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Companion vs home health care

The differences between companions and home health cares can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a home health care has an average salary of $37,683, which is higher than the $29,246 average annual salary of a companion.

The top three skills for a companion include companionship, patients and home health. The most important skills for a home health care are home health, patients, and social work.

Companion vs home health care overview

CompanionHome Health Care
Yearly salary$29,246$37,683
Hourly rate$14.06$18.12
Growth rate36%36%
Number of jobs75,753184,582
Job satisfaction-5
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 28%High School Diploma, 29%
Average age4850
Years of experience--

What does a companion do?

A companion is responsible for assisting sick and recovered patients, as well as the elderly. Companions perform housekeeping duties, ensuring that a facility is well-maintained and safe for the use of the patients. They also monitor the patients' medication, prepare their meals based on a medical professional's prescription, support them on their daily activities, respond to the patients' needs and special requests as allowed, and report any developments to their family or guardians. A companion must be compassionate enough to extend physical and emotional support, depending on the client's condition.

What does a home health care do?

Home health aides are healthcare professionals who are responsible for providing support and personal services to patients. These aides are required to monitor their patients by observing the physical and mental condition of their patients. They must provide services such as housekeeping and laundry, buying food and other household requirements, and preparing and serving meals and snacks. Home health aides must also help the family members of their patients by teaching them the appropriate ways to lift, turn, and re-position their positions.

Companion vs home health care salary

Companions and home health cares have different pay scales, as shown below.

CompanionHome Health Care
Average salary$29,246$37,683
Salary rangeBetween $22,000 And $38,000Between $23,000 And $60,000
Highest paying CityBoston, MA-
Highest paying stateWashington-
Best paying companyMerck-
Best paying industryNon Profits-

Differences between companion and home health care education

There are a few differences between a companion and a home health care in terms of educational background:

CompanionHome Health Care
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 28%High School Diploma, 29%
Most common majorNursingNursing
Most common college--

Companion vs home health care demographics

Here are the differences between companions' and home health cares' demographics:

CompanionHome Health Care
Average age4850
Gender ratioMale, 12.1% Female, 87.9%Male, 15.5% Female, 84.5%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 11.1% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 18.9% Asian, 7.7% White, 57.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%Black or African American, 24.0% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 23.4% Asian, 10.5% White, 35.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
LGBT Percentage7%5%

Differences between companion and home health care duties and responsibilities

Companion example responsibilities.

  • Assist residents with use of bedpans, urinals, commode, and bathroom and assist with routine catheter care.
  • Experience with wind care, colostomy, fluid and electrolyte balance; assist with ambulation, ADL's and medication administration.
  • Provide companionship to elderly patients which also include feeding and light bathing
  • Perform first aid, knowledgeable with CPR.
  • Display empathy, compassion, care, and love.
  • Used skills as: compassion, listening, problem solving.
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Home health care example responsibilities.

  • Manage ventilator settings, suction tracheostomy, tube-feeding assistance.
  • Help with translation for medical appointments and overall understanding of patients medical treatments perform by therapists and physicians.
  • Assist students with first-aid and CPR when need.
  • Assist client with daily operations of ADL's.
  • Train and coordinate training for staff in CPR, bloodborne pathogens, and first aid.
  • Home and health care of father with Alzheimer's disease and mother confine to a wheelchair.
  • Show more

Companion vs home health care skills

Common companion skills
  • Companionship, 20%
  • Patients, 16%
  • Home Health, 7%
  • Provide Emotional Support, 7%
  • Patient Care, 7%
  • Meal Prep, 5%
Common home health care skills
  • Home Health, 33%
  • Patients, 21%
  • Social Work, 8%
  • Patient Care, 7%
  • Laundry Services, 4%
  • Health Care Services, 4%

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