How Does Companion Care Differ from Nursing Care

And Which is Right for You?

Seniors remaining in the home need varying levels of companionship, assistance and care. To meet these varying needs, in-home senior care services range from weekly companion visits to round-the-clock care, with nursing assistance for everything from mobility to medications.

In this post, we will share some great information with you on the different levels of care, and how to determine which level of care is right for the senior in your life. We also invite you to watch our short video for additional information.

Identifying the Need for In-Home Care

One of the first steps, of course, is determining that care is needed. Here are some of the many reasons seniors and their families seek out in-home companionship and/or nursing care for seniors in Minneapolis:

• The senior needs help with tasks in the home such as light housekeeping, cooking or dressing
• The elderly family member is not getting enough social interaction, which can lead to low morale or depression
• The senior is in declining health and needs assistance with bathing, mobility, transport to errands, shopping, church or social events
• The primary senior caregiver is a busy family member, and is not able to provide the full amount of care needed
• The primary caregiver needs respite care to take breaks from senior care and attend to other personal or family needs
• Medication management has become a challenging task for the caregiver
• The senior has experienced a fall or has a challenging health condition, and requires daily personal care services

As you can see, there are many reasons for turning to an in home care service, from simple companionship to complete senior assistance.

In some cases, the senior may not want to consider an in-home caregiver, even though family members feel that there is a need. The home health care company you choose should help introduce the concept of in home care services in a way that is caring, friendly and non-threatening.

Comparing Companion Care and Nursing Care

Once you determine that some amount of care is needed, the next step is to decide how much care the senior needs and how often. Every senior is different, of course. Everything from age to social interaction needs to the senior’s mental and physical health profile must be taken into consideration. Let’s look at some of the options.

Companion Care

Companion care and other caregiver services can be tailored to the senior’s level of need, from just two hours per week to as much time as you wish. Here are some examples of basic companion care services:

• Companionship, chatting, playing cards
• Home care and pet care
• Housekeeping, bed making and laundry
• Letter writing and mail management
• Medication reminders

Nursing Care

Home health aides, certified nursing assistants (CNAs) and registered nurses (RNs) can be assigned to provide more in-depth care and medical assistance whenever services are needed that require caregivers with specific skills, training or certifications. Read the extensive qualifications we require when we employ a CNA or RN. Here are some examples of home health aide and nursing care services:

• RN case management services
• Medication review and medication management
• Bathing assistance, grooming and hygiene
• Dementia care
• Ambulatory care
• Feeding assistance
• Hospice support

Together with your home care agency, determine the right amount of care for the senior based on a review of the senior’s mental, physical and emotional needs. 

In some cases, the need for in home care services may decrease over time, such as when the senior is recovering from an illness or injury. In other cases, the need may increase with time, if the senior is experiencing a decline in mental or physical health. If the senior moves to an assisted living facility or nursing home, the At Home Solutions team can continue to provide services to the senior in the new location for continuity of care.

When the senior is receiving nursing care, the registered nurse case manager will perform scheduled follow-ups to assess the senior’s medications and/or perform the medication set-ups, and will also act as a liaison to the senior’s physician.

As the senior’s family member or personal caregiver, you can be assured that the senior’s needs will be met by the appropriate level of in home care services.