Home Care Services

Summary

Home care is care that allows a person with special needs to stay in their home. It might be for people who are getting older (aging in place). It could also be for people who are chronically ill, recovering from surgery, or have a disability. Home care services include:

• Personal care, such as help with bathing, washing your hair, or getting dressed
• Household chores, such as cleaning, yard work, and laundry
• Cooking for you in your home or delivering meals to you
• Money management, such as help filling out forms and making sure that your bills are paid on time
• Health care, such as having a home health aide come to your home or getting care from your provider through telehealth

You can get almost any type of help you want in your home. You have to pay for many of them. But some types of care and community services are free or donated. Sometimes government programs or your health insurance will help cover the cost of certain home care services.

NIH: National Institute on Aging

Related Issues

• Adult Day Care Administration for Community Living
• Adult Day Services National Adult Day Services Association
• Hospice Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
• Telehealth: MedlinePlus Health Topic National Library of Medicine
• What Are My Other Long-Term Care Choices? Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Home Care Services National Institutes of Health

Patient Handouts

• Dementia – home care Medical Encyclopedia
• Home health care Medical Encyclopedia
• Home Healthcare Medical Devices: A Checklist Food and Drug Administration

Statistics and Research

• FastStats: Adult Day Services Centers National Center for Health Statistics
• FastStats: Home Health Care National Center for Health Statistics
• National Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Study National Center for Health Statistics

Find an Expert

• Find Home Health Services Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
• Meals on Wheels: Find a Meal Meals on Wheels Association of America
• Medicare: Find and Compare Health Care Providers Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

Start Here

• Home Health Care Administration for Community Living
• Home Health Care AGS Health in Aging Foundation

Specifics

• Home Healthcare Medical Devices: Infusion Therapy – Getting the Most Out of Your Pump Food and Drug Administration
• Home Improvement Assistance Administration for Community Living

Journal Articles

• Home Care Services