Home Health Care vs. In-Home Care: What’s the Difference?

We all want to make informed, thoughtful, and financially responsible decisions when it comes to providing the appropriate care for an aging loved one. One of the first things you need to familiarize yourself with before making your decision is the difference between home care and home health care as they are actually two separate services. Home care in Orlando from BrightStar Care can provide assistance with clinical and environmental assessments that will help you make the best choice in setting up a plan of care for your loved one.

• A home health care professional, a companion, or caregiver assigned to care for your family member is a non-medical individual whose job it is to provide assistance with daily living activities such as bathing, dressing, food preparation, light housekeeping, and laundry. They make sure that their charge is able to navigate the home safely and assist with mobility-need issues as required. In many situations, a combination of family members and a professional caregiver will work together to provide care and assistance to the person in need of such care.
• Home health care workers are licensed medical professionals who perform tasks as prescribed by the physician. The home health care worker title encompasses personnel such as nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech/language therapists. This scope of care provides substantive medical assistance to help your elderly loved one remain safely in the home. A registered nurse, licensed practical nurse, or a certified nursing assistant is typically responsible for overall case management of the patient’s care plan. Services can include in-home infusion therapy, PICC line maintenance, wound care, and blood draws, just to name a few.

It should go without saying that consultation with the physician and any other health care professionals already involved in the care of your elderly loved one is well advised prior to making the decision between providing care at home, home health care, or if an assisted living/skilled nursing facility is a better option. With today’s technological advances, many medical services can be provided safely in the home. The professional home care in Orlando team at BrightStar Care will help you make the best decision possible when faced with the decision of choosing appropriate in home care or home health care for your aging loved one. Call us at 407-877-0720 to learn more.