Understanding Hospice,
Non‑Skilled Care, and
Home Health Services
Introduction
This guide is designed to help you clearly understand three important
types of care services available today: Hospice, Non-Skilled Care, and
Home Health Services. Whether you are a family member seeking care for
a loved one, a healthcare professional, or a business owner in the care
industry, knowing the distinctions between these services is essential for
making informed decisions. Each section of this document will guide you
step-by-step through each type of service so you can confidently identify
which is best for your needs.
First, we will look at Hospice Care, which focuses on providing comfort,
dignity, and quality of life for individuals facing terminal illnesses. This
section will explain how hospice emphasizes pain management,
emotional and spiritual support, and compassionate guidance for both
patients and families during the final stages of life.
Next, we will explore Non-Skilled Care, sometimes called personal or
companion care. Here, you will learn how this service provides essential
day-to-day assistance—such as bathing, dressing, meal preparation,
transportation, and companionship—helping
individuals maintain
independence while getting support for everyday living.
After that, we will examine Home Health Services, which bring skilled
medical care into the home. This section will outline how services like
nursing care, physical therapy, and occupational therapy are delivered
by licensed professionals to aid recovery, manage conditions, and
promote safe healing in a familiar environment.
Finally, we will highlight the key benefits of these services, including
improved quality of life, personalized and compassionate care, fewer
hospital stays, stronger emotional well-being, and the opportunity for
individuals to remain in their own homes while receiving professional
support. By the end, you will have a clear, structured understanding of
how each service works and when it is most appropriate.
What Is Hospice Care?


Hospice care is a type of healthcare focused entirely on comfort and quality of life
for individuals with terminal illnesses and a prognosis of six months or less if the disease
follows its expected course. The primary goal is to relieve pain and symptoms—not to
cure the illness—and to provide emotional, spiritual, and psychosocial support.
Hospice care, as described by Signal Health Group, is a specialized service focused
entirely on comfort and quality of life for individuals in the final stages of a terminal
illness, typically with a prognosis of six months or less if the disease follows its
expected course. The primary goal is to manage pain, control symptoms, and
provide comprehensive emotional, spiritual, and psychosocial support—helping both
patients and their families navigate this stage with dignity and compassion. Hospice
services are delivered wherever the patient resides—whether at home, in a nursing
facility, assisted living center, or hospital—by an interdisciplinary team that may
include physicians, nurses, social workers, hospice aides, and chaplains. These
services often involve symptom management, medical equipment and supplies,
counseling, and bereavement support for families for up to 13 months after a loved
one’s passing. Unlike curative care, hospice does not aim to cure illness or prolong
life through aggressive treatment; instead, it centers on enhancing comfort and
preserving the patient’s dignity during life’s final chapter.
Setting & Team Composition: Hospice care is delivered where the patient lives—
home, nursing facility, assisted-living center, or hospital. Care is interdisciplinary,
involving physicians, nurses, social workers, hospice aides, and chaplains.
Services Provided: Symptom and pain management, medical equipment and
supplies, emotional and spiritual support, and family bereavement support for up to
13 months after the patient’s death.
What Hospice Is Not: It does not pursue curative treatments or hasten death, but
focuses on comfort and dignity.


What Are Home Health Services?

Home health services encompass a range of skilled medical services delivered at
home to treat illness, injury, or support recovery—typically ordered by a doctor.
These services are part-time or intermittent and often covered by insurance when
patients are homebound.
Home health services, as recognized by Signal Health Group, provide skilled medical
care in the comfort of a patient’s home, making it an ideal option for those
recovering from illness, surgery, or injury, or managing chronic health conditions.
These services are usually prescribed by a physician and are often covered by
Medicare, Medicaid, or private insurance when the patient meets homebound
criteria. By bringing professional healthcare into the home, patients can avoid
extended hospital stays, reduce the risk of infection, and heal in a familiar,
supportive setting.
Care is delivered by a coordinated team that may include registered nurses,
licensed practical nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech-
language pathologists, and medical social workers, with home health aides
providing personal assistance under professional supervision. Services often include
skilled nursing for wound care, IV therapy, medication administration, and disease
monitoring; rehabilitative therapies to restore mobility, strength, and speech; and
patient and family education to support self-care.
In addition to treatment, home health services emphasize preventive care—helping
patients manage chronic illnesses like diabetes, heart disease, or COPD to avoid
unnecessary hospital readmissions. The care plan is
individualized, regularly
reviewed, and adjusted based on progress, ensuring it aligns with the patient’s
health goals and personal preferences.
Ultimately, the goals of home health services extend beyond medical treatment.
They aim to promote faster recovery, maintain independence, improve quality of
life, and provide peace of mind for families—knowing their loved one is receiving
professional, compassionate care without leaving home.

