home care visits cost

• Best of Senior Living
• Most Friendly
• Best Meals and Dining
• Best Activities
• How Our Service Works
• Testimonials
• Refer a Friend, Get $100
• Leadership Team
• News & PR

What Is Home Care? Services, Cost, and Options

What is home care.

Home care is a professional service for seniors who want to receive supportive care in the comfort of their own home. This care may include companionship, help with activities of daily living (ADLs), home health care for medical needs, or a combination of these. Sometimes also known as in-home care or domestic care, home care may help seniors safely age in place and give family members peace of mind.

Personal care, or assistance with ADLs, is the most commonly used in-home care service. However, services are customized to meet a senior’s unique needs. Here are examples of other popular nonmedical home care services:

• Help with errands, cooking, and housekeeping
• Incontinence care
• Mobility assistance
• Specialized care and supervision for seniors with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia

Nonmedical in-home care services are usually provided by personal care aides. The role of a personal care aide is to provide companionship, assistance with personal hygiene tasks, and help with household chores. Home health care services are provided by or under the direct supervision of licensed nurses and therapists. The role of home health care providers is to monitor a senior’s health and deliver skilled medical and rehabilitative care.

A Place for Mom offers advice on caring for a parent at home, information on the different types of in-home care, tips on hiring a caregiver, and more. Our guidance can help you make informed decisions about your loved one’s care.

CARE OPTIONS

What Is Nonmedical Home Care? Services, Costs, and Payment Options

Assisted Living vs. Home Care: What’s the Difference?

Let our care assessment guide you

Our free tool provides options, advice, and next steps based on your unique situation.

Caring for a loved one at home

Many older adults prefer to age at home and can often do so with the support of family and professional caregivers. Recognizing changes in your loved one’s health and behavior will help you understand when it’s time to offer more assistance, hire in-home care, make home modifications, or consider senior living options. To avoid caregiver burnout, it’s also important to consider your own limits when caring for a loved one at home. The following articles address red flags to look for, ways to improve home safety for seniors, and how to navigate important care decisions.

AGING PARENTS

10 Signs Your Elderly Parent Needs Help

6 Benefits of Home Care and Home Health Care Services

Learn about the six primary benefits that home-based care provides for both seniors and their families.

Aging at Home: Essential Tips for Safe Home Care

Use these tips and a home safety checklist to help your loved one age in place successfully.

How to Deal With Irrational Elderly Parents Who Refuse Help: 10 Useful Tips and Strategies

Explore helpful strategies to keep the conversation productive and free of judgment on both sides.

Moving Senior Parents Into Your Home? 8 Helpful Questions to Ask

Ask yourself these important questions to determine if this arrangement is right for you and your family.

Types of in-home care

There are many different home care services that can help seniors preserve or improve their quality of life at home. These services are split into two main categories: nonmedical and medical.

Nonmedical home care may consist of companion care, homemaking assistance, personal care, or some combination of these. Older adults who live alone may benefit from companion care, which offers emotional support and socialization. For seniors who just need a little extra support around the house, homemaker services can provide help with laundry, chores, and cooking. Personal care provides nonmedical support with daily activities like dressing and bathing.

Home health care is medical in nature. It’s usually prescribed for homebound seniors who require skilled care at home for a health condition or after a hospital stay. Services can include skilled nursing care, like wound care and medication administration, and skilled rehabilitation services, like physical therapy. Home health care services are provided or at least overseen by licensed medical professionals.

Home Care vs. Home Health Care: What’s the Difference?

In-Home Care for Alzheimer’s and Other Dementias: What You Need to Know

Caring for a parent with dementia can be rewarding, but family caregivers may need additional help. Explore helpful resources and learn signs that you might need assistance.

A Complete Guide to Home Companion Care

Learn how a home care companion can support seniors living independently by providing socialization and help around the ...

What Type of Home Care Worker Can Help My Loved One?

In-home caregivers like home health nurses, companions, and personal care aides provide a range of essential services fo...

In-home care services for seniors

Personal care.

• Transportation
• Medication reminders
• Companionship
• Skilled care

Home care costs

The median cost of nonmedical home care is $30 per hour, according to proprietary data gathered by A Place for Mom. Where your loved one lives and the level of assistance they need are the primary factors that affect overall costs. The following articles offer a more in-depth look at home care costs and how they compare to the cost of other senior care types.

