Homemaker Services
Homemaker services cover the running of the household rather than the care of the person: cooking, cleaning, laundry, shopping, and errands. The term is used specifically in Medicaid and waiver programs, where it names a distinct, separately authorized benefit.
Reviewed by Valerie VanBooven, RN, BSN
What's Included
- Meal planning, preparation, and clean-up
- Light housekeeping such as dishes, vacuuming, and changing bed linen
- Laundry, both in the home and at a laundromat
- Grocery shopping and other essential errands
- Help keeping the home safe to move around in, such as clearing clutter from walkways
Who It's For
Someone who can manage their own personal care but cannot keep up with the household, and families working through a Medicaid or waiver plan where homemaker hours are authorized separately from personal care.
Understanding Homemaker Services
Homemaker services and companion care overlap heavily in practice. The distinction is mostly one of vocabulary: homemaker is the term that appears in Medicaid state plans and Home and Community Based Services waivers, while companion care is the term used in private-pay marketing.
The reason it matters is authorization. Where a benefit funds care, homemaker hours are typically approved as their own line with their own limits, separate from personal care hours. Families sometimes discover they have hours approved for housework and none for bathing, or the reverse.
Homemaker services are non-medical and generally do not include hands-on assistance with the body. A worker authorized only for homemaker tasks may not be permitted to help someone bathe or transfer, even when that is plainly what is needed.
Program names, covered tasks, and eligibility differ by state and by waiver. The provider or the case manager administering the plan is the reliable source for what a specific authorization allows.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is homemaker services?
Homemaker services cover the running of the household rather than the care of the person: cooking, cleaning, laundry, shopping, and errands. The term is used specifically in Medicaid and waiver programs, where it names a distinct, separately authorized benefit.
Who is homemaker services for?
Someone who can manage their own personal care but cannot keep up with the household, and families working through a Medicaid or waiver plan where homemaker hours are authorized separately from personal care.
Other Services
How to Get Homemaker Services
Enter a city and state below to find home care providers in the Care Across America directory who serve that area. Contact them directly to ask whether they offer homemaker services and to get pricing for your situation.