In Ohio, a home care aide provides hands-on help at home: bathing, dressing, toileting, walking, meal preparation and feeding, plus personal care such as housework, laundry, errands and help managing the home. Ohio law calls these nonmedical home health services, and agencies that provide them must hold an Ohio Department of Health license.
Home health aide services
Ohio Revised Code 3740.01 defines home health aide services as hands-on bathing or help with a tub bath or shower; help with dressing, walking and toileting; catheter care but not insertion; and meal preparation and feeding.
Personal care services
The same section defines personal care services as hands-on help with daily activities, help managing the home and personal affairs, help taking one's own medications, and homemaker services such as cleaning and laundry when they support that care. The Ohio Department of Health also lists respite for family caregivers and errands such as picking up prescriptions and groceries.
What a home care aide does not do
Skilled services are a separate license in Ohio: skilled nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology and medical social services. If someone needs wound care, injections or therapy, ask whether the agency holds a skilled license.
Matching help to the day
Most families start with the tasks that are hardest or least safe: getting in and out of the shower, getting dressed, eating regular meals, and moving between bed, chair and bathroom. Write those down before you call any agency.
Common questions
Is a home care aide the same as a nurse?
No. Home care aides provide nonmedical help. Nursing is a skilled service with its own Ohio license.
Can an aide help with medications?
Ohio's definition of personal care includes help with self-administration of medications. Ask the agency what that looks like in practice.
General information for Ohio families, not legal or medical advice and not a promise of coverage. Rules change; check the sources.