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What is Home Care and Is it Right for Me?

Researching the right senior care options for yourself or your loved one can be overwhelming. A simple internet search of “What is home care?” can give you dozens of answers. The truth is, there are many different types of senior home care – and even the types of home care can vary. In this article, Associated Home Care explains your home care options so you can choose the right level of care for yourself or your family members. 

In-home care — also called home care — provides non-medical services at home or in senior housing for older adults who need everything from companionship and help around the house, up to assistance with bathing, toileting or 24-hour care or skilled nursing. 

In-home Caregivers can be hired privately or through agencies, such as Associated Home Care. Caregivers can be companions, Certified Home Health Aides or Certified Nursing Aides. Regardless of their titles, generally these professionals help with many daily needs. 

Types of In-Home Care 

It’s important to understand the types of Caregivers available to you. 

AARP says that people turning 65 today have an almost 70 percent chance of needing some type of long-term care services or support in their remaining years, and 1 in 5 will need such care for more than five years, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (Link to AARP article)

Types of Caregivers What they do 
Companion/homemaker Provides companionship, meal prep, light housekeeping, errands. No certification or license. 
Personal care aide Provides tasks of companion/homemaker plus assistance with toileting, dressing and showering. Available for a few hours a week, 24/7 or anything in between. Training and certification requirements vary by state.  
Home health aide Provides personal care, light housekeeping and basic health care, such as medication reminders, measuring vital signs and administering medications under a licensed health care professional’s supervision. 
Certified nursing assistant Provides personal care, light housekeeping and can assist with some medical procedures, such as basic wound care. Federal law requires at least 75 hours of training.  
Skilled care providers Nurses and therapists provide direct care, help oversee care and coordinate with other care providers. 
Chart showing the types of home care Caregivers and their responsibilities.

Is Senior In-Home Care Right for You? 

If you or your elderly loved one could use the following types of help, senior home care may be right for you: 

  • Cleaning and organizing a senior’s home 
  • Transportation to appointments or errands 
  • Assistance with activities of daily living, such as bathing or grooming 
  • Medication management and reminders, rather than the direct administration of medication 
  • Meal prep 
  • Assistance with toileting, grooming and bathing 
  • Companionship 
  • Respite care to give family caregivers a break 
  • Transitioning from hospital or rehab to home after an illness or surgery 

Typically for home care, you pay for only the hours you use, although some agencies require you to contract with them for a minimum number of hours per week.  Some seniors only want help a few hours a week; others need 24/7 non-medical care or end-of-life care. 

In many cases, in-home Caregivers can fill in during the hours when medical home care, skilled nursing or assisted living staff cannot be there. Associated Home Care’s Caregivers work seamlessly with other types senior care professionals and complement the care they provide. 

Agencies like Associated Home Care may have Caregivers who have received special training to know how to care for seniors who have dementia, Alzheimer’s, ALS or Parkinson’s, are recovering from a stroke, or have chronic illnesses, such as COPD and Congestive Heart Failure. 

Consider Associated for In-Home Care 

Associated Home Care has provided the highest quality in-home senior care since 1991. Our customized services range from a few hours a week companionship to around-the-clock in-home care — all are designed to bring peace of mind to individuals needing extra care for their families. 

Here are a few reasons why you should consider Associated Home Care for you or your loved one: 

  1. Availability – Associated Home Care serves more than 100 communities throughout Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Tennessee.   
  1. Coverage — Associated Home Care employs a field staff of more than 2,000 qualified Caregivers. That means you have coverage, even if your Caregiver needs to call out sick. 
  1. Careful Hiring Practices – Associated Home Care selects only highly trained and compassionate Caregivers, Companions, Certified Home Health Aides, and Certified Nursing Aides for our clients. We conduct rigorous background checks. 
  1. Personalized Care – Our CareTeams create customized care plans for each client. These provide a roadmap for our In-Home Caregivers to follow to make sure they deliver the right care for your loved one. 
  1. Care that Grows with You – Our care is flexible, so if you need to add or reduce hours or change the type of Caregiver you have, Associated Home Care will work with you. 
  1. Corporate Resources – Associated Home Care is a member of the HouseWorks family of companies.  HouseWorks is one of the largest providers of non-medical personal home care in the northeast. With the resources of HouseWorks and long history of care in Massachusetts, Associated Home Care is in the unique position to provide tailored personal care with the feel of a small family agency and the superior quality control and resources of a large corporate entity. 

If you or your family member needs private care at home, we have Certified Home Health Aides and Certified Nursing Aides available ready to help you today. 

Our Caregivers Help With: 

  • Personal care like getting dressed, showering, maintaining good nutrition, planning safe transitions from hospital to home, and more 
  • Organizing medical care visits and doctor appointments 
  • Help with keeping medications organized 
  • Making sure clients do physical and organizational therapy exercises as prescribed 
  • Transportation to medical appointments, picking up medications, running errands, accompanying to family events, and going grocery shopping 
  • Skilled nursing care as needed 

Get More Information 

 Associated Home Care’s Caregivers provide personalized attention that helps seniors live at home safely and comfortably for as long as possible. For more information and a free consultation, you can call us (800) 281-0878 or Request Information on Associated Home Care’s website.