a plan of care to help a patient regain or strengthen use of muscles and joints.

Alena is a professional writer, editor and manager with a lifelong passion for helping others live well. She is also a registered yoga teacher (RYT-200) and a functional medicine certified health coach. Long-term care insurance, which is purchased from private companies to cover such costs as nursing home care or home health care, covers many services not covered by traditional private insurance. The specifics vary from plan to plan, but most will cover at least part of the cost of home health care. Here’s what to know about the different services home health care provides, what to expect when working with an agency, how much it costs and how to find the right agency for you. There are companies that provide transportation to patients who require transportation to and from a medical facility for treatment or physical exams.

An occupational therapist can help a patient with physical, developmental, social, or emotional disabilities relearn how to perform such daily functions as eating, bathing, dressing, and more. A speech therapist can help a patient with impaired speech regain the ability to communicate clearly. Information provided on Forbes Health is for educational purposes only.

Often, the best way to find a home health care agency is to ask people who have used similar services for their recommendations, says Yount. “Asking friends and family about their experience is a really great way to get referrals for quality services.” She also recommends talking to a trusted advisor, such as your doctor. For example, the cost of an occupational therapist’s services differ from those of a registered nurse, which differ from those of a home health aide.

To the best of our knowledge, all content is accurate as of the date posted, though offers contained herein may no longer be available. The opinions expressed are the author’s alone and have not been provided, approved or otherwise endorsed by our advertisers. For instance, the hourly rate for a home health aide in Louisiana in 2020 was $17 compared to $33 in Minnesota. It can take a little while for some seniors to adjust to having a stranger in their home, says Yount, which is why finding the right fit is so important.

Depending on the person's needs, hot meals can be delivered several times a week. Dietitians can come to a patient's home to provide dietary assessments and guidance to support the treatment plan. The home health agency staff will also talk to your doctor about your care and keep your doctor updated about your progress. Through a Medicare health plan, check with your plan to find out how it gives your Medicare-covered home health benefits. Forbes Health adheres to strict editorial integrity standards.

Home health aides can help the patient with his or her basic personal needs such as getting out of bed, walking, bathing, and dressing. Some aides have received specialized training to assist with more specialized care under the supervision of a nurse. Angela Haupt has been a health writer and editor for more than a decade. News & World Report, where she spent 11 years covering and editing wellness and conditions topics.

“They become part of the family because they’re spending hours— multiple days of the week—with the person.” Sometimes the patient and home health caregiver even vacation together, he says. Depending on a person’s needs, home health care can consist of medical care like wound care and/or non-medical care like help with bathing or meal preparation. Our website services, content and products are for informational purposes only. While our team of experienced journalists and medical experts offers timely wellness insights, news and reviews, we do not provide medical advice, diagnoses or treatment.

This type of home health care—often called skilled care—is provided by a medical professional, such as a physician, registered nurse or physical therapist. Services they could provide include wound care and physical, occupational and speech therapy, says Yount. Other potential services include patient and caregiver education, injections and nutrition therapy. The nurse then prepares a detailed personalized care plan, says Shelly Sun, the company’s CEO and founder. She stresses that anyone signing up for high-quality home health care should expect a similar process.