Private Duty, Medicare, Home Health Care, Hospice…..what is the difference between all of these options, and the bigger question…which is the right option for my situation?

Trying to navigate through the maze of home care options can be confusing. Here are a few short definitions to help you differentiate between the different types of in-home care: 

Private duty services are usually mostly “non-medical” services and can range from companionship to housekeeping, transportation, personal care, and dementia care to 24-hour or respite care. Full service private duty agencies fully employ, screen and can train caregivers, whereas a nursing registry or independent hire will not provide this sort of protection to the senior.  A nursing registry acts as a matchmaker service between caregiver and client and does not employ or manage the caregiver.

Home Health Care is skilled nursing care and certain other health care services one receives in a home setting for the treatment of an illness or injury.

Hospice Care is a special concept of care designed to provide comfort and support to patients and their families when a life‑limiting illness no longer responds to cure-oriented treatments. Hospice is generally depicted as end-of-life care and can be in a home or a hospital setting.

Medicaid Home and Community Based Care is intended to provide services for those who cannot afford to pay for care with the goal of keeping the person out of a nursing home.

Geriatric Care Management entails managing a client’s personal, daily money as well as household management that falls outside of the services of a direct care provider.