What Type of Home Care
Is Right for You?
“Home care” encompasses a wide
range of health\social services delivered
at home to recovering, disabled,
chronically or terminally ill persons
in need of medical, nursing, social or
therapeutic treatment and/or assistance
with Activities of Daily Living (ADLs).
This Section Includes:
• Homemaker/Companion
• Home Health Agencies
• Nurse Registries
• Independent Healthcare
Professionals
• Home Medical Equipment
HOME HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS
Home Health Care providers include
companies and independent health care
professionals. The types of home health care
providers that are licensed or registered by the
Florida Agency for Health Care Administration
to provide services in the home are detailed here:
HOMEMAKER/COMPANION
SERVICES
Homemaker/Companion Agencies are
licensed by the State of Florida. Services provided
include light housekeeping, meals, shopping and
trips outside the home. These services can also
be offered by a home health agency.
A homemaker/companion service is prohibited
by Florida law from providing hands-on personal
care. “Personal care” means assistance with
ADLs such as dressing, bathing, eating, personal
hygiene, physical transfer & ambulation, and
administering medications.
Personal care is to be provided by HHAs and
CNAs working for Home Health Agencies &
nurse registries.
Caregivers of agencies are required to have
a level two fingerprint background check
through the Florida Agency for Healthcare
Administration (ACHA).
HOME HEALTH AGENCIES
Home Health Agencies deliver health and
medical services and supplies through visits to
38 www.PolkElderCare.com
an individual’s home or place of residence. They
may provide the following:
• nursing care
• physical, speech, occupational, respiratory and
IV therapies
• hands on home health aide and homemaker/
companion services
• home medical equipment
• nutritional guidance
• medical social services
• skilled services
Florida law requires the following of Home
Health Agencies and Nurse Registries that serve
patients who need skilled services:
• If a patient is receiving skilled services, the
patient’s doctor must sign a treatment order
citing the services needed. A plan of care (POC)
must be created, giving details of how care will
be given. A POC is not required for people
receiving home health aide services without
a treatment order or for those receiving only
homemaker/companion services. A patient
has the right to be a part of the planning of his
or her care and to receive, upon request, a copy
of the POC.
• For patients receiving skilled services, a health
care professional licensed to perform these
services must do an assessment of the patient’s
condition.
• The POC must be reviewed at certain times
by the patient’s doctor, and the care must