Home care is a broad term that describes a great variety of services provided in the home setting. Services are provided by a number of different types of organizations and agencies. Among the most common are Home Health, Hospice, Chore, Meals On Wheels, Respite Care, Private Duty nursing agencies and others.

Home care is one of the oldest forms of health care. The term "home care" goes back as far as the first century when a group of women known as deaconesses developed a program to care for the ill in their homes. With the advent of Medicare and Medicaid in 1965, home health care became a growing industry.

Home Health Care has been primarily defined by Medicare as intermittent or "Per Visit" services, as opposed to continuous or hourly services, by Nurses, Physical Therapists, Speech Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Medical Social Workers, and Home Health Nursing Assistants to persons confined to their homes and in need of short term acute health care. Changes in technology have continually expanded the range of services that can be provided within the home setting. New technology makes it possible for persons to recover at home who previously would have remained in hospitals or other facilities. The possibilities for home care are unlimited, but actual delivery of services is greatly influenced by policies established by the major payors of home health services.

The majority of home health today is focused on the elderly and disabled. However, there is increasing interest in providing pediatric, maternity, and psychiatric care in the home. Patients who are dependent upon ventilators, intravenous or tube feedings and other specialized equipment are provided competent and quality services in the home. This allows the patient to remain a part of their family and community rather than be confined to a facility. Many agencies have specialized to provide only specific types of services while others have expanded their scope of services to provide the widest possible choice for their patients.

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Types of Home Health Agencies Who Pays for Home Health Care and When? Medicare Medicaid Veterans Administration Workers Compensation Commercial Insurance Private Pay Other Payor Sources Characteristics of Home Health Providers Required Guidelines for Home Health Agencies Supervising Physician or Nurse Coordination of Patient Services Plan of Treatment Clinical Records