How Much Does Home Care Cost? A State-by-State Guide

How Much Does 24/7 Home Care Cost? An In-Depth Guide

Payment options

Assistance for seniors living at home can be expensive, but there are several payment sources that can help cover home care costs. The way a family pays for home care will often depend on the type of care their loved one needs.

Most families pay for nonmedical home care out of pocket. Private pay methods may include funds from a personal savings account and retirement or pension payments. Some seniors may also use benefits from a long-term care insurance policy or funds in a health savings account.

Depending on their financial situation and medical needs, some seniors may qualify for home care coverage through public insurance programs such as Medicaid and Medicare. Eligible veterans and their spouses may also tap into a variety of benefit programs offered through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Explore the following resources to learn more about the different ways to pay for home care.

How to Pay for Home Care

Is Home Care Tax Deductible? What You Need to Know

Choosing a home care provider

Families can hire a caregiver through a home care agency or choose to hire an independent caregiver directly.

Home care agencies can often reduce the stress of finding and managing an in-home caregiver for a loved one. They typically screen employees by interviewing them and doing background checks. Agencies match caregivers to a senior’s needs and personality and will provide a substitute if their regular caregiver is out sick. Agencies also handle payroll and taxes.

Hiring an independent caregiver usually provides more flexibility and offers the family more control over the interviewing and selection process. Independent caregivers may be less expensive than those hired through an agency, but this arrangement requires the family to take on the responsibility being the caregiver’s employer. This may include doing background checks, interviewing, scheduling, and administrative tasks.

Each type of home care provider has its own benefits. It’s important to find a caregiver who will get along well with your loved one and provide a high quality of care. The following guides cover everything you need to know about choosing a home care provider.

CHOOSING CARE

Hiring an In-Home Caregiver: A Step-by-Step Guide

Top 10 Questions to Ask a Home Care Agency

Use these questions to interview and compare multiple home care agencies before hiring.

How to Choose a Home Care Agency

Learn about the specific steps you can take to help you and your family choose the right home care agency.

Is It Better to Hire a Private In-Home Caregiver or Use an Agency?

Learn the differences between a private in-home caregiver and an agency caregiver. Compare costs, benefits, and drawback...

Explore more home care topics

• Choosing Care
• Care Options
• Caregiver Support
• Aging Parents

Home Care vs. Nursing Homes

Senior Respite Care: Time Off From Caregiving

How Much Does In-Home Dementia Care Cost?

Cost of Home Care vs. Nursing Homes and How to Pay

Have more questions?

Ask an A Place for Mom local advisor at no cost.

Home care relies on trained aides to provide companionship and non-medical care for seniors living at home.

Top states for Home Care

The information contained on this page is for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute medical, legal, or financial advice or create a professional relationship between A Place for Mom and the reader. Always seek the advice of your health care provider, attorney, or financial advisor with respect to any particular matter, and do not act or refrain from acting on the basis of anything you have read on this site. Links to third-party websites are only for the convenience of the reader; A Place for Mom does not endorse the contents of the third-party sites.

Please enter a valid email address.

A Place for Mom is paid by our participating communities, therefore our service is offered at no charge to families. Copyright © 2024 A Place for Mom, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy  &  Terms . Do Not Sell My Personal Information.

Get an annual AARP membership for only $12. Limited time offer.

How Much Does 24/7 In-Home Care Cost?

Join over 200,000 families searching for assisted living and memory care for a loved one.

To answer your most basic question: An in-home caregiver costs a national average of $24 per hour, which works out to $4,032 per week and $17,280 per month for 24/7 care. However, costs vary significantly based on the type of round-the-clock care you select and the state where you live.

Because of this, you need a lot more information than just averages to determine what to expect financially.

FYI: New to the world of caregiving? Check out my guide, What Is a Caregiver , to learn about all things related to care, both skilled and unskilled.

How to Calculate the Cost of In-Home Care?

Many variables affect the cost of 24/7 in-home care . Rates vary most in relation to the level of care, number of employees required, type of overnight care, your geographic location, and your state’s caregiver licensing requirements.

Levels of 24/7 In-Home Care

Some seniors may need caregivers in their home for round-the-clock care, helping with occasional overnight needs. Others, especially those with memory disorders or severe mobility and incontinence issues, may need the aid of a carer several times each night.

The amount of care required each night can help you decide which type of overnight care is the best choice for your loved one: non-sleeping visits, sleeping visits, or a live-in caregiver. Each type is priced differently and impacts your overall in-home care cost. Living or sleeping accommodations available to the caregiver are also a negotiating factor.

