Home Care Guides
What Does Home Care Include?
When families hear the term home care, they don't always know exactly what it means.
Does home care mean someone comes in to help with bathing and dressing? Does it include meals? Housework? Nursing? Companionship? Dementia support? What about overnight care?
The answer is: home care can include many different types of support, depending on the person's needs and how care is arranged.
For some families, home care means a PSW visits for a few hours each week to help with personal care and meals. For others, it may include daily assistance, dementia care, overnight support, nursing, rehabilitation, or several different services working together.
The important thing is to understand what your loved one actually needs—and then find the type of home care that fills those gaps.
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What Is Home Care?
Home care generally refers to health, personal, and supportive services provided in a person's home rather than in a hospital, long-term care home, or other facility.
The services can range from help with everyday activities to professional healthcare services.
Ontario Health atHome, for example, coordinates a range of home and community care services, including nursing, personal support, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech-language therapy, social work, nutrition counselling, and medical supplies and equipment. The services provided depend on an individual's assessed needs and care plan.
Private home care can look different.
A family arranging private care may primarily be looking for a PSW to help with personal care, companionship, meals, mobility, dementia support, or household routines.
At Vidal, for example, Caregivers provide one-on-one support based on a loved one's needs, preferences, routines, and level of independence.
What Does Home Care Include?
There isn't one standard home care package.
Depending on the situation, home care may include:
- Personal care
- Bathing and grooming
- Dressing
- Toileting and continence care
- Mobility and transfers
- Meal preparation and mealtime support
- Companionship
- Dementia and Alzheimer's care
- Respite for family caregivers
- Light housekeeping related to care
- Laundry
- Post-hospital support
- Overnight care
- Nursing
- Physiotherapy and other rehabilitation
- Other specialized healthcare services
The important distinction is that not every home care provider offers every service.
A private PSW provider, a home care agency, and a publicly funded home and community care program may offer very different services.
1. Personal Care
Personal care is one of the most common forms of home care.
A PSW may help with:
- Bathing and showering
- Grooming
- Dressing and undressing
- Toileting
- Continence care
- Oral hygiene
- Getting in and out of bed
- Other personal routines
These tasks can become difficult because of aging, reduced mobility, illness, injury, or cognitive changes.
The goal isn't necessarily for the Caregiver to do everything for the person.
Good home care should encourage the individual to remain involved in their own routine wherever it is safe and practical.
Ontario Health atHome describes personal support as assistance with daily personal care such as hygiene, bathing, dressing, and eating.
If you're trying to determine whether this type of support is what your loved one needs, our article on What Can a PSW Help With at Home? explains the different types of day-to-day assistance a PSW can provide.
2. Mobility and Transfers
Home care can also include assistance with moving safely around the home.
A Caregiver may help someone:
- Get out of bed
- Move from a bed to a chair
- Walk around the home
- Get to the bathroom
- Transfer between surfaces
- Follow an established mobility routine
This can be particularly important for someone who has reduced strength, balance problems, Parkinson's disease, or difficulty walking independently.
The level of assistance required can vary significantly.
Someone who simply needs an arm for stability has very different needs from someone who requires significant transfer assistance.
The Caregiver's training and experience should match the person's needs.
3. Meal Preparation and Mealtime Support
Home care can include help with food and mealtimes.
Depending on the arrangement, a Caregiver may:
- Prepare simple meals
- Prepare snacks
- Set up meals
- Provide assistance during meals
- Encourage hydration
- Clean up after meal preparation
For some seniors, the problem isn't eating—it's getting a meal onto the table.
A few hours of home care can help bridge that gap while allowing the person to remain involved in their own meals.
Vidal includes meal preparation among the types of daily support its Caregivers can provide.
4. Companionship and Social Support
Home care isn't only about physical tasks.
A Caregiver may spend time:
- Having a conversation
- Reading
- Playing cards or games
- Looking through photographs
- Going for a walk
- Helping with hobbies
- Accompanying someone during everyday activities
For someone who lives alone, companionship can be an important part of remaining engaged and connected.
Vidal describes companionship and daily support as including conversation, activities, errands, meal preparation, and help staying engaged at home.
This is also one reason personality and compatibility matter when choosing a Caregiver.
5. Dementia and Alzheimer's Care
Home care can be particularly valuable for someone living with dementia.
Support may include:
- Personal care
- Meals
- Mobility
- Companionship
- Familiar routines
- Reassurance
- Assistance with everyday activities
- Support for family caregivers
But dementia care isn't simply about completing tasks.
Familiarity, communication style, patience, personality, and experience can all affect how comfortable someone feels receiving care.
Vidal's dementia care focuses on familiar routines, comfort, dignity, and individualized support.
If dementia is part of your family's situation, our article on Home Care for Seniors With Dementia goes into more detail about what to look for.
