When you start researching senior care, you’ll see the terms “home care” and “home health care” used interchangeably online — even by some agencies. They are not the same thing, and confusing them can cost you thousands or send you to the wrong provider.
Here’s the simplest way to remember it: home health care is medical. Home care is everything else.
Home health care = medical care delivered at home
Home health care is skilled medical care provided in the home, usually after a hospital stay. It’s ordered by a physician and delivered by licensed professionals: registered nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, and medical social workers.
Typical home health services include wound care, IV therapy, injections, physical therapy after surgery, medication management by a nurse, and post-stroke speech therapy. Visits are short (30–60 minutes) and intermittent (a few times per week).
Home health care is typically covered by Medicare, Medicare Advantage, or private health insurance for a limited time, when a patient is “homebound” and needs intermittent skilled care.
Home care = non-medical help with daily life
Home care (sometimes called “personal care” or “companion care”) is non-medical support with the activities of daily living. It’s the help your parent needs to live safely and comfortably at home day-to-day.
Home care includes bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, meal preparation, medication reminders (not administering), light housekeeping, laundry, errands, transportation, companionship, and supervision for someone with dementia.
Home care is usually private pay or covered by long-term care insurance, VA Aid & Attendance, or Medicaid waivers. Medicare typically does NOT cover home care.
Who provides each service
Home health care providers are licensed medical professionals: RNs, LPNs, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists. They work for Medicare-certified home health agencies and follow a physician’s plan of care.
Home care providers are caregivers, certified nursing assistants (CNAs), or home health aides (HHAs) trained in personal care but not medical procedures. They work for state-licensed home care agencies (in Florida, AHCA-licensed). They do NOT diagnose, prescribe, or perform medical procedures.
How long each lasts
Home health care is short-term and episodic. After a hip replacement, you might get 4–6 weeks of physical therapy visits. After a stroke, 8–12 weeks of combined nursing, PT, and OT visits. Medicare cuts off coverage when the patient stops “showing progress.”
Home care is long-term and ongoing. Many of our clients have been with us for 3, 5, even 10 years. The need doesn’t go away; it usually grows over time.
When you need both
After a hospitalization for a fall or surgery, many seniors qualify for a few weeks of home health care (covered by Medicare) AND home care (private pay). The home health nurse manages medications and wound care. The home care aide helps with bathing, meals, and supervision during recovery.
When the Medicare home health benefit ends, home care often continues — this is the “step-down” most families don’t plan for. Our Care Coordinators can help your family set up both, and time the transition so there’s no gap.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between home care and home health care?
Home health care is short-term medical care (nursing, physical therapy, wound care) ordered by a doctor and typically covered by Medicare after a hospital stay. Home care is non-medical, ongoing assistance with daily activities like bathing, meals, and companionship — usually paid for privately, by long-term care insurance, VA benefits, or Medicaid waivers.
Does Medicare cover home care?
No. Medicare generally does not cover non-medical home care (help with bathing, meals, companionship). Medicare DOES cover short-term home health care — skilled nursing, physical therapy, and other medical services — for homebound patients after a qualifying event, but only for a limited time and only when the patient is showing measurable medical improvement.
Can a home care aide give my parent medication?
Home care aides can remind your parent to take medications and bring them the pill bottles, but in most states they cannot administer medication or use a needle. Only licensed nurses (provided by a home health agency) can administer injections, manage IVs, or perform other clinical procedures.
What is the average cost of home care vs. home health care?
Home care averages $28–$38 per hour in Florida, paid privately or through long-term care insurance. Home health care is usually billed by visit (not hour) and typically covered by Medicare for eligible patients — meaning the patient often pays $0 out of pocket for the duration of the benefit.
How do I know which one my parent needs?
If your parent recently left the hospital, had surgery, or has a wound that needs nursing care, start with home health care — their doctor can write the order. If your parent needs help with daily tasks like bathing, dressing, meals, or supervision, you need home care. Many families need both services at the same time.
Need help thinking through care for your loved one?
Our Care Coordinators have helped 800+ families across Gainesville and Alachua County. The first conversation is free, with no pressure or commitment — just honest advice for your situation.
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