Home care and home health care both provide services to seniors in their home, but there are distinct differences between these two care types. Home care provides nonmedical services like companionship, bathing, and meal preparation, whereas home health care includes specialized health care services. Home health is prescribed by a doctor and involves skilled nursing care services, like wound care and medication administration.
Is home care the right fit?
Let our free assessment guide you to the best senior living options, tailored to your needs.
The primary difference between home care and home health care are the types of services they provide. Home care aides offer nonmedical supports for seniors living at home and home health care services focus on medically necessary care. Other differences include the cost of care, eligibility, and limits on the length of care.
Nonmedical home care includes companionship and homemaker services, like help with laundry and housekeeping. Nonmedical services may also offer personal care, such as assistance with bathing and dressing. While these services are vital, it’s the regular human interaction that may be the most transformative for seniors.
Home health care services are medically-focused and may include skilled nursing care, medication administration, and rehabilitative therapies. These services are typically provided by nursing professionals as part of a doctor-prescribed home health care plan.
| Home-based service | Home care | Home health |
|---|---|---|
| Bathing/dressing assistance | Yes | No |
| Bathroom support | Yes | Sometimes |
| Cleaning | Yes | No |
| Companionship | Yes | No |
| Health monitoring | No | Yes |
| Injections and IV therapies | No | Yes |
| Meal prep or delivery | Yes | No |
| Medical tests | No | Yes |
| Medication administration | No | Yes |
| Medication reminders | Yes | Yes |
| Pain management | No | Yes |
| Rehabilitative therapies | No | Yes |
| Skilled nursing | No | Yes |
| Transportation | Yes | No |
| Wound care | No | Yes |
Any senior can be a good candidate for home care, as long as they would benefit from someone checking in on them at regular times and helping with daily activities. Some seniors may even hire home care just for the companionship, and that’s perfectly reasonable.
Seniors looking for home health care should require regular medical assistance. While home care providers can help remind a senior to take their medicine, home health care providers can administer medications, dress wounds, and offer some rehab. If a senior needs someone to help them recover from a procedure, to help take their medications, or to dress a wound, they are a good fit for home health care.
Is home care the right fit?
Let our free assessment guide you to the best senior living options, tailored to your needs.
The cost of home care is typically less than home health care. The national median cost for home care is $30 per hour in 2024.[02] Where a senior lives has an impact on the cost of home care. For example, if your loved one lives in an area with a high cost of living, home care costs are likely to be higher than an area with a lower cost of living.
The amount of care will also affect costs. A senior who requires daily support will pay more for home care than an individual who only requires a couple visits each week. Other factors such as state wage laws and agency requirements can also affect the cost of home care.
Out-of-pocket expenses for home health care and nursing homes are comparable because the services are specialized and provided by licensed medical professionals. The actual amount a family will pay for home health care depends on the type of insurance they have and the level of care their loved one needs.
Because home health care services are typically prescribed by a doctor, Medicare and Medicaid plans will usually cover at least some of these costs if certain criteria are met.
Nonmedical home care teams usually consist of a senior’s family members and home care aides. Home care aides can help to provide family caregivers respite while also providing a senior the support they need to live independently. It’s common for home care aides to have different levels of training and experience. For example, if your loved one is living with dementia, find a caregiver who has dementia-specific training or experience working with individuals with memory loss. Families can choose to hire through an agency or privately.
A home health care team will often look much different than nonmedical care teams. Medical professionals provide services as part of a doctor prescribed home health care plan. Depending on a senior’s needs, this team may include licensed nurses, certified nursing assistants, and occupational, physical, or speech-language therapists.
A senior can continue receiving nonmedical home care services as long as they want. Other than a senior’s need and budget, there are no guidelines that dictate the length of time they can receive home care.
The length of time a senior can receive home health care is often determined by their health insurance. Medicare, for example, may pay for home health care as long as the patient meets eligibility requirements and is recertified by their doctor every 60 days.[03]
Home care questions? Get expert help
Tell us your care needs to receive personalized guidance from our advisors.
Understanding the care your loved one needs will help when choosing a home care provider. Do they need help with simple chores around or assistance with activities of daily living like bathing and dressing? Home care agencies provide a variety of services, so we encourage families to review several agencies before making a decision.
It can be time-consuming to find the right home care agency. Seek the guidance of a Senior Living Advisor who can aid this search. They can help you review your loved one’s budget and care needs and direct you to home care agencies in your area. Whichever option you choose, remember that all of our services are offered at no charge to you and your family.
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Home health services coverage.
A Place for Mom. (2023). A Place for Mom Proprietary Home Care Price Index.
US Department of Health and Human Services. (2019, November). Medicare home health benefit.
The information contained on this page is for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute medical, legal or financial advice or create a professional relationship between A Place for Mom and the reader. Always seek the advice of your health care provider, attorney or financial advisor with respect to any particular matter, and do not act or refrain from acting on the basis of anything you have read on this site. Links to third-party websites are only for the convenience of the reader; A Place for Mom does not endorse the contents of the third-party sites.
Home Care options tailored to your needs