What is the difference between companion care and personal care?
Companion care is about company and everyday help. Personal care is about hands-on help with the body. Both are non-medical. The line between them is physical care: bathing, toileting and moving safely.
The Alzheimer’s Association splits in-home help into companion care (“help with supervision, recreational activities or visiting”) and personal care (“help with bathing, dressing, toileting, eating, exercising or other personal care”). It also lists homemaker help and skilled care.
HomeCare.com groups its services into two levels:
| What to compare | Level One: personal companion care | Level Two: advanced companion care |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Social support and light help | Mobility challenges, cognitive decline or higher personal care needs |
| Company and activities | Yes | Yes |
| Household help and meals | Yes | Yes |
| Errands and rides | Yes | Yes |
| Medication reminders | Yes (not given) | Yes (not given) |
| Grooming, dressing, mobility support | Yes | Yes |
| Hands-on bathing, toileting, hygiene | Not part of this level | Yes |
| Bed-to-chair transfers and walking assistance | Not listed | Yes |
| Dementia and Alzheimer’s support | Not listed | Memory-stimulating activities and structured routines |
| Fall-risk and wandering safety | Not listed | Yes |
| Respite for family | Not listed | Yes |
| Medical treatment | None | None |
HomeCare.com says advanced care “may assist with complex personal care needs, but no medical treatment.” You can read each service on its page: companion care and personal care.
What does companion care include?
Companion care includes friendly company and help with routine tasks. It fights loneliness and keeps a person active. It is the lightest level of support.
HomeCare.com describes companion care as non-medical support for companionship, emotional well-being and routine tasks, from a trained non-medical caregiver. At Level One, that means:
- Conversation, games, reading and walks together
- Light housekeeping, laundry and meal preparation
- Grocery shopping, rides to medical appointments and errands
- Medication reminders, but the caregiver does not give the medicine
- Help with grooming, dressing and mobility
Companion care suits a parent who can manage the toilet and shower alone but is lonely, forgets meals or can no longer drive. NIA lists loneliness and social isolation among the signs that an older adult may need extra support. A regular visitor can change a parent’s week.
What does personal care include?
Personal care includes hands-on help with the body and daily routines. It is for people who cannot do these things safely alone. At HomeCare.com, this is Level Two, advanced companion care.
Level Two includes everything in Level One, plus:
- More hands-on help with bathing, toileting and hygiene
- Safe transfers, such as bed to chair, and walking help
- Cognitive support for dementia or Alzheimer’s, including memory-stimulating activities and structured routines
- Fall-risk and wandering safety, including a safe home
- Respite care so family caregivers can rest
These tasks are the core of activities of daily living. NIA lists them as bathing, dressing, grooming, using the toilet, eating and moving around, such as getting out of bed and into a chair. NIA says a relative, friend or trained aide could help with them for a short time each day.
What do neither of them do?
Neither level gives medical care. This is the most important limit to understand. Caregivers help and remind. They do not treat.
HomeCare.com says its care is non-medical. Its caregivers do not provide:
- Medication administration (they can remind, not give)
- Wound care
- Skilled nursing
- Therapy
- Hospice care
For those, ask your parent’s doctor about a home health agency. Our guide to home care vs home health care explains how the two work together. A home health aide from a home health agency works under a different plan than a non-medical caregiver.
Which level does my parent need?
Choose by what your parent cannot do alone. Start with the body, then the mind, then safety. If any answer is yes to hands-on help, go to Level Two.
Use this checklist:
| Question | If yes |
|---|---|
| Does your parent need help getting in or out of the shower? | Level Two |
| Does your parent need help at the toilet or with continence care? | Level Two |
| Does your parent need help moving from bed to chair or walking safely? | Level Two |
| Is your parent likely to wander, or at high fall risk? | Level Two |
| Does your parent have dementia that affects routines and safety? | Level Two |
| Does your parent mainly need company, meals, errands and light chores? | Level One |
| Does your parent dress and groom alone with some prompting? | Level One |
| Do you mainly need relief for a few hours? | Level One or Level Two, based on the answers above |
Two examples:
- Margaret, 84, lives alone, sharp and lonely. She stopped driving. She forgets to eat lunch. Level One fits: company, meals, errands and reminders.
- Walter, 79, has early dementia and a bad hip. He needs help in the shower and sometimes leaves the house at night. Level Two fits: hands-on hygiene, transfers and wandering safety.
These are illustrations, not real families. Your parent’s doctor can give a view on safety. A care advisor can then match the level to the person.
Can the level change over time?
Yes. Care needs often rise slowly. Start where the need is today. Review the plan after a fall, a hospital stay or a change in memory.
