Caregivers and home health aides are often mistaken for the same thing. However, these roles are slightly different from one another. If you or a loved one needs assistance or medical care at home, understanding the key differences between these two positions can guide you toward making the best decision. To help you get started in learning more, we’re discussing details about the differences between caregivers and home health aides, along with factors to take into consideration when hiring one of these professionals.
What Are Caregivers?
A caregiver is someone who provides nonmedical care and services to a person who needs help performing their usual daily activities. People who receive care from caregivers may have disabilities, may be recovering from an injury, or may simply want help doing household chores and activities. Caregivers can be friends or family members of the person who needs care or professionals who work for providers of caregiver services.
Some of the duties and services caregivers typically provide include:
- Running errands, such as paying bills or shopping for groceries
- Driving to and from medical appointments and other activities
- Helping with daily hygiene activities, such as showering and brushing teeth
- Doing household chores, including cooking and preparing meals
- Helping someone with eating food and taking their medications properly
- Spending quality time, such as playing cards or watching movies together
- Helping someone make responsible financial and health decisions
If you’re a caregiver for a loved one or relative, your duties may become overwhelming at times, especially if you’re managing caregiving on top of other work and family obligations. In these instances, hiring a professional caregiver can free up your time and give you peace of mind knowing your loved one is being properly cared for.
What Are Home Health Aides?
A home health aide shares some of the same responsibilities and duties as a caregiver. However, they also provide a wide range of medical services. Many people who are cared for by home health aides have chronic or complex health conditions they need help managing, such as Alzheimer’s, cancer, or stroke recovery. Those who work as home health aides usually have nursing degrees and licenses or certifications that allow them to provide certain medical services.
Some of the duties and services provided by home health aides include:
- Caring for wounds, such as ulcers or incisions
- Administering injections or IV infusions
- Making sure someone adheres to their medication regimen
- Monitoring serious illnesses, such as cancer
- Working with someone to slow the progression of disease
- Providing education about medical conditions
- Helping with exercise and rehabilitation
- Helping someone regain mobility and independence following an illness or injury
- Providing assistance with a limited number of usual daily activities, such as bathing
Often, the care a person receives from a home health aide is ordered, or prescribed, by a doctor. Home health aides may also collaborate and communicate closely with doctors regarding a client’s condition and recovery status.
Deciding Between a Caregiver and Home Health Aide
One of the top factors to consider when deciding between hiring a caregiver and home health aide is whether or not you need medical care. If so, talk to your doctor about the possibility of hiring a home health aide.
If you mainly need help with performing daily activities — such as cleaning your home, running errands, and driving to and from places — a caregiver can most likely fulfill your needs. However, if you’re living with a chronic or complex condition that requires regular monitoring and medical care, a home health aide will likely be more suitable.
Cost is another important factor to take into consideration. You may need to pay out of pocket for caregiver services, but a home health aide may be covered under your health insurance plan if your doctor deems this service medically necessary. Either way, ask the caregiver or home health aide provider about available payment methods that can connect you with affordable service.
Some providers bundle or combine caregiving and home health aide services. This could allow you or your loved one to receive both medical and nonmedical care without having to hire two different people or work with two different providers. This option may benefit you if you’re in recovery from a serious illness or condition and also want companionship or assistance cleaning your home and preparing healthy meals.
Contact your doctor if you’re looking for help finding a reputable caregiver or home health aide. They can usually provide you with more resources.
Resource Links
“Caregivers” via MedlinePlus
“What’s home health care?” via Medicare