The Pitfalls of Task-Based Home
What is Community Based Home Care?
Community based home care is a rapidly-growing segment of home care services. This service is found in independent senior communities, apartments and cluster homes (i.e., over-55 communities) where the residents are mostly healthy and have minimal need of health care or personal care assistance for their well being, mostly capable of self care. It can help fill in the gaps between general services like housekeeping and laundry, and can also help couples continue to live together when one needs more assistance than the other can provide.
Caregivers working in community based home care are scheduled to work shifts in the community by their home care agency. Their daily assignments include short visits to several clients, some more than once during their shift. If there are gaps between their client visits, they’re still paid for the full duration of their shift.
Community Based Home Care vs Traditional Home Care
Community based home care is different from traditional home care, where one caregiver provides service to one client in their home over an extended period of time. Both types of care provide non-medical services to the elderly and infirm such as help bathing, dressing, taking medications, using the bathroom and completing household tasks. Some agencies also offer pet care and help with transportation and various errands.
While community based home care offers the same tasks as traditional home care, caregivers are assigned very differently (see illustration below).
Traditional Home Care |  One Caregiver |  One Client | Visit Model:
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Community Based Home Care |  Many Caregivers |  Many Clients | Visit Model:
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Community Based Home Care services are provided in short visits with typical duration of 15, 30 or 45 minutes. Some agencies offer visits that are even shorter for clients with one or two simple tasks. What can be accomplished in such a brief period of time? During a 5–7-minute visit, caregivers can provide a medication reminder to a client who often forgot to take them on their own or the caregiver can assist a client who is otherwise independent with their compression hose or orthopedic brace.
As with traditional home care, Community Based Home Care’s goal is to provide services that promote the clients’ highest level of independence. Since many senior communities provide varying levels of meal service, housekeeping and laundry, these visits can be of short duration which makes this service very cost effective for the clients. Community Based Home Care also helps couples to continue to live together when one needs more assistance than the other one can provide. It is an additional level of support available to seniors that may avoid or prolong the need for Assisted Living level of care.
Short Visits, Big Impact
Community based home care services are provided in short visits typically lasting 15, 30 or 45 minutes. Some agencies offer visits that are even shorter for clients needing help with one or two simple tasks.
What can caregivers do in such a brief period of time? During a five-to-seven-minute visit, they can help a client take their medication or assist an otherwise-independent client with their compression hose or orthopedic brace.
Filling Service Gaps
Just like traditional home care, community based home care’s goal is to provide services that help clients live independently. Since many senior communities provide varying levels of meal service, housekeeping and laundry, these short visits can fill in the gaps for more personalized needs. That makes this community based home care very cost-effective for the clients.
Community based home care is a great option for seniors who need some help, but don’t need or want the level of assistance that assisted living facilities offer.