Examples of Services: Skilled nursing (wound care, IV therapy, medication
management), rehabilitation therapies (physical, occupational, speech), medical
social services, and home health aides under professional supervision.
Goals: Recovery, independence, managing chronic conditions, and preventing
decline.


What Is Non‑Skilled (Unskilled) Care?

Non-skilled care—often called personal care, companion care, or unskilled care—is
a non-medical service designed to help individuals remain safe, comfortable, and
independent in their own homes. Provided by caregivers who do not hold a medical
license, these services focus on supporting daily living needs rather than delivering
medical treatment. Typical assistance includes help with activities of daily living
(ADLs) such as bathing, dressing, grooming, and toileting, as well as instrumental
tasks like meal preparation, light housekeeping, laundry, running errands, providing
transportation, and offering companionship to reduce social isolation. Caregivers
may also give medication reminders, assist with mobility, prevent falls, and keep an
eye on the overall well-being of the person in their care.
Unlike home health care—which requires licensed professionals to perform skilled
medical tasks—non-skilled care centers on the personal, practical, and social
aspects of support. It is often arranged and paid for privately by families, though
some individuals may use long-term care insurance, veterans’ benefits, or certain
state and community programs to offset costs. Because non-skilled caregivers are
generally unlicensed and have no formal medical training, their focus is on
maintaining quality of life rather than providing direct healthcare.
When integrated into a broader care plan, non-skilled care can play a vital role in
preventing unnecessary hospitalizations, easing the burden on family caregivers, and
ensuring that individuals can remain in familiar surroundings while receiving the help
they need day-to-day. This makes it an essential complement to hospice or home
health services when ongoing, non-medical support is required.

Typical Services Include: Assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs) such as
bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, meal prep, light housekeeping, errands,
companionship,
transportation, medication
reminders,
fall prevention, and
monitoring status.
How It Differs: Non‑skilled care handles daily life tasks and is often paid privately or
through long-term care insurance. Home health involves licensed professionals
performing medical procedures.
Licensing & Coverage: Non‑skilled caregivers are generally unlicensed and lack
formal medical training. Coverage is limited; many services are out-of-pocket or
through long-term care insurance.

Comparison Table
Service Type
Purpose
Providers Involved
Typical Coverage
Hospice
Comfort & quality
end-of-life
Multidisciplinary
team (medical &
support)
Medicare,
Medicaid,
insurance
Home Health
Medical care at
home (skilled)
Licensed
nurses,
therapists, aides
Medicare, doctor-
ordered
Non‑Skilled Care
Daily living support Unlicensed
caregivers/aides
Private pay or LTC
insurance
Summary of Services – Signal Health Group
Hospice Care

Hospice care provides expert medical services, emotional support, and spiritual resources
tailored to individuals in the final stages of a terminal illness, with a focus on comfort
rather than cure. Delivered where the patient calls home, care is orchestrated by a team
that includes nurses, social workers, counselors, spiritual caregivers, volunteers,
therapists, and more. This team collaborates to create individualized plans addressing
pain and symptom management, emotional and spiritual well-being, advance-care
decisions, and bereavement support. Staff are available 24/7 to support both patient and
family with dignity and compassion.
Home Health (Skilled) Services

Signal Health Group delivers physician-ordered, hospital-level care in the comfort of
your home through their skilled care services. These include skilled nursing, physical
therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and medical social services. Medicare,
Medicaid, private insurance, VA benefits, or private pay can cover these services, subject
to eligibility—particularly if the patient meets the homebound criteria.
Non-Skilled (Personal) Care

Also referred to as personal or companion care, these services help with daily living tasks
such as bathing, dressing, grooming, meal prep, light housekeeping, errands, and
companionship. Signal Health Group further expands this category to include
homemaking services such as laundry, pet care, and plant care; Alzheimer’s and dementia
support; wound assistance; sleepover care; and general wellness-focused activities.

About Our Founder

https://signalhg.com/

Hahn March
Hahn March founded Signal Health Group with a vision to provide compassionate,
reliable, and comprehensive care services that honor the dignity of every client. With a
deep passion for improving lives, Hahn has built a team dedicated to delivering
exceptional hospice, home health, and personal care services across communities
nationwide.
A Note from Hahn March
“When I started Signal Health Group, my mission was simple: to make quality care
accessible and personal. I believe that care is more than a service—it’s a relationship
built on trust, respect, and understanding. Every client we serve becomes part of the
Signal family, and it’s our privilege to walk alongside them in their unique journey.
Thank you for allowing us to be a part of your care story.”
Suggested Resources
https://signalhg.com/