Navigating healthcare decisions for yourself or a loved one can be overwhelming, especially when you’re under pressure or facing a crisis. Understanding the different types of care available is crucial, yet many families find themselves confused about the differences between home health, home care, and hospice. At Quality Care Home Health & Hospice, we aim to clear up that confusion and guide you toward the best decision for your family.
Why This Matters—And Why People Get It Wrong
When a loved one faces health challenges, families often have to make quick decisions without fully understanding their options. It’s okay not to know everything—our role is to help you navigate this complicated landscape so you can make informed choices about care.
What Is Home Health Care?
Home health care refers to skilled medical services provided at home, typically ordered by a physician and covered by Medicare or other insurance. Common services include:
- Skilled nursing for wound care, medication education, assessments, for new and chronic diseases
- Physical therapy
- Occupational therapy
- Speech therapy
- Social Work
- Personal care
Usually, home health care follows a hospital stay, surgery, or a new medical diagnosis that requires ongoing skilled care. To qualify, a patient generally needs to be considered “homebound.”
What Is Home Care
Home care services involve non-medical assistance and personal care, such as:
- Bathing and dressing
- Meal preparation
- Companionship
- Household chores
These services are privately paid and often provided in blocks of time. Medicare does not cover these services, though long-term care insurance sometimes does. Quality Care can provide this service in small blocks, we can also recommend trusted partners to fulfill these needs for longer periods of time. We can also help you determine what you are entitled to.
What Is Hospice Care?
Hospice care is specialized support for patients with a terminal diagnosis, focusing on comfort, quality of life, and honoring the patient’s wishes. Important things to know about hospice:
- It is provided wherever the patient calls home—private residence, assisted living, or memory care.
- Hospice does not mean “giving up”; patients and families focus on the joys found in each day and moment.
- It includes holistic support to enhance comfort—focusing on physical, emotional, and spiritual comfort.
Included in hospice:
Medications that support patients’ comfort (we don’t take meds away that are working)
Equipment to ensure a safe and comfortable environment. Hospital bed, commode, wheelchair.
A physician who comes to you if needed.
Volunteers to provide companionship to patients and families
Access to physical and occupational therapy to support movement and reduce risk of falls.
Frequent personal care from qualified nursing assistance.
What We Provide at Quality Care
At Quality Care, we specialize in Medicare-regulated home health and hospice services. Our team consists of skilled clinicians who deliver personalized and compassionate care tailored to each family’s needs. We proudly hold CHAP accreditation—only one of two agencies in New Hampshire to achieve this rigorous standard of quality and compliance.
What You Don’t Need—and What You Do
You don’t need to have everything figured out before calling us. You don’t even need a physician referral to begin hospice care. What you do need is a dedicated team ready to listen, explain your options clearly, and help you make the best decisions for your family’s unique situation.
Questions? Just Call. We’ll Walk You Through It.
We understand healthcare decisions are rarely easy. That’s why we encourage you to call us—even before a crisis hits—so we can help clarify your options and guide you through the next steps.
Not sure where to start?
That’s exactly where we come in. Call us—we’ll help you find the proper care, even if it’s not with us.
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