Chapter 2 of the Complete Home Care Guide
Home care is not a single thing. It is a category — and within that category, the range of services is wide enough to cover someone who simply needs help with groceries and someone who needs a nurse managing a complex medical condition at home.
That range is what makes home care so valuable. It means care can be matched precisely to what a person actually needs — no more, no less. But it also means families need to understand what their options are before they can make a good decision.
This chapter covers the five types of home care services available through our agency. Each one serves a distinct purpose, a distinct population, and a distinct set of needs. Understanding the difference is the first step toward finding the right fit.
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Non-medical, daily support for individuals who need help living safely and comfortably at home. |
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What it is Caregiver services — sometimes called personal care or companion care — are the foundation of home care. They are non-medical in nature, meaning no clinical training is required to provide them. What they offer instead is consistent, hands-on presence: someone who shows up, helps with the tasks of daily living, and makes it possible for a person to stay in their own home rather than moving to a facility. Who it is for Caregiver services are the right fit for seniors aging in place who need help with daily routines, individuals living with a chronic condition or disability who require regular assistance, adults recovering from illness or surgery who need non-medical daily support, and family caregivers who need temporary relief — also called respite care. There is no formal eligibility requirement. If a person needs help and wants to remain at home, caregiver services are available to them. What it includes → Personal hygiene assistance — bathing, dressing, grooming → Meal preparation and feeding support → Light housekeeping and laundry → Medication reminders (not administration) → Companionship and social engagement → Transportation to appointments and errands → Mobility assistance and fall prevention support → Respite care for family caregivers |
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Licensed nursing care delivered at home — for patients who need clinical expertise without staying in a facility. |
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What it is Skilled nursing brings the clinical capabilities of a hospital or outpatient setting into the patient's home. It is provided by registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical nurses (LPNs) who work under a physician's orders, delivering care that requires medical training and licensure. Skilled nursing is typically initiated after a hospitalization, surgery, or significant change in a patient's health — but it can also support patients managing ongoing complex conditions who need regular clinical oversight. Who it is for Skilled nursing is appropriate for patients transitioning home after a hospital stay or surgical procedure, individuals managing chronic conditions such as heart failure, COPD, or diabetes that require regular clinical monitoring, patients with wounds, infections, or post-operative sites that need professional care, and anyone whose physician has determined that skilled oversight at home is medically necessary. What it includes → Wound care and dressing changes → IV therapy and injection administration → Medication management and reconciliation → Vital signs monitoring and health assessments → Chronic disease management and education → Post-surgical recovery care → Catheter and ostomy care → Coordination with the patient's physician and care team |
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03 Therapy Services Physical, occupational, and speech therapy delivered at home — focused on restoring function and independence. |
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What it is Therapy services address what illness, injury, or surgery has taken away: the ability to move, to perform daily tasks, or to communicate. Delivered by licensed therapists in the patient's home, these services are goal-oriented and time-bound — designed to help a patient reach a defined level of function and then maintain it. Because therapy happens in the actual environment where the patient lives, it is often more practical and effective than outpatient settings, where exercises are performed in a clinic but never tested in the real conditions of daily life. Who it is for Therapy services are appropriate for patients recovering from a stroke, fall, joint replacement, or other injury that has affected mobility or function, individuals with neurological conditions that impact movement or speech, older adults experiencing functional decline who need targeted rehabilitation, and patients whose physician has prescribed therapy as part of a post-acute care plan. What it includes → Physical therapy — mobility, strength, balance, and fall prevention → Occupational therapy — restoring ability to perform daily tasks safely → Speech-language therapy — addressing communication, swallowing, and cognition → Home safety assessments and adaptive equipment recommendations → Exercise programs tailored to the patient's condition and home environment → Caregiver education on safe assistance techniques |
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04 IV Infusion Therapy Intravenous treatment administered at home — for patients who require medication or nutrition delivered directly into the bloodstream. |
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What it is IV infusion therapy makes it possible for patients to receive treatments that were once only available in a hospital or infusion clinic — without leaving home. Administered by skilled nurses trained in infusion protocols, this service covers a range of therapies: from antibiotics and hydration to chemotherapy, biologics, and parenteral nutrition. For patients who require ongoing or long-term infusion treatment, receiving it at home dramatically reduces disruption to daily life and lowers the risk of hospital-acquired complications. Who it is for IV infusion therapy is appropriate for patients who require antibiotic treatment for infections that cannot be managed with oral medication, individuals needing hydration or nutritional support they cannot receive orally, patients on long-term biologic or specialty drug therapies, those undergoing chemotherapy or immunotherapy who prefer a home setting, and patients transitioning from inpatient infusion to a home-based continuation of their treatment. What it includes → Antibiotic and antifungal infusion therapy → IV hydration and electrolyte replacement → Parenteral nutrition (TPN and PPN) → Chemotherapy and immunotherapy administration → Biologic and specialty medication infusion → Pain management infusion → PICC line and central venous access care → Monitoring for infusion reactions and side effects |
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05 Pediatric Home Care Specialized care for children and adolescents with medical needs — delivered at home, in support of the whole family. |
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What it is Pediatric home care serves children and adolescents — from infants to teenagers — who require medical or supportive care at home due to a chronic condition, disability, or complex medical need. The care is delivered by professionals who specialize in working with younger patients, and it is designed not just around the child's clinical needs but around the family as a whole. Parents and caregivers are active participants in the care plan. The goal is always the same: to help the child thrive in the place they know best — home. Who it is for Pediatric home care is appropriate for infants and children with complex medical conditions requiring ongoing nursing or therapeutic support, children with developmental disabilities or neurological conditions who benefit from in-home therapy, technology-dependent children — such as those on ventilators or feeding tubes — who need skilled nursing in the home, and families navigating a new diagnosis or care transition who need clinical support and guidance. What it includes → Skilled pediatric nursing care → Ventilator and tracheostomy management → Feeding tube and enteral nutrition support → Physical, occupational, and speech therapy for children → Developmental support and early intervention coordination → Medication administration and management → Caregiver and family education → Care coordination with pediatric specialists and schools |
Finding the Right Fit
These five service types are not mutually exclusive. Many patients receive more than one at the same time — a child on a ventilator may need skilled nursing and respiratory therapy. A senior recovering from a hip replacement may need a physical therapist and a caregiver in the same week. The care plan is built around the person, not the other way around.
What matters most is starting with an accurate picture of what the person actually needs — medically, functionally, and day to day. From there, the right combination of services becomes much clearer.
A free needs assessment is the most practical first step. It brings a trained professional into the home to evaluate the situation without obligation — and to help families understand not just what services are available, but which ones are the right match.
Up Next
Chapter 3 — How to Choose a Home Care Provider
Knowing what type of care is needed is one thing. Finding the right agency to provide it is another. Chapter 3 walks through what separates a good home care provider from a great one — and what questions every family should ask before signing anything.