Non-Sleeping Visits

Non-sleeping visits are the most expensive type of 24/7 in-home care and usually involve one to three carers who work eight- or 12-hour shifts. During these shifts, caregivers remain awake and attentive to the patient the entire time to help them with hydration, mobility, incontinence, disorientation, or other needs.

Using the $24 per hour average, on-sleeping caregiving costs about $17,280 per month or $210,240 annually. Having two caregivers per shift costs approximately $34,560 monthly.

Sleeping Visits

Sleeping visits are meant for older adults who need care and monitoring throughout the day but generally do well sleeping through the night. They may still bring a caregiver in for occasional nighttime help or simply for the peace of mind of knowing someone is available should they need assistance.

In this scenario, the home health aide can sleep when they’re not performing their caregiver responsibilities. Patients use bells and other kinds of alerts to get a caregiver’s attention should they need help. You typically pay a fixed fee of anywhere between $120 to $200 for the 10- to 12-hour overnight shift. If you agree to $140 per night, 30 overnights will cost you $4,200. Add 12 hours of daytime care at $24 per hour, and you can expect to pay a total of $12,840 per month and $154,080 per year.

Live-In Caregiving

In exchange for room and board, live-in caregivers provide seniors help with everyday needs and activities and overnight emergency support. While this is often a win-win setup for both seniors and caregivers, conflicts can arise. To prevent problems, you must develop and sign a legally binding care contract that dictates the caregiver’s duties and rate before the start of their employment.

Naturally, more hours of care are required as an older adult’s needs increase or become more complex. As this occurs, expenses will also rise. Families with loved ones with degenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s or dementia should budget for the extra care needed over time.

Did You Know: Did you know that it’s possible to keep your loved one with dementia living at home? To learn more, read my guide: Caring for a Parent at Home with Dementia .

In-Home Care Cost Plans

Below, you’ll find four price estimates for in-home care, from just a few visits per week to around-the-clock. To provide estimates, we used the national median per-hour fee for in-home care of $24. This is based on data from Genworth’s cost of care survey.

• Seven hours per week: $728 a month: Seniors who remain mostly self-sufficient may do well with only a few brief care visits each week. I advise that you plan to pay for at least seven hours a week since most care agencies have a seven-hour per week minimum. During these visits, caregivers typically provide housekeeping, companionship, assistance with meal preparation, and more.
• 28 hours per week: $2,912 a month: Daily visits lasting 3-5 hours are ideal for older adults who experience loneliness and whose families work. Often, these individuals remain intellectually healthy but may require additional help with physical activities such as showering, getting dressed, preparing food, medication management, and completing other household chores. These individuals are usually capable of managing alone for a few hours a day.
• 44 hours per week: $4,576 a month: When a senior needs around-the-clock care or supervision and their family caregiver works full time, hiring in-home care for 44 hours a week to cover the family member’s weekly work hours is one solution. Older adults requiring this amount of care often need help with eating, toileting, bathing, and most other daily activities.
• 168 hours per week: $17,472 a month: Around-the-clock care usually involves two to three different caregivers who work 8-12 hour shifts to ensure each caregiver gets enough rest and downtime to remain alert while on duty. This amount of care is good for seniors who live alone or require constant supervision and need help with most daily activities – especially those with memory disorders. In addition, individuals recovering from illness, injury, or surgery may benefit from a few months of 24/7 in-home care.

FYI: For people with degenerative health disorders, the cost of 24/7 in-home care can be prohibitive. In these cases, you might want to consider memory care.

Hourly In-Home Care Costs by State

Most Affordable

• Louisiana- $17
• Alabama- $18
• Mississippi-$18.50
• West Virginia-$18.50
• Arkansas- $20

Least Affordable

• Minnesota -$33
• Washington -$31.63
• Rhode Island-$31
• Hawaii – $30
• New Hampshire-$29.25

Private vs. Agency In-Home Care

You have two routes in which to hire in-home care. Either you can go through a home health or caregiver agency, or you can hire privately. Naturally, each method has its pros and cons.

Private vs. Agency Home Care

Other Options: Depending on your loved one’s health, palliative care might be an option worth considering. To learn more, read my guide: What Is Palliative Care at Home ?

Costs of Home Care vs. Nursing Homes and Assisted Living

An abundance of considerations is involved in choosing in-home care or a residential care home. This includes: the patient’s preference, carer-to-patient ratio, quality of life, distance to family, access to health-care experts, and in-home care affordability. The chart below details the monthly and annual expenses for non-sleeping in-home care, nursing home costs , and assisted living costs .

