Care at Home

"Home care" is the common term for paid services provided to older people who, though frail or disabled, don’t want to leave their own homes and enter care-giving facilities. They prefer to remain independent, if possible. The same services can be provided for disabled children or younger adults.

The person seeking home care services may be suffering from the after-effects of an acute illness such as pneumonia; experiencing a chronic illness such as diabetes; in the later stages of a terminal illness such as cancer; suffering from a permanent disability following a stroke; or recovering from an accident or fall.

Sometimes the services are designed to augment care provided by a family member. In other cases, home care services are required because family members aren’t available. The type of care needed depends on the particular circumstance.

Home care services generally can be divided into three categories:

• Personal Care. Help with basic daily activities such as bathing, dressing, walking, toileting, and getting in and out of bed. 
  
  
• Homemaking. Help with shopping, cooking, cleaning and other housekeeping chores. 
  
  
• Skilled Care. Help with medical needs such as injections, physical therapy, and wound dressing.