Hands-on Activities of Daily Living might include assisting with Dressing, Bathing, Transferring, Ambulation or Therapeutic Exercises. These services can be performed by a Certified Nursing Assistants or Home Health Aides. More complex medical situations might call for the services of an RN or an LPN to monitor or assess a client’s condition, to administer medication or provide wound care management.
Types of Services that Independent In Home Care Providers can Provide
Personal Care: These are services to assist the functionally impaired elderly with Bathing, Dressing, Ambulation, Housekeeping, Eating, Supervision of Self Administered Medications, Shopping Assistance, Transportation and Accompanying a client to a clinic or doctor’s office; Transfers, Personal Hygiene and Toileting. These services are routinely performed by Certified Nursing Assistants and/or Home Health Aides.
Respite Care: The services performed during Respite Care may be the same as the aforementioned “Personal Care Services” but with the intent of relieving and offering rest for the permanent caregiver (usually a family member). These services are usually performed by a CNA or HHA, but if the duties do not include “hands on attention” but only Housekeeping, Transportation, Fellowship, or Chore related activities then these services can be performed by a Companion or Homemaker. Conversely, should the acuity of the patient be such that more complex medical care is required than the services of an LPN or RN might be required.
Homemaker Services or Chore Services: These are specific home management duties including Housekeeping, Laundry, Cleaning Refrigerators, Minor Home Repairs, Sewing, Transportation, Meal Planning and Preparation, Shopping Assistance, etc., these duties are routinely performed by Companion or Homemaker level caregivers. Should the client/patient have a condition that might require the caregiver to have the assessment skills necessary to determine that a client might need hands on attention in a given situation then the services of a CNA or HHA might be warranted.
Companion: Strictly for the purpose of visiting a client who is socially and/or geographically isolated for the purpose of relieving loneliness and encouraging continual social interaction. Transportation may be involved in this service. Homemakers or Companions routinely perform this service