In-Home Care

What it is In- Home Care? There is often confusion about what home care and home healthcare are. Simply put, it is receiving assistance with personal care and ADL’S in you own home. “Skilled” home care services like an RN, PT, ST or OT are different than in-home care which is considered custodial care. One provides medical “skilled” service. the other provides aid with custodial type care. The use of phrases and acronyms like PCA, HHA, HCA is very confusing. Medicare pays for “skilled home health care” but does not pay for unskilled “custodial in-home care”. Medicaid pays for some custodial care but restrictions apply.

Many may not realize the added stress of keeping a loved one at home. Often, we do not have the physical & emotional capacity to provide this care. Finding a reliable, more cost-effective care alternative may be the best choice.

Most people with a chronic illness need some amount of aid in the last chapter of life to remain at home. Those distinctions are very complex and change often. The most effective plans are ones developed and followed by a geriatric MD who has the training and ability in Geriatric case management to coordinate the care and provide the needed level of communication with the patient and family.