*estimates based on national averages

While price is often a weighty issue when deciding whether to choose home care or a facility, it’s important to remember that not all costs are financial. So before taking the leap, ask yourself if moving your loved one to a residential facility that may be two hours away is truly worth their happiness. If not, there may be options that can help you cut down the cost of in-home care.

Paying for In-Home Care

Budgeting for the in-home care of a parent, spouse, or other loved one can be a significant source of stress. Fortunately, not all your expenses have to come directly out of your pocket. Before you hand over your cash to pay for care, check out the variety of nonprofit and government funding options available:

Original Medicare covers skilled nursing care, but only under strict guidelines. Under no circumstances does it cover custodial home care, which involves help with activities of daily living as well as assistance with health-related care that individuals can typically manage on their own.

To qualify for in-home care coverage with Medicare, your loved one’s care must meet the following requirements:

• Prescribed by a doctor
• For short-term use only
• Performed by a skilled medical professional

Even when home health is covered, time spent by skilled staff on non-medical service is still not covered. If, however, your loved one is enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, they may be eligible for some non-medical care coverage, depending on the plan. Always check with your Medicare Advantage provider to see what your specific plan covers.

In most states, Medicaid pays for the non-medical home care of low-income seniors, partly as a result of a recent push to delay moving seniors to residential institutions for as long as possible. But, of course, in areas where Medicaid does provide aid for home health expenses, it typically only covers part of the cost. To learn about your coverages, contact your state’s Medicaid offices.

Veteran Benefits

Several Veteran Affairs programs help pay for the in-home care of qualifying veterans. These include Aid and Attendance pensions, Veteran Directed Care, and Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers. Each program has its unique requirements and benefits.

• Aid and Attendance Pension
• Veteran Directed Care
• Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers

Long-Term Care Insurance

You or your loved one may have purchased a long-term care insurance policy years ago. If so, the policy likely covers caregiving and in-home care. However, you may need to satisfy specific requirements to ensure your plan will pay out.

Did You Know: Some permanent life insurance policies with cash value can be applied as long-term care insurance. Should the covered individual die, the death benefit reduces by the amount of money used for care.

Reverse Mortgage

Reverse mortgages, unlike regular mortgages, don’t require homeowners to make payments. Instead, they allow seniors over 62 to receive a monthly fee in exchange for a portion of their home equity. Reverse mortgages can be a great source of funding for in-home care. However, you should keep the following in mind:

• For a reverse mortgage to be worth it, the older adult needs to remain in their home for at least a few years.
• When you choose a reverse mortgage, you’re using up your home equity. As a result, there will be less inheritance value available to your family later on.
• Scammers often try to pose as reverse mortgage lenders, so you should always do your research.

Seniors who want a reverse mortgage must be at least 62 years old, own the property in its entirety, have no federal debt, and be the primary resident.

Reverse Mortgage Warning: Reverse mortgages are tricky. If you fail to pay for certain costs dictated in your reverse mortgage loans, such as property taxes, homeowner’s insurance, or maintenance, the lender has the right to evict you from your home. Always speak with an independent financial counselor before making any legally binding decisions.

Hiring In-Home Care

Once you’ve decided on in-home care rather than options like assisted living or nursing homes, it’s time to begin the hiring process.

• Assess your loved one’s personal, household, health, and emotional needs.
• Decide between hiring an agency or private caregivers.
• Complete an internet search for home care agencies and compare their services with your needs.
• Read the reviews and make sure the companies you are interested in don’t have too many dissatisfied customers.
• From the remaining options, narrow down which ones you want to look at further.
• Interview and get quotes from your top choice agencies.
• Compare responses and quotes.
• Decide on an agency.
• Search a caregiver registry or speak with your local senior center, faith organization, or Area Agency on Aging for recommendations.
• Contact caregivers you are interested in.
• Interview those who respond.
• Ask for and call references of your top two or three choices.
• Make a decision and set up a trial period to see them in action and get an idea of how well they relate to your loved one.

24/7 In-Home Care Frequently Asked Questions

According to Genworth’s Cost of Care Survey, the median cost for 24/7 in-home care each month (672 hours per month) without insurance or discounts is between $17,000 and $17,500.

