Non-medical home care covers the daily, non-clinical help that lets someone keep living in their own home — personal care, meals, medication reminders, housekeeping and getting around safely. In Michigan, this care can be funded through the MDHHS Home Help program, with an approved family member or friend paid by Michigan Medicaid to provide it.
The distinction between non-medical and medical home care is the one families most often get tangled in, and it determines which program applies. Non-medical care — sometimes called personal care or custodial care — is assistance with daily living: bathing, dressing, meals, mobility, housekeeping. It requires no clinical license, which is exactly why a family member can be the paid provider.
Home health care is a different category. It means skilled clinical services delivered by licensed professionals — nursing, wound care, injections, physical or occupational therapy — usually ordered by a physician and covered under different rules. If your loved one needs skilled nursing, that is a separate service from what the Home Help program provides.
Most people aging at home need the non-medical kind, and need it consistently rather than in occasional clinical visits. That is the gap Home Help is designed to fill: ongoing daily support, provided by someone the person already knows and trusts, funded by Medicaid rather than out of the family’s pocket.
What this covers
Personal care — bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting
Meal preparation and help with eating
Medication reminders and organizer setup
Light housekeeping and laundry
Mobility support and safe transfers
Shopping and prescription pickups
Common questions
What is the difference between non-medical home care and home health care?
Non-medical home care is help with daily activities — bathing, dressing, meals, mobility, housekeeping — and needs no clinical license, which is why a family member can be the paid caregiver. Home health care is skilled clinical service from licensed professionals, such as nursing or physical therapy, and falls under different programs and rules.
Is non-medical home care covered by Medicaid in Michigan?
Yes. The MDHHS Home Help program funds non-medical personal care and related household assistance for adults enrolled in Michigan Medicaid who are assessed as needing it.
Is there any out-of-pocket cost?
No. The program is funded through Michigan Medicaid, so there is no cost to the person receiving care, and no fee to your family for our help with eligibility, MDHHS paperwork, CHAMPS enrollment and payment processing.