6. Respite Care for Family Caregivers
Home care can also support the person doing the caregiving.
A family member may be providing most of the care but need someone else to step in for a few hours.
Respite care can allow a family caregiver to:
- Go to work
- Run errands
- Attend appointments
- Spend time with their children
- Rest
- Travel
- Simply have some time away from caregiving
The purpose isn't to replace the family caregiver.
It's to make caregiving more sustainable.
Vidal offers respite care as temporary support that allows family caregivers to rest, work, travel, or take a break while their loved one continues receiving care at home.
7. Light Housekeeping and Laundry
Some home care arrangements include light household support related to the person's care.
This might include:
- Laundry
- Changing bedding
- Tidying the person's immediate living area
- Cleaning up after meal preparation
- Other basic tasks that help maintain a safe and comfortable environment
This is different from hiring a general house cleaner.
For publicly funded home care in Ontario, homemaking services such as light housekeeping and laundry may be offered alongside personal support when the person qualifies for those services.
Private providers may structure these services differently.
It's therefore important to ask exactly what household tasks are included before arranging care.
8. Post-Hospital and Recovery Support
Home care can be especially helpful after a hospital stay.
Someone who was relatively independent before hospitalization may temporarily need help with:
- Bathing
- Dressing
- Meals
- Mobility
- Transfers
- Household tasks
- Everyday routines
- Companionship
The amount of support may change as the person recovers.
Vidal's post-hospital care is designed around this type of transition, with support that can include personal care, mobility, meals, companionship, and household assistance. Learn more in Home Care After Hospital Discharge.
9. Overnight Care
Some people don't need someone with them all day but do need support at night.
Overnight home care can include assistance with:
- Nighttime routines
- Toileting
- Mobility
- Getting into or out of bed
- Repositioning
- Reassurance
- Morning routines
This can be particularly useful for someone who has nighttime mobility difficulties, dementia, or a family caregiver who cannot safely manage overnight responsibilities.
Overnight care doesn't automatically mean 24-hour care.
The appropriate schedule depends on when support is actually needed. Learn more in Overnight Home Care: What Families Should Know.
10. Nursing Care
Home care can also involve regulated healthcare professionals.
Nursing services can include clinical assessment, monitoring, nursing interventions, medication-related care, wound care, and other services within the nurse's scope of practice.
This is different from PSW support.
A person may need both.
For example, a nurse might manage a clinical aspect of someone's recovery while a PSW helps with bathing, meals, mobility, and everyday routines.
Ontario Health atHome identifies nursing as one of the services that can be provided as part of an individualized home care plan.
If you're unsure whether your loved one needs a PSW or nurse, our comparison PSW vs. Nurse: What's the Difference? explains the difference between the two roles.
11. Rehabilitation and Therapy
Home care isn't limited to PSWs and nurses.
Depending on eligibility and circumstances, home and community care can also involve professionals such as:
- Physiotherapists
- Occupational therapists
- Speech-language therapists
- Dietitians
- Social workers
These professionals address different needs.
For example, a physiotherapist may help someone improve strength and mobility after an injury, while an occupational therapist may help someone adapt activities or their home environment to improve independence.
Ontario Health atHome lists these types of professional services among the home and community care services it coordinates.
This is one reason the phrase "home care" can mean different things to different families.
12. Medication Support
Medication-related support can also be part of home care, but the type of support matters.
A PSW may provide a medication reminder as part of an established routine, depending on the care arrangement and their training.
A nurse may provide more complex medication-related care within their professional scope.
Home care does not mean that every Caregiver can make medication decisions or change a person's medication regimen.
If medication is one of your concerns, ask specifically what level of support is required.
What Home Care Does Not Usually Include
Understanding what home care includes is only half the equation.
It's equally important to understand what may not be included.
Depending on the provider and arrangement, home care may not include:
- Heavy housekeeping
- Major home cleaning
- Home repairs or maintenance
- Yard work
- Clinical services outside the Caregiver's scope
- Unapproved medication changes
- Services requiring a different healthcare professional
- General transportation services
For example, Ontario Health atHome notes that it does not typically provide general housekeeping, although it can help people locate community housekeeping services.
Private home care providers can also have their own boundaries.
Always ask what is included before assuming a task is covered.
Home Care Can Be Temporary or Ongoing
One misconception is that arranging home care means committing to permanent care.
That's not necessarily the case.
Home care may be needed for:
- A few weeks after surgery
- Recovery after hospitalization
- A temporary family caregiver absence
- A period of increased mobility difficulty
- A few hours each week
- Ongoing support as someone ages
Vidal specifically offers care that can be temporary or part of a longer-term plan.
This flexibility can be particularly useful when you're not sure how someone's needs will change.
How Many Hours of Home Care Are Needed?
There is no standard number of hours for every senior.
