Knowledge Center:

Care at Home

Do You Need Help With A Loved One?

Arcadia Health Care knows that home care has different meanings to different people. Arcadia would like to assist you/your loved one to secure the care they need by providing the following information.

Some people think home care is limited to providing skilled care, but this is only one type of home care. Home care refers to any service provided in the home. It includes nursing care, assistance with bathing and dressing and basic homemaking chores. Different types of home care have different costs and potential funding sources.

There are basically 3 kinds of home care. Each is distinct from the others.

1. Skilled (Professional) - This type requires the skills of a licensed professional. It includes services from a registered nurse, physical therapist, occupational therapist, speech pathologist or medical social worker.
2. Personal Care - This type provides or assists with personal care activities. It includes bathing, dressing, grooming, hair care, transfers and helping with walking.
3. Choreworker/Homemaking - This type helps with household chores or errands. It includes laundry, housekeeping, companionship, grocery shopping, and accompaniment to a doctor visit, meal preparation and pet care to name a few.

Skilled Professional care is usually covered by health insurances such as Blue Cross, Prudential and Medicare. It is the most expensive type of home care because a licensed professional such as a registered nurse administers the care. Persons requiring these services usually have an unstable medical condition which requires close monitoring. Examples include a person requiring a wound dressing change or physical therapy services.

Agencies providing these services are generally licensed by the State. This helps ensure high quality, safe care.

Personal Care Services are provided by non-licensed individuals. They are called personal care aides or home care aides. These individuals have at least a high school education and 1 year experience providing personal care.

In some states the home care agency must have a license to provide personal care. The license requires them to follow regulations. Sometimes the regulations require the worker to complete personal care courses before providing care to you.

Personal care services are less costly than skilled home care. Long-term care insurance may cover all or some of these costs. Most regular health insurance policies do not cover personal care expenses unless the person is also receiving skilled home care at the same time.

Homemaking/Chore worker services do not provide personal care. These include all other types of services in the home. Examples are household chores, laundry, housekeeping, shopping, banking, pet care and companionship. The home care company should require them to have experience performing the services you are requesting. In most states, a license is not required to provide the service.

Homemaker/choreworker service is the least expensive and most flexible of all home care types. Again, most regular insurance policies do not cover homemaker/choreworker services. Sometimes in the recovery process after an auto accident or a work related injury the workers' compensation carrier/auto insurer will pay for limited homemaking services.