Home Health Aide vs Caregiver: What's the Difference?
Home Health Aide vs Caregiver: What's the Difference?
Short answer: A home health aide provides personal care alongside skilled medical treatments under Medicare, while a caregiver offers non-medical help with daily living activities, often paid through Medicaid or privately.
- Home health aides complete 75 hours of training and work under the supervision of a registered nurse.
- Caregivers assist with bathing, dressing, and meals without needing state certification.
- Medicare covers home health aides only when intermittent skilled care is also required.
- The Community HealthChoices (CHC) waiver pays for long-term non-medical caregiver services in PA.
- New Century Home Care hires both home health aides and caregivers in Philadelphia.
A Side-by-Side Comparison
When you arrange care for an older adult in Pennsylvania, you will encounter two main types of in-home workers. A home health aide works for a Medicare-certified agency and visits to support medical recovery. A non-medical caregiver works for a licensed home care agency to provide long-term daily assistance.
| Feature | Home Health Aide (HHA) | Non-Medical Caregiver |
|---|---|---|
| Training | 75 hours minimum (16 practical) | Agency competency exam or valid training |
| Employer Type | Medicare-certified home health agency | Licensed home care agency |
| Supervision | Registered Nurse (RN) | Agency supervisor |
| Services | Personal care alongside skilled nursing | Personal care, meals, housekeeping, companionship |
| Payer | Medicare ($0 for covered services) | Private pay, Medicaid CHC waiver, Veterans programs |
What Does a Home Health Aide Do?
A home health aide (HHA) provides personal care as part of a medical treatment plan. They work under the direct supervision of a registered nurse.
To qualify for a Medicare home health aide, your loved one must be homebound and require part-time or intermittent skilled nursing, physical therapy, or speech therapy. Medicare does not pay for an HHA if personal care is the only service your loved one needs. Medicare home health is not designed for 24-hour care. When covered, Medicare pays $0 out of pocket for these services.
According to federal regulations, home health aides must complete at least 75 hours of classroom and supervised practical training. This includes at least 16 hours of supervised practical training and a competency evaluation by a registered nurse. They must also complete 12 hours of in-service training every 12 months.
What Does a Non-Medical Caregiver Do?
A caregiver helps people age in place by assisting with daily routines. In Pennsylvania, these workers are often called direct care workers, home care aides, or personal care aides. They work for licensed home care agencies that supply and schedule employees to work in the consumer’s residence.
Caregivers provide non-skilled services. Under Pennsylvania law, personal care includes assistance with self-administered medications, feeding, oral care, shaving, ambulation, bathing, dressing, and toileting. Caregivers also handle instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) such as preparing meals, doing housework, shopping, and using the telephone. A caregiver cannot perform skilled medical tasks like wound care, injections, or nursing assessments.
Pennsylvania does not require state certification or a license for non-medical caregivers. However, licensed home care agencies must verify a worker’s competency before assigning them to a client. Caregivers must pass an agency exam or show proof of a valid training program. State law also requires a criminal background check, two satisfactory references, and a tuberculosis (TB) screening before the caregiver contacts a consumer.
For more details on non-medical responsibilities, read our caregiver guide.
If you need to hire a caregiver in Philadelphia, call New Century Home Care at 215-974-0000 or fill out our online contact form.
When Families Need Which Service
Your loved one’s medical and functional needs dictate which type of worker you should hire.
You need a home health aide if your loved one recently left the hospital after a stroke or surgery. In this scenario, a doctor prescribes short-term home health services. A nurse or physical therapist visits to manage the medical condition, and the home health aide visits to help with bathing and dressing during the recovery period.
You need a non-medical caregiver if your loved one has a chronic condition like Alzheimer’s disease and needs ongoing daily support. Caregivers keep older adults safe at home by preventing falls, preparing meals, and providing supervision. Families often pay for this care out of pocket or use the Pennsylvania Community HealthChoices (CHC) Medicaid waiver.
To get caregiver services covered through the CHC waiver, your loved one must be financially eligible and functionally eligible. In Philadelphia, an assessor from the Philadelphia Corporation for Aging (PCA) performs a Functional Eligibility Determination. They check if the applicant requires hands-on help with activities like bathing and dressing.
If you are still unsure which path fits your situation, review our breakdown of home care vs home health.
Caregiver and HHA Careers in Philadelphia
Many professionals work in both the medical and non-medical home care fields. At New Century Home Care, we hire workers for several job titles, including Caregiver, Home Health Aide (HHA), Direct Care Worker, Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), and Live-In Caregiver.
If you hold an HHA certificate or a CNA license, you already meet the Pennsylvania competency requirements to work as a non-medical caregiver. You can apply for a home health aide job at our agency to provide personal care and companionship. We will still run the required state background checks and confirm your tuberculosis screening before you start.
If you do not have formal certification, you can still build a career in home care. You simply need to pass our agency competency exam. You can learn more about the differences in certification by reading about a caregiver vs CNA.
We support our staff with strong benefits. Our caregivers receive weekly pay, paid sick days, paid vacation or extra pay, holiday pay, and direct deposit. We also offer a $350 signing bonus, a free health insurance plan, free life insurance, and a 401(k) retirement plan. You can view all our open positions on our jobs page.
Ready to start working with your loved one? Call New Century Home Care at 215-974-0000 or submit our contact form. Select “I am a caregiver” and then “I already have a client” to begin the hiring process.
Frequently asked questions
Is a home care aide the same as a home health aide?
No. A home care aide provides non-medical personal care and household help through a licensed home care agency. A home health aide provides personal care alongside skilled nursing or physical therapy under a Medicare-certified home health agency.
How many hours do home health aides work a day?
Medicare home health aides work part-time or on an intermittent basis, depending on the doctor’s medical care plan. They do not provide 24-hour care. Non-medical caregivers can be scheduled for much longer shifts, up to 24 hours a day, depending on the family’s needs and payment method.
Who gets paid more, a CNA or a caregiver?
Wages depend on the specific employer, location, and the worker’s experience. In Pennsylvania, the median hourly wage for home health and personal care aides is $14.14. Many licensed home care agencies hire Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) to work as non-medical caregivers at their standard agency pay scale.
New Century hires caregivers across Philadelphia and 4 counties. Weekly pay, $350 signing bonus, paid sick days, free health insurance plan available, 401(k). Call 215-974-0000.
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