Walk into the world of home care and the language gets confusing fast. Home care, home health, in-home care, home health aide, personal care, skilled care. Different terms, sometimes used interchangeably, often meaning very different things.
Here's the cleanest way to think about it: home care services fall into two main categories. Non-medical and medical (also called skilled). Most families need one of them, some need both, and which one you need affects who pays for it, who provides it, and what you can expect.
This guide is for families in Lawrenceville, Duluth, Suwanee, Buford, and across Gwinnett County trying to figure out what their loved one actually needs.
The two-second version
- Non-medical home care helps with the activities of daily living — bathing, dressing, meals, companionship, transportation. Provided by trained caregivers (often called home care aides or personal care aides). Usually paid out of pocket.
- Medical home health care involves treatment — wound care, injections, physical therapy, medication management by a nurse. Provided by licensed clinicians (RNs, LPNs, physical therapists, occupational therapists). Often covered by Medicare for a limited time.
What non-medical home care includes
Non-medical home care is what most families mean when they say "we need help at home for Mom." It covers the day-to-day support that keeps seniors safe and comfortable in their own home.
Typical services include:
- Personal care — bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, hair and nail care
- Mobility assistance — helping with transfers from bed to chair to bathroom, walking support, fall prevention
- Meal preparation — planning, cooking, and serving meals that match the senior's dietary needs
- Light housekeeping — laundry, dishes, tidying, changing bed linens
- Medication reminders — making sure the right pills are taken at the right times (not the same as administering medication)
- Companionship — conversation, games, walks, reading together, being present so your parent isn't alone
- Transportation — to doctor's appointments, the pharmacy, the grocery store, social engagements
- Errands and shopping
- Respite for family caregivers — relieving the spouse or adult child who's been doing this alone
What non-medical home care does not include: anything that requires a medical license. No injections, no IV care, no wound dressing changes, no catheter care, no medication administration (only reminders).
What medical (skilled) home health care includes
Medical home health care is treatment-focused. It's ordered by a physician, provided by licensed clinicians, and typically time-limited to a recovery period.
Typical services include:
- Skilled nursing — wound care, injections, IV therapy, medication administration, catheter care, blood draws, vital sign monitoring
- Physical therapy — recovery from surgery, stroke rehab, gait training, fall prevention exercises
- Occupational therapy — relearning daily living skills, adapting the home, fine motor recovery
- Speech therapy — after stroke, for swallowing disorders, cognitive-communication issues
- Medical social work — coordinating care, connecting families with community resources
- Home health aide services — when bundled into a Medicare-certified episode of care
Medical home health is usually short-term. After a hospital stay, surgery, or new diagnosis, a doctor might order a nurse to come a few times a week for several weeks. Once the goals are met or progress plateaus, the episode ends.
Side-by-side comparison
| Non-medical home care | Medical home health care | |
|---|---|---|
| Main purpose | Daily support and quality of life | Treatment and recovery |
| Provided by | Trained caregivers, home care aides | Nurses, therapists, other licensed clinicians |
| Who orders it | The family | A physician |
| Common services | Bathing, meals, companionship, transportation | Wound care, PT/OT, IV therapy, injections |
| Typical schedule | Ongoing — hours per week, often for months or years | Short-term — visits per week, often for weeks |
| Who pays | Mostly private pay, long-term care insurance, VA benefits, some Medicaid waivers | Medicare (if criteria met), Medicaid, private insurance |
| Regulated by (Georgia) | Private Home Care Provider license | Home Health Agency license |
Not sure which one you need?
We can usually tell within a 15-minute conversation. If we're not the right fit, we'll point you to the type of care that is — and the local providers we trust.
Who pays for what
The payment question is where the confusion often starts. The short version:
Medicare
Medicare covers medical home health care if specific criteria are met: a doctor's order, a homebound status, and a need for skilled care. It is short-term and intermittent. Medicare does not cover ongoing non-medical home care — no matter how much your parent needs it.
This is one of the biggest misunderstandings in senior care.
Medicaid (Georgia)
Georgia Medicaid covers some medical home health care. For non-medical care, certain Medicaid waiver programs (CCSP and SOURCE) can help income-eligible seniors get help at home. Both programs have waiting lists, so apply early if your loved one may qualify.
Long-term care insurance
Policies vary, but many long-term care insurance plans cover non-medical home care once an "activities of daily living" trigger is met. Read the policy carefully.
VA benefits
Wartime veterans and surviving spouses may qualify for the VA's Aid & Attendance benefit, which can offset non-medical home care costs.
Private pay
For non-medical home care, most families pay out of pocket. See our 2026 cost guide for what to expect.
How to know which type you need
A few questions help sort it out:
- Is your parent recovering from a hospital stay, surgery, or new diagnosis? They may qualify for Medicare-covered home health for a few weeks. Ask the hospital discharge planner.
- Does your parent need wound care, injections, or other clinical treatment at home? That's medical home health.
- Does your parent need help with daily life — bathing, meals, getting around the house, not being alone? That's non-medical home care.
- Both? Many families use medical home health for a few weeks after a hospital stay, then transition to non-medical home care as the longer-term solution.
About We Care Senior Home Care
We provide non-medical in-home senior care in Lawrenceville, Duluth, Suwanee, Buford, and surrounding Gwinnett County. We don't administer medication, do wound care, or perform clinical procedures.
What we do is the daily, consistent, deeply human work of keeping your loved one safe and supported at home — bathing, meals, companionship, transportation, and a watchful presence.
If your loved one needs both types of care, we'll work alongside their medical home health team. Coordination is part of the job.
Frequently asked questions
Can the same agency provide both medical and non-medical care?
Some larger agencies hold both licenses, but most agencies specialize in one or the other. The state of Georgia issues separate licenses for "Private Home Care Provider" (non-medical) and "Home Health Agency" (medical/skilled).
Does Medicare pay for any of what you do?
No. Non-medical home care is not a Medicare-covered service. Some Medicare Advantage plans have started offering limited supplemental benefits, but these are usually capped and require specific qualifying conditions.
If we're discharged from home health, what happens next?
When Medicare home health ends, many families realize the daily-life support their parent needs is still very much there — just no longer covered. That's typically when non-medical home care becomes essential.
Do your caregivers need a medical license?
No — non-medical caregivers don't require state medical licensure, but reputable agencies still invest in extensive training. Our caregivers complete orientation, ongoing skills training, and supervision throughout their tenure.
What's the difference between a CNA, a home care aide, and a home health aide?
CNAs (Certified Nursing Assistants) have completed state-certified training and can work in skilled settings. Home care aides typically provide non-medical support and may not be certified. Home health aides usually work under Medicare-certified home health agencies. The titles overlap and vary by state.
Talk to someone who'll be straight with you
If you're still not sure what your parent needs, call us. We'll listen, ask a few questions, and tell you honestly whether non-medical home care is the right fit — or whether you need something else first.
Call (404) 317-4137 for a free consultation.