Does the older adult need help with chores, such as housecleaning, yard work, grocery shopping, or laundry? Some grocery and drug stores will take orders over the phone or online and deliver the items to a person’s home, and someone you know may have a housekeeper or gardener to recommend.

Older adults may also need help with personal care. This includes everyday activities, also called “activities of daily living,” such as bathing, dressing, grooming, using the toilet, eating, and moving around — for example, getting out of bed and into a chair.

Home health is a wide range of health care services that you can get in your home for an illness or injury. Home health care is usually less expensive, more convenient, and just as effective as care you get in a hospital or skilled nursing facility.

Potentially covered services include:

• Patient and caregiver education

• Monitoring serious illness and unstable health status

• Part-time or intermittent home health aide care (only if you’re also getting skilled nursing care, physical therapy, speech-language pathology services, or occupational therapy at the same time), like:

• Help with walking

• Bathing or grooming

• Changing bed linens

• Feeding

Home care nurses provide a valuable service to their patients by helping them stay healthier, reducing costs, and helping them avoid hospitals and long-term care facilities.

There are certain times in life—like after an injury or illness—when we could use an extra hand with things like bathing, grooming, preparing meals or other activities of daily living.

Home health aides can help the patient with his or her basic personal needs such as getting out of bed, walking, bathing, and dressing. Some aides have received specialized training to assist with more specialized care under the supervision of a nurse.