HomeCare.com says families can choose the number of visits and the hours per visit, without minimums and no contracts. That makes it easier to move from Level One to Level Two as needs change. Read the signs in our guide on warning signs your parent needs home care.
If dementia is part of the picture, read about dementia care. For help sizing hours, use our guide on how many hours of home care you need.
How much do companion and personal care cost?
CareScout’s 2025 Cost of Care Survey reports a national median of $35 an hour for a non-medical caregiver. That is the market figure for home care. It does not split companion and personal care. HomeCare.com does not publish its rates.
Here is the estimate for a few common schedules at $35 an hour:
| Schedule | Math | Estimate per month |
|---|---|---|
| 2 hours, 3 days a week | $35 x 6 hours x 52 weeks / 12 | about $910 |
| 4 hours, 5 days a week | $35 x 20 hours x 52 weeks / 12 | about $3,033 |
| 8 hours, 7 days a week | $35 x 56 hours x 52 weeks / 12 | about $8,493 |
These are estimates at a national median. Rates vary by state and by provider. See our cost of home care page for state figures. Medicare does not pay for custodial care, which is help with bathing or dressing when it is the only care you need, according to Medicare.gov. Medicare.gov points to Medicaid, depending on your state, and private long-term care insurance as other options. Ask a care advisor which payment options apply to your situation.
What should I look for in a caregiver?
Look for a caregiver who is reliable, patient and matched to your parent. The right personality matters as much as the task list. A good match makes your parent look forward to the visit.
HomeCare.com says every professional caregiver it refers must pass a thorough background check. Its credentialing page lists checks covering at least the past seven years, such as a Social Security number trace, federal and state criminal records and the national sex offender registry. You can ask any provider for the same detail.
Other things to ask about:
- Experience with your parent’s needs, such as dementia or limited mobility
- How the caregiver will be introduced to your parent
- What happens if the caregiver cannot make a visit
- How visits are confirmed and hours are tracked
HomeCare.com says its mobile app confirms the caregiver is at the house on time and that billed hours are accurate.
What if my parent says no to help?
Many parents say no at first. That is normal. They may fear losing independence or feel embarrassed about personal care. Start with the lightest help your parent will accept.
Ideas that often work:
- Call it help with the house, not help with your parent.
- Begin with company, meals or errands. Level One can lead naturally to more.
- Let your parent meet the caregiver before the first visit.
- Offer a short trial, with the right to stop.
- Ask the doctor to suggest help. Many parents listen to the doctor.
Be honest about your own limits too. Telling a parent that you need help to keep going can be easier for them to hear than a list of their problems.
How do the two levels fit with other services?
Companion and personal care often sit beside other help. Families may add respite coverage, live-in care or night coverage as needs grow. Level Two also pairs well with a doctor’s care plan: the doctor treats, and the caregiver supports the routines that keep your parent safe and comfortable between visits.
Next step
A short call can sort the right level for your parent. A care advisor will ask what is hard now and match a caregiver to that need. Call 800-974-3458 or request a call. You can also read about personal care and companion care first.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between companion care and personal care?
Companion care focuses on company, light housekeeping, meals, errands and reminders. Personal care adds hands-on help with the body: bathing, toileting, dressing and moving safely. Companion care is the lighter level. Personal care is for people who cannot manage these tasks alone.
Can a companion caregiver help with bathing?
At HomeCare.com, Level One help covers grooming and dressing. Hands-on bathing, toileting and hygiene belong to Level Two, advanced companion care. If your parent needs help in the shower or with the toilet, ask for the advanced level so the caregiver is matched and prepared.
Does a companion caregiver give medication?
No. Companion and personal caregivers can remind your parent to take medicine, but they do not give it. Giving medication is a medical task. Ask your parent's doctor or pharmacist who should handle it, such as the family, a pill organizer system or a home health nurse.
Who helps with dementia care at home?
Level Two, advanced companion care, includes cognitive support for dementia or Alzheimer's, plus fall-risk and wandering safety. Caregivers use memory-friendly activities and steady routines. They do not treat the disease. Your parent's doctor guides medical care, and the caregiver supports daily life.
Which level does my parent need?
Look at what your parent cannot do alone. If the need is company, meals, errands and light help, Level One fits. If your parent needs hands-on help to bathe, use the toilet, transfer or stay safe from falls and wandering, choose Level Two. A care advisor can help you decide.
Is a companion caregiver the same as a nurse?
No. A companion caregiver is a trained non-medical caregiver. A nurse is a licensed medical professional who can give medication, treat wounds and monitor a condition. HomeCare.com caregivers do not provide medication administration, wound care or skilled nursing.
