These services generally fall under three categories:
- Companionship
- Home Helper
- Personal Care
- Specialized Care
Companionship
Companionship services are those that stimulate, encourage and assist an individual.
The primary responsibilities of Companionship services include the following:
- Providing companionship and conversation
- Providing stabilization and assistance with walking
- Preparing meals and cleaning up meal-related items
- Providing medication reminders and appointment reminders
Home Helper
Home Helper services generally involve light housekeeping, errands or incidental transportation.
The primary responsibilities of Home Helper services include the following:
- Performing light housekeeping tasks (dusting, vacuuming, making beds, changing linens, cleaning bathrooms, kitchens, etc.)
- Washing and ironing laundry
- Running errands
- Accompanying clients to appointments
Personal Care
Personal Care services are personal in nature and often include assistance with activities of daily living.
The primary responsibilities of Personal Care services include the following:
- Assisting with bathing
- Assisting with grooming
- Assisting with toileting and incontinence issues
- Conducting frequent care-planning assessments to identify new challenges and provide solutions.
- Accompanying a client on doctor visits to be the family's eyes and ears when they need a respite.
- Providing family education and support so families can learn about aging and use effective techniques with their loved one.
- Assist with medication administration, wound care and home dialysis, among other services
- Provide hospice and palliative care to assist clients through end of life in the home setting.
In addition, Specialized Services may include more skilled, home health-adjacent services to assist a client to remain safely in their home as their health declines or through end of life. Specialized services may include RN delegated tasks such as:
- Medication management and administration
- Diabetic/glucose testing management
- Wound care
- Incontinence care/catheter care
- Feeding tubes
- Oxygen therapy
- Vital signs tracking and interpreting
- Foot and nail care
- Physical therapy/physiotherapy
- Massage
- Home dialysis
Secondary Responsibilities
Secondary responsibilities include the following:
- Contributing to a positive living environment to enhance a client’s quality of life
- Performing other reasonable duties as assigned
- Reporting hours according to office policy
- Reporting any significant changes in a client’s needs or living conditions
- Regularly communicating with supervisor and office staff