The two types of home care in Georgia
When families search for “home care in Atlanta,” they typically need one of two different types of service — and understanding the difference shapes everything else about the decision.
Non-medical home care (PHCP)
Non-medical home care is provided by a Georgia-licensed Private Home Care Provider (PHCP). This type of care focuses on personal care and daily living support: bathing, dressing, grooming, meal preparation, mobility help, companionship, and verbal medication reminders. No doctor’s order is required to start.
This is the type of care that allows seniors to stay safely at home as they age — maintaining their routines while getting the help they need with tasks that have become difficult.
Skilled home health care (HHA)
Skilled home health care is provided by a licensed home health agency and involves medical services: nursing care, wound care, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and medication administration. A physician’s order is required, and services are typically episode-based (recovering from surgery, managing an acute condition).
Medicare covers skilled home health when the criteria are met. It does not cover ongoing non-medical personal care.
What non-medical home care looks like for Atlanta families
A typical non-medical home care arrangement in the Atlanta area might look like this:
- A caregiver arrives three to five mornings per week to help with bathing, dressing, and breakfast
- The caregiver assists with a safe transfer from bed to wheelchair or walker
- Lunch is prepared and medication reminders are given at the right times
- Light housekeeping — dishes, laundry, vacuuming — keeps the home safe and livable
- On some days, the caregiver drives to medical appointments or grocery runs
- Companionship — conversation, games, or simply being present — reduces isolation
A well-structured care plan is built around the client’s actual routine, not a generic checklist. That means starting with a conversation about how your loved one currently spends their day — and what they need help with.
How Georgia licenses home care providers
Georgia requires any agency that employs caregivers to provide personal care services in private homes to hold a PHCP license from the Georgia Department of Community Health, Healthcare Facility Regulation Division.
The PHCP license requires agencies to:
- Run GCHEXS background checks on every caregiver
- Conduct TB screening at hire and annually
- Provide at least 40 hours of pre-service personal care aide training
- Carry liability and workers’ compensation insurance
- Maintain client care plans and caregiver records
When choosing a provider, always ask for their PHCP license number and verify it is active. An agency that cannot provide this information is operating without proper authorization.
Atlanta metro counties served by Joy Bridge Care
Joy Bridge Care provides non-medical home care throughout the Atlanta metropolitan area, including:
- Fulton County (Atlanta, Sandy Springs, Alpharetta)
- DeKalb County (Decatur, Tucker, Lithonia)
- Gwinnett County (Lawrenceville, Duluth, Buford)
- Cobb County (Marietta, Smyrna, Kennesaw)
- Cherokee County (Canton, Woodstock)
- Forsyth County (Cumming, South Forsyth)
How to pay for home care in Atlanta
Most non-medical home care in Georgia is paid for privately, either out of pocket or through a long-term care insurance policy. Key points to know:
- Medicare does not cover ongoing non-medical personal care. It covers skilled home health (nursing, therapy) when medically ordered.
- Medicaid waivers (CCSP, SOURCE) can cover personal care for eligible seniors, but have waitlists and eligibility requirements. Contact Georgia’s Division of Aging Services or a certified benefits counselor for details.
- Long-term care insurance commonly covers non-medical home care. Review your policy’s benefit triggers and daily benefit amounts before hiring an agency.
- Veterans benefits (VA Aid and Attendance) may help cover home care for eligible veterans and surviving spouses.
How to start home care for a parent in Atlanta
The fastest way to understand your options is a free phone consultation with a licensed home care provider. Joy Bridge Care offers a no-cost phone consultation and in-home assessment. Call (470) 567-0589 or submit a request online. We will discuss your situation, answer questions, and walk through what a care plan might look like.