When someone you love is recovering from surgery, managing a chronic condition, or simply finding everyday tasks more difficult, deciding what kind of care they need can feel overwhelming. Many families assume that moving into a facility is the next step, but for many people, receiving care at home is a safe, effective, and comforting alternative.
Home health services allow individuals to receive skilled medical support and personalized assistance in the place they know best: their own home. Whether someone is recovering from an illness or injury, living with a chronic condition, or needs temporary help after a hospital stay, home health care can provide the right level of support while helping maintain independence and dignity.
What Is Home Health Care?
Home health care refers to a range of medical and supportive health care services delivered in a person’s home. These services are typically prescribed by a physician and provided through a licensed home health agency. Depending on an individual’s needs, care may include skilled nursing, rehabilitation therapies, education, and limited assistance with daily activities. ¹
Unlike non-medical home care, which focuses primarily on companionship and personal care, home health care is centered on clinical services provided by licensed professionals. In many cases, it is designed to help people recover, regain function, and avoid unnecessary hospital readmissions. ²
What Services Are Included?
Every patient’s needs are different, so care plans are tailored to individual health goals and medical conditions. A typical care team may include a registered nurse, therapists, social workers, and a home health aide working together under a physician’s direction.
Common medical services include:
- Skilled nursing care, including health assessments and monitoring
- Medication management and education
- Wound care for surgical incisions, pressure injuries, or chronic wounds
- Patient education to help individuals and families better understand health conditions
- Chronic disease management for conditions such as heart failure, diabetes, COPD, or Parkinson’s disease
- Occupational, physical, and speech therapy to improve strength, mobility, communication, and independence
- Fall prevention assessments and home safety recommendations
- Limited personal care assistance through a home health aide, such as help with bathing or other activities of daily living, when included as part of a skilled care plan¹
These services are coordinated to help patients recover safely while remaining at home whenever possible.
Depending on a person’s needs and provider, home health care may also include more specialized support. VHS Home Health Care, for example, offers services such as home infusion therapy, pain management, palliative care, diabetes education and management, stroke rehabilitation, joint replacement rehabilitation, and registered dietitian services. VHS also provides access to a nurse on call 24/7, giving patients and families a resource when questions or concerns arise outside of regular visits.
Who Can Benefit from Home Health Care?
Home health care serves a wide variety of people. While many patients are older adults, it can also benefit younger individuals recovering from surgery, injuries, or serious illnesses.
You may be a good candidate if you are:
- Recovering after hospitalization or surgery and need post-hospital recovery support.
- Living with a chronic illness that requires ongoing monitoring or education.
- Healing from an injury that requires rehabilitation or wound care.
- Experiencing changes in mobility or strength that make activities of daily living more challenging.
- Seeking to avoid unnecessary trips to the hospital while continuing to receive professional medical care at home. ¹
In most cases, eligibility for home health care begins with a physician referral, and patients must meet certain medical criteria established by their insurance or Medicare coverage. ¹
The Benefits of Receiving Care at Home
For many people, healing in familiar surroundings offers both physical and emotional benefits.
Greater Comfort and Independence
Remaining at home allows people to continue familiar routines, sleep in their own beds, and stay connected to family, neighbors, and pets. This sense of normalcy often contributes to a better overall quality of life.
Personalized Care
Because clinicians typically care for one patient at a time during home visits, treatment can be highly individualized. Care providers can also identify potential safety concerns within the home and recommend practical changes that support recovery and fall prevention. ²
Improved Recovery
Home health care can play an important role in helping patients recover safely after a hospital stay. Research involving older adults receiving Medicare-certified home health care found that greater use of skilled nursing and physical therapy services was associated with a lower risk of rehospitalization during the home health episode. 4 This type of ongoing clinical support can help patients work toward recovery goals while managing their health at home.
Support for Family Caregivers
Family members often become primary caregivers, but they should not have to manage everything alone. Home health professionals provide valuable caregiver support by teaching families how to assist safely, answering questions, and helping coordinate ongoing care.
Home Health Care vs. Other Types of Care
Understanding the differences between care options can help families make informed decisions.
| Type of Care | Primary Focus |
| Home health care | Skilled medical treatment and rehabilitation provided at home |
| Home care | Non-medical assistance such as companionship, meal preparation, and extended personal care |
| Assisted living | Residential communities that provide help with daily routines while encouraging independence |
| Nursing home or nursing facility | Around-the-clock skilled medical supervision for individuals with more complex or ongoing care needs |
| Hospice care | Specialized comfort-focused care for individuals with terminal illnesses who are nearing the end of life |
These services may overlap in some situations, but each serves different medical and personal needs.
Does Insurance Cover Home Health Care?
Home health care may be covered by Medicare as well as commercial health insurance, depending on your plan, medical needs, and eligibility. VHS Home Health Care is typically covered by Medicare and most commercial insurance plans.
For Medicare coverage, patients generally must:
- Be under the care of a physician or other allowed practitioner.
- Receive care under an established and regularly reviewed plan of care.
- Need qualifying part-time or intermittent skilled services.
- Receive care from a Medicare-certified home health agency.
- Meet Medicare’s definition of being homebound. ¹
Coverage and out-of-pocket costs can vary, particularly with commercial insurance. Before beginning care, contact your insurance provider or home health agency to confirm your benefits and any eligibility requirements.
Finding the Right Care
Choosing home health care is often about finding the right balance between medical support and maintaining independence. The right care plan can help people recover safely, manage chronic conditions more confidently, and continue living comfortably at home with the support they need.
If you or someone you love is considering home health services, learning about your options is a good first step. VHS Home Health Care can help you understand available services, coverage considerations, and how a personalized plan may support recovery and independence at home.
Learn more about VHS Home Health Care or speak directly with a Home Health Care expert at 757-534-9222.
For patients whose needs extend beyond home health visits, having access to coordinated services can make transitions in care easier. VHS Home Health Care works with VHS Rehabilitation, VHS Pharmacy, and VHS Registered Dietitians to help coordinate services across a patient’s care team when appropriate.
References
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. “Home Health Services.” Medicare.gov, https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/home-health-services.
- UPMC. “What Is Home Health Care?” UPMC HealthBeat, 14 Nov. 2022, https://share.upmc.com/2022/11/home-health-care/.
- Baptist Health. “What Is Home Health Care?” Baptist Health Blog, https://www.baptisthealth.com/blog/home-care/what-is-home-health-care.
- Xiao, Rui, et al. “Inverse Dose-Response Relationship Between Home Health Care Services and Rehospitalization in Older Adults.” Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, vol. 20, no. 6, 2019, pp. 736–742. View the study on PubMed
The information provided in the article is for general informational purposes only. This information is not a substitute for medical advice. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, you are encouraged to consult with the appropriate professionals.
