Home Care vs. Home Health in South Carolina

Prepared by: From The Heart Home Care, LLC Care Coordination Team
Scope reviewed by: From The Heart Home Care, LLC
Updated: August 10, 2026
Read our care-guide review standards

Direct answer: Non-medical home care helps a person with daily activities, personal routines, companionship, meals, light housekeeping, mobility support, respite, and supervision. Home health is clinical care—such as skilled nursing or therapy—provided under a medical plan of care by qualified professionals. They can be used separately or together, but they are not interchangeable.

What does non-medical home care do?

Non-medical home care is designed for day-to-day support. Depending on the assessment and written service plan, assistance may include:

  • bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, and mobility assistance;
  • meal preparation, hydration prompts, and light housekeeping;
  • companionship, safety supervision, errands, and appointment accompaniment;
  • medication reminders without administering or changing medications;
  • respite for family caregivers; and
  • support following a hospital stay that stays within a non-medical scope.

The South Carolina Department of Public Health treats in-home care providers and home health agencies as different provider types. Its In-Home Care Providers page links the state’s licensing rules and its official distinction between in-home care and home health.

What does home health do?

Home health is health care delivered in the home by qualified clinical professionals. Depending on a clinician’s order and the patient’s eligibility, it may include intermittent skilled nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, and certain other services.

Medicare’s official home-health coverage page explains covered services, eligibility, provider requirements, and coverage limits. A family should confirm the exact order, coverage, and provider network with the treating clinician and payer.

Which tasks require a clinical provider?

Wound care, injections, oxygen management, medication administration, diagnosis, clinical monitoring, and skilled therapy should not be described as ordinary non-medical home-care tasks. If a discharge plan includes any of these, ask the hospital, physician, or home health agency who is responsible before care begins.

Can home care and home health work together?

Yes. A nurse or therapist may visit for a limited clinical purpose while a non-medical caregiver supports meals, bathing, mobility, companionship, household routines, and safety between clinical visits. The family should keep roles clear in writing so everyone knows which provider is responsible for each task.

What should families confirm after hospital discharge?

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality recommends involving patients and families in discharge planning, reviewing medications and warning signs, explaining test results, and arranging follow-up. See AHRQ’s IDEAL Discharge Planning guidance.

  • Which tasks are medical and which are non-medical?
  • Who will provide skilled services and how often?
  • What warning signs require a call to a clinician or emergency services?
  • Who may assist with transfers, bathing, meals, and transportation?
  • What written instructions should be available in the home?

Does Medicare cover non-medical home care?

Medicare may cover qualifying home health services, but it generally does not pay for custodial or personal care when that is the only care needed. Families should read Medicare’s coverage rules and ask the payer about their individual circumstances. Private-pay care, long-term-care insurance, veterans benefits, or South Carolina programs may be separate possibilities depending on eligibility.

How does From The Heart Home Care fit?

From The Heart Home Care provides non-medical in-home care and community support. The team can review daily-living needs, schedule, location, and caregiver availability. It does not replace a physician, nurse, therapist, hospital discharge planner, or home health agency.

Use our Hospital-to-Home guide for practical transition planning, compare home-care cost factors, or contact the nearest South Carolina office.

Frequently asked questions

What is the simplest difference between home care and home health?

Home care usually provides non-medical help with daily life, while home health provides skilled clinical services ordered and delivered under a medical plan of care.

Does Medicare pay for ongoing non-medical personal care?

Medicare generally does not cover custodial or personal care when that is the only care needed. Medicare home health coverage has specific eligibility and provider requirements.

Can a family use home care and home health at the same time?

Yes. A family may use separate non-medical home care for daily routines and a qualified home health agency for ordered skilled services, when appropriate.

Can From The Heart Home Care provide skilled nursing or therapy?

From The Heart Home Care describes its service as non-medical home care. Skilled nursing, wound care, therapy, diagnosis, and medication administration should be arranged through appropriately licensed clinical providers.

Who should a family ask when it is not clear which service is needed?

Ask the discharging clinician or primary-care provider which tasks require licensed clinical care, then discuss non-medical daily support with a home-care agency.

Sources and accuracy notes

This guide is general educational information, not medical or coverage advice. Confirm clinical instructions with licensed professionals and coverage with the responsible payer.

Request a non-medical care consultation or call 864-520-1131.

Explore the South Carolina Home Care Knowledge Center for more answers about services, costs, eligibility, caregiving, and choosing an agency.