When an older adult leaves the hospital or a rehabilitation facility, families often hear that home health has been ordered and assume someone will be available to help every day.
That is one of the most common and potentially consequential misunderstandings families encounter during discharge planning.
The short answer:
Home health provides intermittent skilled nursing or therapy in the person’s home.
Private-duty home care provides scheduled help with daily activities such as bathing, meals, transportation and supervision.
Assisted living combines housing, meals and ongoing personal support in a residential community.
Some older adults need only one of these services. Others need a combination.
What does home health provide?
Home health is healthcare delivered in the home following an illness, injury, surgery or change in condition. A doctor or other qualified healthcare provider generally orders the services.
Depending on the person’s needs, home health may include:
- Skilled nursing
- Physical therapy
- Occupational therapy
- Speech therapy
- Wound care
- Medical monitoring
- Patient and caregiver education
- Limited home health aide assistance when eligibility requirements are met
Home health is provided through scheduled, intermittent visits. A nurse, therapist or other home health professional comes to the home, provides the ordered service and then leaves. Although limited home health aide assistance may sometimes be included, availability varies. Families should not expect someone to remain in the home to provide ongoing personal care, supervision or help throughout the day.
That means a home health professional may visit for a specific clinical purpose, but someone else may still be needed to prepare meals, provide medication reminders or help the person safely get to the bathroom between visits.
What does private-duty home care provide?
Private-duty home care sometimes called non-medical home care, personal care or companion care provides scheduled assistance with everyday activities.
Services may include:
- Bathing, dressing and grooming
- Meal preparation
- Medication reminders
- Light housekeeping
- Transportation and errands
- Companionship
- Safety supervision
- Respite for family caregivers
Families can arrange a few hours of assistance or more extensive coverage, depending on the agency and the older adult’s needs.
Private-duty home care is commonly paid for by the individual or family. Some long-term-care insurance policies, Medicaid programs or veterans’ benefits may help under qualifying circumstances.
What does assisted living provide?
Assisted living offers housing, meals and personal support within a residential community.
Services vary, but they may include:
- A private or shared apartment
- Meals
- Housekeeping and laundry
- Help with bathing, dressing and personal care
- Medication assistance
- Transportation
- Activities and social opportunities
- Staff available on-site around the clock
Families should ask each community how it handles specific care needs, nighttime assistance, falls, changes in condition and memory loss.
Most assisted living is privately paid. Some Central Ohio communities participate in the Ohio Assisted Living Waiver, although participation requirements and community policies vary.
Can someone receive home health and home care together?
Yes. Home health and private-duty home care frequently complement each other.
For example, an older adult may receive physical therapy through home health while a private-duty caregiver helps with meals, bathing and supervision between therapy visits.
Home health may address the clinical need, while home care addresses the daily living need.
When might assisted living be the better option?
It may be time to compare assisted living when an older adult:
- Cannot safely remain alone for extended periods
- Regularly forgets medications
- Is not eating consistently
- Needs frequent help with personal care
- Has repeated falls or emergency visits
- Requires substantial daily or overnight home care
- Is becoming isolated
- Has family caregivers who can no longer provide enough support
The decision should consider more than one incident. Families should evaluate the person’s complete daily routine, available support, anticipated changes and the cost of providing enough care at home.
Questions families should ask before deciding:
- Who will be present between home health visits?
- Can my parent safely manage meals and medications?
- Is help needed with bathing, dressing or toileting?
- What happens during evenings and overnight?
- How many hours of private-duty care would be required?
- Is that schedule financially sustainable?
- Would assisted living provide a more consistent level of support?
- Could care needs increase within the next six to twelve months?
Getting help in Central Ohio
Families do not always know which type of support to call first and they should not be expected to understand an unfamiliar care system overnight.
TrueGuide Senior Advisors helps families in Columbus, Ohio and surrounding communities understand their options and compare realistic solutions based on care needs, timing, location and budget.
The right answer might be home health, private-duty home care, assisted living or a combination. The goal is to identify where the unmet needs are and create a plan that can realistically support them.
Schedule a free consultation or
call today, 614-383-9193, to discuss your family’s situation and determine the next step.
This information is educational and does not replace medical, legal or financial advice. Services, eligibility requirements and coverage vary.
