Care Guide
Caregiver Duties Checklist
Whether you are a family caregiver or hiring one, it helps to know exactly what a home caregiver does. This checklist covers the personal care, household, health, and companionship duties a professional caregiver handles day to day.
Quick Answer
A home caregiver's duties fall into four areas: personal care (bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, mobility), household help (meals, light housekeeping, laundry, errands), health support (medication reminders, monitoring, appointments), and companionship (conversation, activities, and a watchful eye on safety). The exact list depends on the person's needs and is guided by a care plan.
Key Takeaways
- Caregiver duties cover **personal care, household help, health support, and companionship**.
- Personal care includes **bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, and mobility**.
- Health support includes **medication reminders, monitoring, and appointments** (nurses give medications).
- A **written care plan** and nurse supervision keep duties clear and safe.
Personal Care Duties
Hands-on help with the activities of daily living:
- Bathing and showering: Safe help with washing and hygiene.
- Dressing and grooming: Choosing clothes, dressing, hair, and oral care.
- Toileting and continence: Help to and from the toilet and with incontinence care.
- Mobility and transfers: Safe help moving in and out of bed or a chair and walking.
- Feeding: Help eating for those who need it.
Household, Health, and Companionship Duties
Beyond personal care, caregivers keep the home running and the person safe and engaged:
- Meals: Planning and preparing meals and snacks that fit any diet.
- Light housekeeping and laundry: Tidying, dishes, laundry, and changing linens.
- Errands and transportation: Groceries, pharmacy runs, and rides to appointments.
- Medication reminders and monitoring: Reminding, and watching for changes in health or behavior (a nurse administers medications).
- Companionship: Conversation, activities, and reducing isolation.
- Safety supervision: Preventing falls and wandering and following the care plan.
Who Does What: Aides vs. Nurses
Non-medical duties above are handled by home health aides and personal care caregivers, while medical tasks (giving medications, wound care, injections) are handled by a licensed nurse through skilled nursing or private duty nursing. At Focus Family Care, a registered nurse writes and supervises every care plan, so the right tasks go to the right caregiver. When a family caregiver needs a break, respite care steps in.
How We Know This
Focus Family Care is a Florida-licensed home health agency and nurse registry (License NR #30211928, HHA #299995403) accredited by ACHC. Guidance on this page is reviewed by the agency's Director of Nursing, and coverage details are verified with each family's insurance before care begins.
Sources
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main duties of a home caregiver?
A home caregiver helps with personal care (bathing, dressing, toileting, mobility), household tasks (meals, light housekeeping, errands), health support (medication reminders and monitoring), and companionship and safety supervision.
Can a home caregiver give medication?
Caregivers and home health aides provide medication reminders, but administering or managing medications is done by a licensed nurse. Focus Family Care provides nurse supervision for every care plan.
What is not a caregiver's duty?
Non-medical caregivers do not perform clinical tasks like wound care, injections, or managing medical equipment. Those are done by a nurse. A written care plan makes the boundaries clear.
How do I know how many caregiver hours I need?
It depends on how much help the person needs with daily tasks and supervision. Focus Family Care assesses needs with a registered nurse and recommends the right level, from a few hours to 24-hour care.
Request Home Health Care Today
Focus Family Care starts care in as little as 24 hours. Call now or request an in-home assessment. We answer around the clock.
515 N Flagler Drive, Suite 350, West Palm Beach, FL 33401