Complete Guide to Home Care Services: Medical, Personal & Companion Care

For those who need additional assistance due to age, illness or recovery from surgery, having home support can often seem more desirable than hospital care or a care facility. This is where home care comes in. Home care consists of many different types of support to assist people who want to reside in a comfortable home support system.

This guide introduces the three most common types of care offered in the home: medical care; personal care, and companion care.

1. Medical Care at Home

Medical care at home provides healthcare services by a trained professional. Medical care at home is useful for individuals who require extra check-ups, post-surgery care or chronic disease management. Medical care at home assists stroke, injury, and serious illness recovery.

Collaborative medical home care services often include a nurse visit at home. Nurses delivering home care are usually registered nurses (RNs) or licensed practical nurses (LPNs) with specific training and experience in managing specific procedures, such as monitoring vital signs, administering injections, managing medications, and wound care. The nurses administering home care services will also communicate with the doctors and document changes and the status of the patient. 

Medical home care is not only for the elderly; these services can effectively meet the needs of anyone requiring temporary or long-term medical support in the home environment. 

2. Personal Support Services

Personal support care is defined as the provision of services and assistance with activities of daily living such as feeding, bathing and grooming, hygiene tasks, transferring, toileting, meal-preparation and eating assistance, and medication assistance. Some individuals will require assistance with getting in and out of bed, feeding them, or in some cases, ensuring a medication is taken on time. 

Personal support services usually have specialised personnel, specifically trained caregivers, rather than medically trained individuals, to provide essential personal support care. Although in more complex cases, a nurse at home may administer personal care while not distracted by the medical urgency. 

Personal support services are useful for individuals in their senior years, people living with disabilities, and those who are experiencing temporary difficulties or disabilities due to an illness or injury. The support services available are intended to support an individual's ability to live independently and with dignity while ensuring their safety.

3. Companion Care Services

Companion care is about providing emotional support and companionship. Loneliness can lead to stress and depression; it can cause physical health problems as well. Many people, especially seniors - find themselves alone, and companion caregivers provide companionship, conversation, and encouragement. Companion caregivers, for example, might read to the person, go for walks with them, or just sit and talk. 

They might also offer assistance with light housekeeping, meal prep, and medication reminders. Although companion caregivers typically do not provide medical care, having a care companion can improve the person's quality of life substantially. 

Who Receives Home Care Services?

Home care services are for all sorts of people:

• Seniors who want to age in place

• People recovering from surgery or from an illness

• People with chronic health issues, like diabetes or heart conditions

• People who have a physical or mental impairment

• Families who have a loved one they are caring for at home, who need professional help

For some people, having a home nurse is the best choice for successful recovery while providing you with the peace of mind you need. For other situations, just having an aide stop in regularly for friendly visits may suffice.

How to Determine the Best Care Option

Determining the best care option depends on the state of the person's condition. First and foremost, an accurate assessment of your loved one's needs (this can often be done for free by many agencies) can lead to a proper plan being developed that considers what care you require, how often care is needed, and, for medical services, how specific the medical services are.

If medical care is needed, then a nurse at home should have requisite qualifications, certifications and experience. If you require more general caregiver services, simply ensure they are trained and background checked and make sure that they are responsible and able to communicate well with your loved one.

Cost and Flexibility

The cost of home care services depends on:

• Type of care (medical, personal, or companion)

• Hours per day or per week

• Level of experience of the caregiver or nurse

• Location and duration of service

Some agencies allow flexible pricing models. You may choose from part-time, full-time, or even live-in care. Consider the fact that insurance, depending on the service, may cover the costs of the daily support, especially if the doctor recommends a nurse for at-home medical reasons. 

It can be a good idea to sort through a variety of different providers, explore price likely included in the full scope of the service, and ask any of the agencies if they provide trial services, especially when considering a long-term commitment. 

Conclusion

Home care provides an opportunity for people to maintain their independence while at the same time being safe and well cared for. With the right combination of medical, personal, and comprehensive emotional support, home care can facilitate everything from daily tasks to independence for individuals and their families.