It takes many different staff members to keep a home health care agency running smoothly and meeting all of the emotional, mental and physical needs of its clients. If you are considering a home health care agency, you will encounter a number of staff members. As a rule, services provided by the most skilled and credentialed staff will cost the most. Ask about the credentials and licenses of various staff people.

We have listed and described the most common staff you might encounter at a home care company:

Homemakers or Companions
Homemakers, or companions are not licensed in most states. They provide companion care to the client and may do light housekeeping (sweeping, dusting, vacuuming and laundry) and assist with shopping and meals. They also be trained to check a client’s vital signs.

Home Health Aides
Home health aides may help with activities of daily living, such as dressing, grooming, toileting, and bathing. In some states, those tasks are performed by CNAs, or certified nurse assistants, who are licensed by the state to perform limited health care responsibilities. CNA’s and home health aides have typically gone through a course, requiring anywhere from 20-80 hours of training. They should be able to check a client’s vital signs and assess if a situation requires additional health care support.

Nurses
RN’s or LPN’s are licensed by the state to provide numerous types of skilled care. Their services may vary by agency, but often include skilled assessment, wound care, urinary catheter care, G-tube care and feeding, ventilator care, IV care, tracheotomy care, and teaching. RN’s and LPNs have both undergone rigorous training and a comprehensive skills exam in order to be licensed. Other nurses may provide specialized care for cardiac, diabetes, pain management, wound care, infusion therapy, oncology and psychiatric services.

Therapists
Physical, Occupational, and Speech Therapists offer care when a patients lack of mobility, problems with speech, or difficulty with self-care interferes with health and well-being. Physical, occupational and speech therapists typically have master’s degrees and their services may be covered by insurance only if they are ordered by a physician.

Social Workers
Social Workers may have a Masters in Social Work, or have a bachelor’s degree in a related field. Social workers may not spend a lot of time in direct care with the clients, but they are trained to provide counseling, help with financial, social and emotional concerns, and link patients with other community resources.

Administrative Staff
Administrative staff for home health care agencies are not required to have specific training or education in most states. If the home health care agency is run by a hospital, then some nursing background may be required.

Home Monitoring Staff
Home monitoring staff, only available in a few locations, may be a part of your home health care agency staff. Some agencies offer a home monitoring system that records blood pressure, heart rate, weight, temperature, oxygen saturation, and if needed blood sugar, PT/INR and spirometry. Such systems collect and transmit data from the patient and a central station that receives this data for analysis by health care professionals in the office of the agency. If a patient’s measurements fall outside desired limits, the central station alerts the monitoring personnel and appropriate actions are taken to ensure the well being of the client at home.