Home Health vs. In-Home Care: Tips to Decide Which is Best
Sandy’s 87-year-old mom finally agreed to have someone come in a few days a week to help with housekeeping, meal preparation, and grocery shopping. Sandy and her brother had been helping their mom, but with their busy lives, they were limited as to the amount of help they could provide. Sandy suggested her mom get help from outside providers. Her mom was reluctant because she didn’t want strangers in the house and quite frankly, she’d been doing the work herself and believed she could still do it. However, ever since her mom’s back pain began, it was impossible for her mom to stand long enough to prepare a meal, let alone bend over to clean the bathrooms. When Sandy’s mom kept fracturing vertebrae and needed three surgeries, she finally relented. That was a happy day.
Although relieved that her mom accepted help, Sandy’s challenge was to find a qualified, diligent, kind, trustworthy person with whom her mom felt comfortable in her home. Here’s how she set out to find the best help possible.
She started exploring the options available: home health care and in-home care services.
Home health care
- Offers regular assistance with health care needs, such as medication assistance, nursing services, physical therapy, and medical social services.
- Coordinates care among health care providers.
- Paid for by Medicare, Medicaid, the Veterans Administration, and some private insurance policies.
- Hire individuals directly or through an agency.
In-home care
- Helps with daily activities and personal care, such as household chores, meal preparation, or bathing.
- Provides companionship.
- Paid for by the person receiving care, offered free by volunteer organizations in some communities, and people over 60 may be eligible for programs provided by the local county.
- Hire individuals directly or through an agency.
In determining which care was best for her mom, Sandy conducted research and found this checklist to help her evaluate what type of help was needed.
- Personal care: bathing, eating, dressing, toileting.
- Household care: cooking, cleaning, laundry, shopping.
- Health care: medication management, physician’s appointments, physical therapy, health monitoring.
- Emotional care: companionship, meaningful activities, conversation.
- Transportation assistance: going to appointments, running errands, visiting friends.
After doing her research and discussing her mom’s needs with her, the two hired Karen, an in-home care person. Karen came highly recommended by a friend. The first couple of months went ok as they found their groove together. Sandy’s mom has taken the time to get to know Karen better and appreciates the job she does and enjoys teaching her new skills.