home care

home care, health and social services provided to an ill or disabled person in the home that are intended to improve health and quality of life. Home care encompasses different levels of care, from private-duty care (custodial care, or nonmedical in-home care), which involves the provision of assistance with activities of daily living (such as bathing and shopping), to home health care (supportive health care), which is concerned with the provision of medical care in the home. Home health care may focus on rehabilitation or other treatments or medical services that can be delivered safely in the home or on end-of-life care. Home-care professionals who provide private-duty care may or may not be medically licensed, whereas those who provide medical care typically are licensed and have received specialized training (e.g., as an occupational therapist, a physical therapist, or a nurse).

Home care is an important service for ill or disabled individuals, since it can not only improve their well-being but also prolong their independence and allow for their participation in social activities. Home care has become increasingly necessary in the 21st century as numbers of disabled and aging individuals have grown, because increasing numbers of people in need of care have transitioned out of institutions and into communities and efforts have been made to decrease the length of hospital stays. Home care fulfills an important role in those contexts, since it is less costly than hospital or institutional care and often benefits patient quality of life.

Home-care services that support an individual’s health often are funded by government or insurance programs. In some countries, such as Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States, people who receive home care may be allowed direct control over their care services, including control over the selection and training of their care assistants. Known as self-directed care (or direct funding), that approach allows individuals to tailor their care specifically to their needs and wishes. Self-directed care typically is organized and implemented within an allotted home-care budget that is provided by the funding agency.

Patients who do not choose self-directed care may instead purchase home-care services (often through their insurance), which are then arranged by government or private health care agencies. The approaches to home care that are available, as well as fees, eligibility criteria, and services that are offered, often vary between states, provinces, or municipalities.