Patient Guide
Key Information for Your Stay
Home Care
Home Care
Home care is care that you get
in your home. Usually, home care
begins after discharge from a
hospital or medical center and
takes the place of extended care in
a nursing or rehab facility.
Keep in mind that home care and
home healthcare are not the same.
Home care includes services
that help with daily living like
housekeeping, meal preparation
and other chores. Home healthcare
offers daily living services, but it
also focuses on medical needs—such as caring for wounds, keeping
you active through exercise and
giving you medicine.
How to Choose Home Care
Before deciding on a home care and
home healthcare agency or provider,
it may be helpful to ask doctors,
neighbors or friends for advice. You
also may want to call local agencies
and ask them questions, including:
- How long has the agency been open?
- Does the agency have a current license (if needed)?
- How much do supervisors oversee the quality of care?
- How are caregivers hired? Trained?
- What type of screening is done for employees?
If you’re thinking about hiring a
home care aide who doesn’t work
for a hospital or other provider,
you may want to screen them by requesting an interview and
references. Don’t be afraid to ask
questions about special needs you
or your loved one may have.
Once you decide on a home care aide, they will need to know the following about you or your loved one:
- Likes/dislikes
- Medicines—including what they're for and when to take them
- Illnesses and injuries
- Behavior problems
- Mobility problems (difficulty getting in and out of chairs, walking, etc.)
- Nutritional/dietary needs
- Required therapy/exercises
- Cane, walker, dentures and/or glasses use
Additional Resources:
American Geriatrics Society’s Health inAging Foundation:
www.healthinaging.org
Eldercare Locator: eldercare.acl.gov
