Duties of Home Care Providers

Many people do not understand what home care providers actually do. There are many different types of home care that offer different services related to medical care and supportive services to patients or clients who have limited abilities because of illness, age, or disability. Home care is for people who can no longer live independently but wish to stay in their own home instead of a nursing home. Patients may require nursing care, dietary monitoring, or a variety of therapies including speech, physical, occupational, and respiratory.

For medical care, the services must usually be prescribed by a physician. Examples of home health care includes:

Health Care

1. Physicians may perform "house calls" to

2. Registered nurses (RNs) or licensed practical nurses (LPNs) performing duties such as blood draws, wound care, injections of medicine, and professional assessments or case management

3. Physical therapists (PTs) help their patients regain mobility and strength of weakened body parts through specialized exercises or massage

4. Speech language pathologists work with patients who are suffering from communication disorders, usually through a traumatic event such as a stroke or accident; they can also help patients who have trouble swallowing or breathing

5. Dietitians help patients who need specialized meal plans, such as those with diabetes or allergies.

Not everyone requires medical care. Some patients need help with general activities of daily living (ADLs). Home health aids are responsible for helping with getting in and out of bed, getting dressed, using the bathroom, bathing, and walking. Chore workers help with household duties such as laundry, cleaning, shopping, and cooking; they focus more on the actual home than working directly with the patient. Some clients require constant monitoring to prevent harming themselves, such as patients suffering from dementia, and are assigned a companion. For many non-medical home care duties, volunteers can fulfill these needs. Depending upon the difficulty of the duties, volunteers have different levels of training and requirements.

Social workers will evaluate the needs of the patient whether they are financial, emotional, or physical. They will help the patient and their family find appropriate social services to help with a variety of needs including housing, food, or health services.

Duties of Home Care Providers