Caretaker vs. Visiting Nurse: 2 Key Differences for Seniors Living at Home

Choosing Between a Caretaker and Visiting Nurse for In-Home Senior Care

For many seniors, remaining at home is an important choice that can improve their quality of life and overall good health. This is often a reachable goal. However, in some situations, professional assistance is needed to help elderly family members age in place. When considering at-home care, it's important to understand the distinction between home care and home health care to ensure you choose the professional service most likely to meet your needs. This guide describes the difference between the services provided by a professional caregiver and a visiting nurse.

Services Provided by a Visiting Nurse

Home health care is a range of professional health care services that can be given at home for an illness (including chronic illness) or injury. A visiting nurse is a licensed professional who provides skilled medical care. If your loved one requires routine medical care like medication assistance or monitoring their health, a visiting nurse is likely the best option.

Some of the services provided by visiting nurses include:

• Medication administration 
• Wound care for pressure sores or a surgical incision
• Injections
• Medical tests 
• Physical therapy
• IV medication administration
• Monitoring serious illness 

Services Provided by a Professional Caretaker

In situations where the administration of medical care isn't the main focus, a professional caretaker may be the best option for assistance with the care of a senior family member. A professional caretaker or caregiver provides hands-on assistance to help with daily activities and companionship. This care may be provided under the supervision of a registered nurse. 

Caregivers assist with the day-to-day needs of seniors, including:

• Personal hygiene assistance like shaving, brushing or styling hair, grooming, etc.
• Assistance with bathing or showering
• Cooking meals and assistance with self-feeding when necessary
• General shopping and errands
• Light housekeeping
• Medication reminders
• Assistance with mobility like moving from one place to another or getting up from bed or a chair
• Toilet hygiene (self-cleaning, getting to the toilet, and getting up from the toilet)
• Dressing assistance

The Difference Between a Caretaker and Visiting Nurse

Medical care and assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs) are both essential parts of remaining healthy while aging in place. To determine the type of professional assistance most likely to meet the needs of your elderly loved one, it's important to evaluate medical conditions along with the need for daily assistance with routine activities. The key differences between a caretaker and visiting nurse surround the requirements for skilled medical care.

Consider these questions to help you decide whether professional medical assistance is a necessary part of the care requirements for your loved one.

• Do you need medication administration? Medication administration by mouth, IV, or shots can only be provided by a licensed medical professional. However, a professional caretaker can provide reminders to take prescriptions.
• Do you need professional monitoring of medical conditions with medical equipment? When caring for a long-term health condition or recovering from an injury or illness, daily monitoring is often necessary. This may include checking blood pressure, testing glucose levels, or monitoring symptoms of any ongoing health condition.
• Do you need assistance with wound care? Recovering from an injury or surgical procedure can take a significant amount of time. During this time, routine care like bandage changes, and occupational therapy are often necessary. These services must be provided by a registered nurse.

Determining the right level of care for a senior family member can be difficult. Visiting nurses provide essential medical care but do not provide assistance with ADLs like bathing, grooming, meals, errands, or general mobility. While a caregiver isn't licensed to provide medical care, they provide essential help with routine tasks. Often, the services of a visiting nurse are used alongside those of a professional caregiver for temporary or long-term medical needs. In-home care can also be helpful after a surgical procedure or time spent in a care facility. For many families, the assistance provided by a caregiver is essential to help seniors comfortably age in place.

Senior Helpers Westchester offers a variety of personalized in-home care services in Mount Vernon, Yonkers, New Rochelle, Tarrytown, Bronxville, and Westchester County. Contact us today to learn more about in-home care services and how to schedule an in-home assessment.