Home Care vs. Nursing Homes: What Are the Differences?
When living alone is no longer a viable option for an aging loved one, families face tough choices. Whatever the concern, the family must decide between home care and nursing homes. What are the differences?
Nursing Homes
Residential nursing home care is provided in a facility other than the elder person’s home. Nursing homes, also called “convalescent homes,” typically serve persons who need skilled nursing care around the clock. Care may require equipment or medication delivery systems that simply aren’t available for home use. These facilities also provide care for persons suffering from Alzheimer’s disease or dementia.
Care at Home
When an aging person doesn’t want to leave their home, their cherished possessions, or their pets, home care and many types of nursing care can be provided in their own house, condo, or apartment. But even when provided at home, there are differences between types of care.
Home Care
Home care includes help with cleaning, laundry, shopping, errands, transportation, dressing, bathing, toileting, and providing reminders for, rather than administering, medications.
Home care aides can provide companionship and conversation, encourage elders to exercise by taking walks with them, and help with mobility. They can help make sure the home environment is safe for a person beginning to suffer from memory loss until the condition progresses to where it is no longer safe for the person to remain at home, even with help.
Home care provides physical assistance with bathing, dressing, mobility, cooking, eating, and other daily living activities.
This service may also include overnight home care. With overnight home care, you know someone will be there with your loved one up to 24 hours a day. While medical training and certifications are desirable, it isn’t necessary for a home care aide to be a registered nurse (RN).
Home Health Care
Home health care is skilled nursing care provided by a licensed, registered nurse in their patient’s home. Nurses can administer and manage medication, provide wound care, and supervise pain management. Registered nurses can monitor health and report changes or concerns to the supervising doctor. They can insert and remove intravenous fluids and medications, and supervise other professional, prescribed medical services like physical and occupational therapy.
Home health care is not likely to include things like meal preparation, transportation, dressing, bathing, or companionship. Families may choose to employ both home care and home health care providers for a full range of services.
Knowing the differences between home care and nursing homes enables families to make the best choices for their aging loved ones and ensure maximum comfort, health, and happiness.
Honey Healthcare is licensed to provide both types of care in Washington state. If your loved one in King or Snohomish counties, Washington, needs care within their own home, call Honey Health Care to discuss their specific issues and your concerns.