Types of Care

Home Health:
Medical services performed at home. Care professionals that provide home health services are usually certified or can offer proof of skill level required. These include certified nursing assistants, practical nurses, therapists and home health aides. Doctors prescribe home health services, which can include wound or illness care, physical therapy, speech and language pathology, medication administration and management, overall health monitoring, etc. In other words, home health provides medical attention at home.

Home Care:
Non-medical services performed at home that assist with Activities of Daily Living (activities people carry out every day, such as eating, bathing, dressing, walking or getting around, using the bathroom). Home care services can be hands-off or hands-on. Hands-off services include housekeeping, transportation, cooking, laundry, and yard work, among others. Hands-on services are also known as personal care or private duty, and include dressing, grooming, bathing, and toileting, among others. Note some states require caregivers who perform hands-on services to be certified. While a home health caregiver may also perform personal care services, only medical services are considered home health.