In-home care is more expensive for 24/7 in-home care with sleeping or non-sleeping visits than a nursing home. Sleeping visits cost approximately $12,200 per month for in-home care with sleeping visits, and in-home care with non-sleeping visits has a median cost of about $17,000 per month. A private room at a nursing home costs $8,800 per month on average.

Hired individuals who simply provide older adults with companionship or help them run errands can be paid less than those providing more medical-based care. An hourly rate of around $15 is reasonable in most areas, but you should always ask around about what price points are most acceptable in your local area.

Independent caregivers are considered household employees. Caregivers who work for an agency are generally employees of that agency.

All 50 states have some type of program that allows a family member to receive payment for providing caregiving services to another family member. One example is Medicaid’s Cash and Counseling program. In addition, in many states, Community Care programs offer additional options for funding the payment of a family caregiver.

Amie has been writing about senior care products and services for the last decade. She is particularly passionate about new technologies that help improve the quality of life for seniors and their families. Seeing her parents and grandparents age made Amie ask herself, “Would this be good enough for my loved ones?” In her spare time, Amie enjoys outdoor adventures and spontaneous road trips. Learn more about Amie here

What would you like to share with us?

Join for Free

Members get updates like best products for seniors and senior discounts delivered right to their inbox for free.

• Assisted Living
• Memory Care
• Nursing Homes
• All Senior Living
• All Senior Care
• For Caregivers
• Senior Products and Services

What Is In-Home Care?

In-home care, also known as home care, provides nonmedical support in a senior’s residence. It includes assistance with activities of daily living and everyday tasks to enable older adults to live safely and comfortably at home. Unlike home health care , in-home care doesn’t include nursing or therapeutic services.  

In-home care agencies create personalized plans to ensure services meet individual requirements and preferences. In-home care may provide ongoing senior support. Alternatively, family caregivers  sometimes use home care services for respite when they need to travel, work or attend to other personal errands. 

This guide helps you better understand in-home care services and costs. Use it to identify signs that your loved one may benefit from such care and navigate the caregiver hiring process.

Key Takeaways

• Understanding In-Home Care Options: Details of different types of in-home care, including personal care support and companionship.
• In-Home Care vs. Home Health Care: Comparison of nonmedical in-home care and clinical-focused home health care, considering typical services, care team and service provision duration.
• Paying for In-Home Care: Insight into how median home care costs vary nationwide and ways to pay for care, including public assistance programs and insurance plans.
• Signs to Consider In-Home Care: Guidance of what seniors and their loved ones should look out for when deciding if in-home care would benefit them. 

Frequently Asked Questions

• Overview of Different In-Home Care Options 

Different types of in-home care  accommodate elderly adults with varying needs. The levels of care range from a few weekly hours of companionship and light housekeeping to assistance with multiple activities of daily living.  

Companion Care Services

Some people call aides who deliver companion care services elder companions. This type of in-home care:

• Provides Company: This is crucial for older adults struggling with isolation at home because of frailty or cognitive impairments.
• Includes Practical Support: Companion services may include driving seniors to appointments, safeguarding those unsteady on their feet, reading aloud and preparing light meals and snacks.

Personal Care Assistance

In-home personal care and help with day-to-day activities serve as an  alternative to residential assisted living for seniors who don’t require full-time support. This type of in-home care:

• Includes Hands-On Support: Aides assist seniors with diverse activities of daily living, from grocery shopping to nonmedical personal care such as toileting, dressing and bathing.
• Offers Respite: Family caregivers sometimes need a break, and respite services ensure seniors always receive the support they need to live comfortably and safely. 
• Quick Guide to In-Home Care vs. Home Health Care Services

In-home caregivers visit a senior’s residence to help with activities of daily living. Conversely, home health care involves medical care and therapy delivered by trained professionals. It supports those who benefit from intermittent skilled nursing care, medication administration or rehabilitation therapies but don’t require around-the-clock care and supervision as provided by nursing homes . 

