Choosing the right level of home care for a family member is one of the most important and often most difficult decisions a family can make. Whether your loved one needs a friendly companion a few times a week or around-the-clock support, understanding what each care level looks like in practice can help you feel confident in your decision.
At Family Resource Home Care, we use a structured care framework built around Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs), the everyday tasks that tell us a great deal about how much support a person truly needs. These include things like walking, bathing, getting dressed, taking medication, using the bathroom, eating, and communicating. We offer a free in-home care assessment to help determine what level of care is right for you or your loved one.
Below is a breakdown and guide to our home care levels, who they’re designed for, and what they include. For a full list of all of our home care services, go here.
Level 1: Companionship and Light Assistance
Who This Level Is For
Level 1 is designed for individuals who are largely independent and doing well on their own. They can handle all of their daily activities without physical help: walking around safely, bathing and getting dressed, managing their medications, using the bathroom, eating, and communicating clearly. Falls are rare, if they happen at all.
Cognitively, they’re sharp and self-aware, with no significant memory concerns. In an emergency, they’d know exactly what to do and could navigate stairs or exit their home without assistance.
What Care Looks Like
A caregiver visits 2 to 4 times per week for around 5 hours per visit, providing meaningful companionship, someone to talk to, share a meal with, or enjoy activities alongside. The primary need at this level is social connection and light support, not medical or physical assistance. Some light housekeeping help may be requested, but it’s entirely optional at this stage.
Why Families Seek This Level
Families at this stage aren’t worried about immediate safety. They’re simply interested in enriching their loved one’s daily life and ensuring they’re not isolated. It’s a proactive, preventative form of support that can make an enormous difference in mental and emotional wellbeing.
Level 1 to 2: Companionship Plus Consistent Housekeeping
Who This Level Is For
Level 1 to 2 represents a gentle step up. The individual is still largely independent in their daily activities, but they benefit from a little more encouragement. They’re continent, can bathe independently, and manage their medications, but they may have occasional infrequent falls and could use reminders or verbal cues rather than hands-on help.
They may have minor memory concerns, nothing severe, but noticeable enough to mention. Socially, they’d benefit from activities and connection, even if they don’t always seek it out themselves. They can still respond appropriately in an emergency.
What Care Looks Like
Caregivers visit 2 to 4 times per week for approximately 5 hours per visit. Companionship remains central, but housekeeping, meal preparation, and nutritional support become consistent parts of the care plan. A caregiver helps keep the home clean and orderly and ensures they are eating well.
Why Families Seek This Level
Families at this level are slightly concerned and actively interested in added support. They may have noticed their loved one isn’t keeping up the house the way they used to, or they want to make sure nutritious meals are being prepared regularly. This level offers peace of mind without overstepping.
Level 2: Personal Assistance and Daily Support
Who This Level Is For
Level 2 is for individuals who need regular reminders and some hands-on setup to get through the day safely. They may need prompts for medication, benefit from set-up assistance with bathing, and may experience occasional incontinence that requires some assistance. They can usually still transfer and move around with stand-by assistance rather than full physical support.
Cognitively, they may be sometimes disoriented and have mild memory impairment. They need prompts and encouragement to participate in social activities, rather than joining in on their own.
What Care Looks Like
Caregivers are present 4 to 7 times per week for 6 to 8 hours per visit, providing consistent support through companionship, meals, personal assistance, and housekeeping. This includes helping prepare nutritious meals, assisting with bathing setup, and reminders to take their medications.
Why Families Seek This Level
Families at this stage are genuinely concerned and actively seeking support. They’ve noticed their loved one is struggling to manage some daily tasks independently and want to intervene before things become unsafe. This level strikes a balance between fostering independence and providing real, practical help.
Level 2 to 3: Hands-On Personal Care and Supervision
Who This Level Is For
Level 2 to 3 is for individuals who need consistent hands-on assistance with most daily activities. Verbal cues alone are no longer enough. They need physical help with bathing, managing their medications, and dealing with incontinence, which is now a regular occurrence. Transfers typically require one-person physical assistance.
