Tip #1: Agencies, Registries and Companion Services, Oh My!
Understanding which type of home care provider fits your needs is critical to hiring the RIGHT provider. Believe it or not, not all home care providers are the same. In Florida, there are three primary types of home care providers, agencies, registries and homemaker companion.
Home Health Agencies
A home health agency is a business which is licensed and regulated by the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration and is the only type of home care provider that is able to provide skilled medical services (nursing services; physical, occupational, respiratory or speech therapies; medical supplies as prescribed by a physician) as well as non-skilled services (home health aides, homemaker companion services).
Agencies are also the only type of providers who are able to hire employees (as opposed to independent contractors) to provide personal services such as “bathing, dressing, eating or personal hygiene” as well as assistance with physical transfers, ambulation, and administering medication.
Nurse Registries
A nurse registry is a business which is licensed by the Florida Agency for Home Care Administration and is able to provide by personnel who are paid by fees as independent contractors.
Home Maker Companion Service
A homemaker companion service is a company that must be registered with the Florida Agency for Home Care Administration. They are only able to provide general household chores that may include “housekeeping, cooking, shopping assistance, laundry and other routine household activities”.
A homemaker companion is NOT able to provide personal hands-on care like an Agency or Nurse Registry is able to provide.