For families · Elder care
What is the difference between companion care, personal care and nursing care?
Companion care is company, supervision and household help without hands-on body care. Personal care adds help with bathing, dressing, toileting, eating and moving, usually from a personal support worker. Nursing care covers clinical tasks such as wound care, injections and medication management, and must come from a regulated nurse. Many older adults need a mix.
In 60 seconds
- Companion care covers conversation, outings, meal preparation, light housekeeping, errands and keeping an eye on safety.
- Personal care adds hands-on help with bathing, dressing, toileting, eating and transfers, usually from a personal support worker.
- Nursing care covers clinical tasks such as wound care, catheter care, injections and medication management, and is provided by regulated nurses.
- The right level depends on what your parent cannot do safely alone, not only on their diagnosis.
- Publicly funded home care programs in each province can include personal care and nursing after an assessment.
- Needs usually change over time, so review the level of care whenever your parent’s health or abilities change.
What is companion care?
Companion care is non-medical help focused on company, routine and safety. A companion might chat, play cards, go for walks, drive to appointments, prepare meals, do light housekeeping and notice when something seems wrong. Companion care does not include hands-on personal care such as bathing or toileting, and it includes no nursing tasks.
Companion care suits a parent who is mostly independent but lonely, a little forgetful, or no longer driving. It can also give a family caregiver a few hours of relief. For many families, companionship is the first help they arrange.
What is personal care?
Personal care is hands-on help with the activities of daily living: washing and bathing, dressing, mouth and hair care, toileting, eating, and getting in and out of beds, chairs and vehicles. It is usually provided by a personal support worker or health care aide, and it often includes companion tasks as part of the visit.
Personal care suits a parent who can no longer bathe, dress or move safely alone, or who is recovering from a hospital stay. In several provinces, publicly funded home care lists these same tasks under personal support or home support services. The caregiver’s title and training vary by province, so ask what training they have.
What is nursing care at home?
Nursing care at home covers clinical work that requires a regulated nurse, such as changing dressings, caring for wounds or catheters, giving injections or intravenous therapy, managing complex medications and assessing symptoms. It is provided by registered nurses, licensed or registered practical nurses, or nurse practitioners, depending on the task and the province.
Public home care programs commonly include nursing visits after an assessment. In Nova Scotia, for example, some home care services such as nursing are free. If your parent needs nursing tasks, ask their doctor or the provincial home care program first before arranging anything privately.
How do I know which level of care my parent needs?
Look at what your parent cannot do safely alone. If they manage personal care but need company, meals or rides, companion care fits. If they need help bathing, dressing, toileting or moving, they need personal care. If they need wounds dressed, injections or complex medications managed, they need nursing care, often alongside personal care.
A formal assessment through your provincial home care program is the most reliable way to decide. A family view is useful, but it can miss health needs that a trained assessor would spot.
- Can your parent wash, dress and use the toilet safely without help?
- Can they get in and out of bed, chairs and the bath without risk of falling?
- Do they remember meals, medications and appointments?
- Do they have wounds, a catheter, injections or complex medication schedules?
- Is anyone worried about them being alone at night?
Can one caregiver provide all three types of care?
Usually not. A personal support worker can often provide both companion and personal care, but nursing tasks belong to a nurse. Many families combine a companion or personal support worker for daily help with nursing visits from the public home care program. What matters is that each person works within their training.
A common mix looks like this: nursing visits from the public program for a wound or medication review, a personal support worker in the mornings for bathing and dressing, and a companion or relative in the afternoons for meals, conversation and outings. Each person knows their part, and nobody is asked to stretch beyond it.
Write down which tasks each caregiver handles and share it with everyone involved, including relatives. When a task sits in a grey area, such as medication reminders versus giving medications, ask your parent’s pharmacist or doctor how it should be handled.
Which types of care does Maple Care cover?
Maple Care fits best when you need companion care or personal care from an independent care professional who comes to your parent’s home. It is not a nursing service, and Maple Care does not supervise, license or certify anyone. For nursing needs, start with your parent’s doctor or provincial home care program.
You post a free, anonymous elder care request that shows only your city, and describe the tasks involved. Professionals who want your contact details pay to get them, and you set how many can (at least five). You still interview, check references and agree terms directly.
Free to post. Your contact details stay private.
Frequently asked questions
Is companion care covered by public home care?
Usually not as a standalone service. Public programs focus on assessed personal care and health needs, though some community support services, such as friendly visiting or adult day programs, provide company and may charge a fee. Rules differ by province, so ask your parent’s home care program what is available.
Can a companion help my parent take medications?
A companion can remind your parent to take medications that are already set up, if the family agrees. Setting up pills, deciding doses or giving injections is different and may need a nurse or pharmacist. Ask the pharmacist about blister packs or other aids that make reminders simpler and safer.
What is palliative or end-of-life care at home?
Palliative care focuses on comfort and quality of life for someone with a serious illness. At home, it often combines nursing, personal support, medical equipment and respite for the family. Provincial home care programs usually coordinate it, so contact your parent’s program or doctor early.
Does my parent need nursing care if they have dementia?
Not necessarily. Many people with dementia mainly need supervision, routine and personal care, which a trained support worker can provide. Nursing care becomes necessary when there are clinical needs, such as wounds or complex medications. Ask the doctor or home care assessor to help you plan as needs change.
Is companion care enough for a parent living alone?
It can be, if your parent manages personal care safely and mainly needs company, meals and help with errands. It is not enough if they struggle with bathing, toileting or moving, or if they are at risk of falling or wandering when alone. Ask for an assessment if you are unsure.
Can the level of care change later?
Yes, and it usually does. A parent who needs a companion today may need personal care after a fall or illness. Review the arrangement every few months, after any hospital stay and whenever family members notice changes. Ask the provincial home care program for a reassessment when needs grow.
Sources and evidence
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