Types of Home Care Aid – Part One

Happy February--The month of showing love and care for those you hold in your heart..

Renee H. writes in:  “I’d like to get some help for my father, but I don’t know what kind of assistance is best.”

Great question and one I am frequently asked when someone inquires about home care!  Care aide responsibilities are not all equal.  Depending on what is needed, care can range from a non-medical companion to a full time skilled nurse or other professional.  An assessment of the client in their home by the agency’s Clinical Services Director is typically part of the process to help determine the best care ‘fit’ for the individual situation.    The Clinical Services Director is a Registered Nurse who is well experienced in home health care.  Part One of this series will discuss companion care.

What is Companion Care?

Companion care generally involves working with a mostly healthy individual who requires assistance in some of his or her Activities of Daily Living otherwise known as ADLs. The nature of the assistance is non-medical. A companion aide does not usually become involved in the more detailed aspects of patient care.  Companion care is not limited to the elderly and is available to all who just need some extra help on either a short or long term basis.


As implied by the job title, the primary focus of a Companion is providing emotional support and companionship to the client. In addition to their regular duties, they help the elderly client to live as independently as possible. Elder caregivers provide companionship services and help keep clients mentally healthy and alert by having conversations with them, playing games (crossword puzzles, board games, cards, etc.) and assisting them to be as physically active as is possible.  A companion aide can provide much needed respite care for the family caring for a convalescing adult and/or child.  Companion care is also appropriate within Assisted and/or Independent Living facilities where more individualized care is needed and either cannot be provided by the facility or is otherwise not available.


The companion may do light housekeeping for the safety and comfort of the patient - not heavy full housekeeping. They will clean and/or straighten a client's room, kitchen, and bathroom, laundry, and change bed linens, and remind the client to take their medications.  Companions also plan meals which can include special diets, shop for food, and prepare meals. They will also assist the client with activities outside the home, including driving to markets, doctor appointments and social activities. They may interact with other family members, particularly by reporting changes in the client's condition to the family member and just as importantly, the agency that employs the aide.


Companion aides perform many of the same job activities as those of a Home Health Aide but will not have the training or experience with patient care. Unlike home health aides, the companion position is less physically demanding as the overall condition of the client is healthier and more mobile.   A companion's role is more that of friend and confidante.  They help relieve the loneliness of an older adult who lives alone, reduce the workload of a family caregiver and bring peace of mind to family members concerned about the overall well being of the individual.