What non-medical home care covers (and what it doesn't)

Non-medical home care is help with daily life at home. It is sometimes
called home services, personal care, or companion care. It keeps people
safe and comfortable in their own homes.

What it typically includes

• Help with bathing, dressing, and grooming
• Meal preparation and help with eating
• Light housekeeping and laundry
• Reminders to take medication (not giving injections or adjusting doses)
• Companionship and help getting around the house or to errands

What it does not include

Non-medical caregivers do not provide medical care. They do not diagnose
conditions, prescribe or adjust medication, give injections, change
wound dressings, or perform nursing procedures. Those tasks belong to
licensed medical providers, such as home health nurses.

Why the distinction matters

Families sometimes expect one kind of help and get offered another. Knowing
the line up front makes the first agency conversation shorter and clearer:
describe the daily-life help that is needed, and ask the agency which
services match.

> Educational only: this article describes non-medical home care in
> general terms. It does not determine eligibility, coverage, or benefits
> for any person or program. For medical questions, talk to the person's
> doctor.