A homecare agency is a business that is licensed to operate to provide caregivers for those in need. These caregivers work in the home of patients and provide medical and non medical care. A homecare agency and an non-medical homecare agency can be the same organization. They may be two separate businesses, but they can also be operated together. This agency can provide nurses and certified nursing assistants for private in-home care, but many that work in a homecare agency do not have any special type of training or certification. They do not have to be a nurse or certified nursing assistant to work in a homecare agency.

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A homecare agency may be more costly than other types of care. This type of care may run about $21 per hour due to the overhead costs. However, the type of care these agencies provide falls into a broad category of services. Since they provide such a broad range of help to patients, most homecare agencies either fall into one specific type of service that they provide, or provide different types. The cost of a homecare agency is adjusted based on the type of service they are providing.

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They have private duty nurses that typically help patients that are disabled or have a long term illness. They can provide medical care such as giving injections and providing wound care. They also monitor vital signs and help with simple daily tasks. They provide personal care and companionship services. In these cases, they help patients with preparing meals, bathing, and feeding. They may also provide non medical care such as running errands, shopping for food, and even housework. There are strict rules around the services that a homecare agency will provide. A homecare agency may not provide the ability to drive a patient to medical, appointments, or social functions. They also offer short term care for those that are recovering from an injury or illness and even to help some transition from the hospital to being back home.

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