Someone might need:
- A couple of hours once or twice a week
- Daily morning support
- Morning and evening visits
- Several visits throughout the day
- Overnight care
- More extensive ongoing assistance
Start with the tasks that are actually creating difficulty.
Ask:
- What can my loved one no longer do safely?
- What do they still manage independently?
- When during the day is help needed?
- What is the family currently doing?
- What would happen if nobody came that day?
That will give you a much better starting point than simply choosing a number of hours. Our guide on How Many Hours of Home Care Does a Senior Need? walks through this in more detail.
Does Home Care Mean Someone Has to Come Every Day?
No.
Home care can be scheduled around the person's needs.
Someone might need a Caregiver:
- Once a week
- Several times a week
- Every morning
- Every evening
- On weekends
- Overnight
- Temporarily during recovery
The appropriate schedule depends on what the person actually needs.
Vidal's Toronto home care services, for example, can be arranged for a few hours a week, daily care, or more ongoing assistance.
Can Home Care Be Combined With Publicly Funded Services?
Yes, depending on the circumstances.
Some families receive publicly funded home care for certain services and arrange private care to address additional needs.
For example, public services may cover some personal support while a family pays privately for additional hours, companionship, or scheduling flexibility.
Ontario Health atHome also has programs such as Family-Managed Home Care that can provide eligible patients or their substitute decision-makers with funding to purchase certain services or employ care providers according to an approved care plan.
If you're trying to understand what Ontario's public system may cover, our article on Does OHIP Cover Home Care? What Ontario Families Need to Know explains the distinction between OHIP and publicly funded home care.
How Much Does Home Care Cost?
The cost depends on the type of care, how many hours are needed, who provides it, and whether there are minimum visit requirements.
Private PSW care is generally charged by the hour, although pricing models vary between providers. Our guide on How Much Does a PSW Cost in Toronto? breaks down current rates.
In Toronto, traditional home care agencies commonly charge around $35–$50+ per hour, while private Caregivers using different models may have different rates.
The hourly rate isn't the only number to look at.
A provider with a lower hourly rate may still cost more if the minimum visit is longer than the amount of care you actually need.
That's why it's useful to calculate the total cost of the schedule you need, rather than comparing hourly rates alone.
How to Choose the Right Type of Home Care
Start with the person's needs.
If they need help with everyday activities
A PSW may be appropriate for personal care, meals, mobility, companionship, and daily routines.
If they need clinical care
Nursing or another regulated healthcare professional may be required.
If they need help after hospitalization
Short-term post-hospital support may be appropriate while they recover.
If dementia is involved
Look for someone with relevant experience and a compatible communication style.
If the family caregiver needs a break
Respite care may be the right solution.
If support is primarily needed at night
Consider whether overnight care is more appropriate than adding more daytime hours.
The key is to match the type of care to the actual problem.
What Home Care Looks Like at Vidal
Vidal focuses on helping families find PSW Caregivers for personalized one-on-one support at home.
Its services include personal care, companionship and daily support, dementia and Alzheimer's care, Parkinson's care, post-hospital care, respite care, and overnight care.
Families can consider factors such as their loved one's needs, preferences, routines, availability, experience, and personality when choosing a Caregiver.
Every Vidal Caregiver is a certified PSW and goes through a structured screening process before providing care. Vidal's model is designed to give families choice in who provides care while still having support when they need it.
That can be particularly useful when a family doesn't need a traditional all-inclusive home care package.
Instead, they need the right person providing the right support at the right times. Our guide on How to Find a PSW for an Aging Parent explains how to start that search.
Questions to Ask Before Arranging Home Care
Before hiring a provider or Caregiver, ask:
- What exactly is included in the service?
- What isn't included?
- Is personal care included?
- Can the Caregiver prepare meals?
- Can they help with mobility and transfers?
- Is companionship part of the visit?
- Can they provide dementia support?
- What household tasks can they perform?
- Can they provide overnight care?
- What happens if my loved one's needs change?
- How flexible is the schedule?
- What is the minimum visit length?
- How much will the care actually cost?
- How are Caregivers screened?
- Can I choose the Caregiver?
If you're interviewing a specific PSW, it's also worth asking about their experience, training, availability, and approach to care. See What Questions Should You Ask When Hiring a PSW? for a full list.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
The Bottom Line
Home care isn't one specific service.
It's a broad term that can include everything from a PSW helping someone get dressed in the morning to a nurse providing clinical care in the home.
For many seniors, home care means practical help with:
- Personal care
- Mobility
- Meals
- Companionship
- Dementia support
- Household routines
- Respite for family caregivers
For others, it may involve nursing, therapy, rehabilitation, or several services working together.
The most important step is to start with the person's actual needs.
What are they struggling with? When do they need help? What can they still do independently?
Once you answer those questions, it becomes much easier to determine what home care should look like—and how much support your family actually needs.
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