Home Care
Learn
What Type Is Right?
The term “home care” encompasses a
wide range of health and social services.
These services are 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 AGENCIES
Home Health Agencies deliver health and
medical services and medical supplies through
visits to an individual’s place of residence.
Supplies are restricted to drugs and biologicals
prescribed by a physician. They may provide:
• nursing care
• physical, speech, occupational, respiratory and
IV therapies therapy
• 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 and Nurse Registries that serve patients
who need skilled services:
• If a patient is receiving skilled services, that
patient’s doctor must sign a treatment order
citing 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 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.
HOME HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS
Home Health Care providers include
companies and independent healthcare
professionals. Types of home health care
providers licensed or registered by the Florida
Agency for Health Care Administration are
detailed here:
HOMEMAKER/COMPANION
SERVICES
Homemaker/Companion Agencies are
licensed by the State of Florida. Services
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 bathing,
eating, personal hygiene, physical transfer &
ambulation and administering medications.
Personal Care is to be provided by Home
Health Aides (HHAs) and Certified Nursing
Assistants (CNAs) working for Home Health
Agencies and Nurse registries.
Caregivers of agencies are required to have
a level two fingerprint background check
through the Florida Agency for Healthcare
Administration (ACHA).
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