What You Need To Know About Primary Home Care

If you have come across the term primary home care and often mistake it for being the same as home care, you are not alone!

In today’s article, we will go deep into the territory of primary home care, unraveling its unique attributes, shedding light on its essential component, and uncovering the fantastic benefit it offers to our esteemed veterans while separating the critical difference between primary home care and home health care.

What is home based primary care?

Older adults and retired individuals have numerous options for being taken care of, especially during retirement. These options include:

• Assisted living: Provides helpful services and assistance with daily activities for retirees or older adults who require help but want to maintain a level of independence in a community atmosphere.
• Independent living: Housing preference for older adults who are able to live independently and need a retirement community environment with amenities, social activities, and the slightest assistance.
• Memory care: Specialized care for individuals with memory loss or other cognitive conditions, such as dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.
• Nursing home: Offers 24/7 skilled nursing care and support to individuals with complex medical requirements or those requiring rehabilitative services like therapy in an inhabited setting.
• Home care: This care type offers personalized assistance provided to older adults in their own homes, offering support with daily activities, personal care, companionship, and more (including dementia home care).

Then we come to primary home care services. Now most people often need clarification about the difference between home care and primary home care. For a simple definition, a primary home care program is aimed at allowing individuals with functional limitations to live independently at home. As with home care, it provides vital support with activities of daily living, enabling seniors to maintain independence and quality of life.
So what is the main difference?

Primary home care vs. In-home care

Before going to the key difference between PHC (primary home care) and in-home care for senior individuals, let us briefly look at the examples below.

Home care

Let us say that an older woman named Sarah, who lives alone, requires specific support with various tasks due to age-related limitations. She decides to hire one of the best home care agencies to assist. The home care agency provides Sarah with a professional for several hours each day.

The caregiver helps her with meal preparation, light housekeeping, medication reminders, and companionship. The caregiver ensures Sarah’s safety and well-being while allowing her to continue living independently in her own home.

Primary home care

Now let us consider a different scenario involving another older adult also named Sarah. But this Sarah has certain functional limitations beyond aging restrictions. It can be cognitive or other physical limitations which are more severe. Sarah, in this scenario, requires more comprehensive assistance with daily activities.

Sarah applied for the primary home care program (PHC) offered through a government initiative. A care coordinator assesses Sarah’s needs and gives a care team to provide personalized support. The primary home care program focuses on helping Sarah maintain her independence despite her functional limitations.

Key difference

The key difference between home care and primary home care lies in the level of assistance provided. Primary home care programs and services cater to older adults with functional limitations who need more comprehensive help with activities of daily living. The PHC program is typically funded through government initiatives, such as Medicaid, and offers custom services based on an older individual’s specific requirements and functional limitations.
As with any care for seniors, managing finances is highly important.

Primary home care for veterans

For those looking at VA home based primary care, they are also able to avail PHC. Primary home care programs are for veterans who wish to age in peace and receive care in their homes. For eligible veterans, primary home care services can be accessed through programs such as the Veterans Directed Home and Community Based Services (VD-HCBS) program.

This initiative gives veterans greater control over their care and supports their desire to remain in their homes while receiving the necessary assistance. Especially for veterans with functional limitations or disability, the benefit of primary home care is also extended to them.