This handbook is designed to help older persons and their families understand the concept of home care, the types of services available, and the agencies that provide them. It also provides consumers with guidance on how to evaluate the quality and cost of home care they or their loved ones may receive. These specific topics are discussed: (1) who benefits from home health care, including the advantages of home health care and who provides the care; (2) arrangements for home health services, including locating home health agencies; (3) services friends and community organizations can provide such as day care programs, telephone reassurance, friendly visitor programs, hospice, meals-on-wheels, respite care and transportation programs; (4) evaluating the quality of home care services, and (5) how to arrange a homebound person's environment. Definitions of 18 terms are provided, including chore services, pulse, social worker, and walker. Checklists for selecting a home health agency and home health agency service are included. A resource list of free publications from the American Association of Retired Persons is provided. National home care associations are listed. (ABL)