Cognitively, their memory is noticeably impaired, their orientation is poor, and mild confusion is present. They need encouragement and escort to participate in social activities, as initiating these on their own isn’t realistic.
What Care Looks Like
Caregivers visit 5 to 7 times per week for 8 to 12 hours per visit, providing companionship, nutritional support, full personal assistance, and housekeeping. Visits are long and frequent to ensure the individual’s basic needs are consistently met, covering all aspects of personal care, nutrition, and daily engagement.
Why Families Seek This Level
Families at this stage are very concerned. They’ve recognized that their loved one can no longer manage safely on their own and that meaningful intervention is needed. They’re not just looking for support. They’re looking for a reliable safety net that’s in place most days of the week.
Level 3: Full-Time Care and Safety Monitoring
Who This Level Is For
Level 3 is the highest care level, designed for individuals who require continuous, comprehensive support. They need hands-on help with all personal care: medication management, medical care, behavior management, bathing, and toileting. Transfers require a mechanical lift or two-person support.
Cognitively, they may be highly impaired or significantly confused and require 24-hour supervision for their safety. Eating itself requires hands-on assistance and verbal guidance. In an emergency, they need direct supervision and physical assistance and cannot respond independently.
What Care Looks Like
A caregiver is present 7 days per week, 24 hours per day, providing companionship, full personal care, nutritional support, housekeeping, and continuous safety monitoring. No aspect of daily life is left unsupported, and the care team is always on hand to respond to any situation as it arises.
Why Families Seek This Level
Families at this level are highly concerned and have concluded that continuous professional assistance is not just helpful. It’s essential. They want their loved one safe, comfortable, and cared for at all times, with no gaps in supervision or support.
How We Determine the Right Care Level
Our care team assesses each person across six key dimensions: their ability to perform daily activities independently, how they engage socially, their cognitive state and memory, their ability to maintain a safe and nourishing home environment, how they’d handle an emergency, and the level of concern the family has expressed. No two people are exactly alike, which is why every assessment is personalized and care levels can always be adjusted as needs change over time.
Not sure where to start? We offer a free in-home care assessment to help determine what level of care is right for you or your loved one, schedule yours here.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between ADLs and IADLs?
ADLs, or Activities of Daily Living, are the basic self-care tasks a person needs to function day to day, such as bathing, dressing, eating, and using the bathroom. IADLs, or Instrumental Activities of Daily Living, are slightly more complex tasks like managing medications, preparing meals, and keeping up with housekeeping. Together, these give us a clear picture of how much support a person needs.
How do I know which care level is right for my loved one?
The best way to find out is through a free in-home care assessment. Our team will evaluate your loved one across several key areas including their physical abilities, cognitive state, and overall safety, and recommend the care level that fits their current needs.
Can the level of care change over time?
Absolutely. Care needs evolve, and we expect them to. If your loved one’s condition improves or declines, we will adjust the care plan accordingly so they always have the right level of support.
What if my loved one only needs help a few days a week?
That is completely fine. Lower care levels like Level 1 and Level 1 to 2 are designed for people who only need support a few times a week. Care is flexible and built around your schedule and your loved one’s needs.
Are your caregivers trained to handle memory and cognitive issues?
Yes. Our caregivers are experienced in supporting individuals with memory impairment, confusion, and cognitive decline. Depending on the care level, this can include reminders and verbal cues all the way up to full-time supervision and one-on-one engagement.
How do I get started?
Simply reach out to our team to schedule a free in-home care assessment. We will walk you through the process, answer your questions, and help you find the right care plan for your loved one.
A Final Word: Care Is a Journey, Not a Fixed Point
Someone who starts at Level 1 may gradually need Level 2 support over time, and that’s completely normal. Our goal is to meet your loved one where they are today while staying flexible and responsive as their needs evolve. Choosing home care is an act of love. It means recognizing that your family member deserves professional, compassionate support that helps them live with dignity, comfort, and connection, no matter where they are on their care journey.
If you’re ready to move forward with care or are unsure which level of care is right for you or your loved one, we’re here to help. Reach out here to schedule a free in-home care assessment and speak with our team.
We are the resource. We are here to improve more lives.