In-Home Care

Home Health Care

Senior’s home

Care Providers

Aides and companions

Aides, nurses, rehabilitation therapists and certified nursing assistants

Provider Qualifications

Caregivers don’t need medical training

Care staff have professional training and hold relevant licenses and certificates

Personalized to meet individuals’ nonmedical needs

Personalized to meet individuals’ medical, therapeutic and personal care needs

Service Duration

Long-term, short-term or respite

Generally short-term

Transportation

Medical and nonmedical transportation

Medical transportation only

Medication Services

Medication reminders

Medication administration

Medical Care

No medical care

Skilled nursing services, including catheter and wound care, pain management and management of chronic health conditions

Rehabilitation Therapies

No rehabilitation therapies

Physical, occupational and speech therapy

Personal Care

Assistance with oral and personal hygiene, dressing and toileting

Meal Assistance

Help preparing meals, eating and grocery shopping

Feeding tube maintenance, nutritional guidance, eating assistance, home-delivered meals

Domestic Assistance

Housekeeping, light yard work, basic maintenance, laundry

No domestic services

Social Engagement

Companionship and cognitive stimulation

No engagement services

For a more detailed guide, see our full article on  home care vs. home health care .

• How Much Does Home Care Cost? 

According to Genworth’s 2023 Cost of Care Survey , in-home care costs about $32 an hour. That comes out to $2,600 per month for 20 hours of care each week, or $5,200 monthly for 40 hours of care per week. These figures represent the national median rate, so exact costs in your state or city may vary significantly. For example, the statewide median hourly fee runs $36 in California, $33 in New Hampshire, $28 in Ohio and $23 in Texas.   

In comparison, home health care has a median hourly rate of $35 nationwide.   

Financial Assistance for In-Home Care

Although seniors can pay out-of-pocket for in-home care, many people use some form of financial assistance to make costs more manageable. Funding options include:

Payment Option

Medicaid may cover in-home care through Home and Community-Based Services waivers , though coverage varies by state and seniors must satisfy eligibility criteria.

Original Medicare typically does not cover standard in-home care but may cover personal care assistance if received alongside home health care services.

Depending on their terms, some Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement plans cover in-home care. 

Veterans Benefits

Pension-receiving veterans may qualify for the supplemental Aid and Attendance benefit to help cover in-home care costs.

Long-Term Care Insurance

Long-term care insurance policies may cover personal care assistance, including in-home care, depending on the policy's details and the beneficiary's needs.

Life Insurance

Seniors can sometimes access life insurance benefits early to finance long-term care, either through accelerated death benefits or selling the policy for cash.

Reverse Mortgages

Reverse mortgages allow homeowners aged 62 and over to convert part of their home's value into cash payments to finance long-term care or other expenses.

For a more detailed guide, see our full article on  how to pay for in-home care .

• Signs It May Be Time for In-Home Care

Several signs suggest that you or a loved one may benefit from some extra help at home. You might struggle to complete everyday tasks or notice that a senior relative is finding life more challenging than before.

Although diverse situations can indicate a need for in-home care, common signs include:

• Decreased mobility : Trouble moving around can make it tough to complete routine activities of daily living. Mobility issues also have safety impacts and create barriers to running errands or socializing. Related health concerns include malnutrition, depression and fall-related injuries .  
• Declining hygiene and grooming : Physical or cognitive impairments can affect personal care routines, such as bathing, shaving and brushing the teeth.
• Physical changes : Significant weight loss may indicate that your aging parent is struggling to prepare meals for themselves, get around the kitchen or remember how to cook. Frequent bruising might point to falls, and you may notice that your loved one appears frailer or more infirm.
• Increased forgetfulness : Increasing incidents of forgetfulness, especially concerning vital tasks such as taking medication or paying bills, often suggest a need for support.
• Difficulty maintaining the home : Various aging-related factors create challenges with domestic chores. Look for uncharacteristic dust or grime, unclean clothes, excessive clutter or piles of dirty dishes.
• Less interest in hobbies : Losing interest in previously enjoyable activities may indicate several underlying issues, including  depression . In-home aides ensure that your loved one follows treatment plans and has regular social interaction, while also lightening their daily load.    
• How Do I Find an In-Home Caregiver?

Whether you require regular in-home support or medically focused home health care, our extensive directory lists providers in all parts of the country. Follow these steps to find the most appropriate in-home caregiver for you or your loved one:

• Fill in your zip code, city or state in the Senior Care Directory to find in-home agencies near you.
• Read consumer reviews and compare ratings.
• Contact providers to discuss your requirements.
• Call one of our trained Family Advisors at (800) 973-1540 for customized, one-on-one assistance finding an in-home caregiver.
• What Expectations Should I Set for the Caregiver? 

Establishing clear expectations is crucial for ensuring that seniors and their families receive the specific care they need from an in-home caregiver. By articulating your needs and requirements from the outset, you lay the foundation for a successful caregiving relationship.

Initiating Clear Expectations

Before hiring an in-home caregiver, it’s essential to clearly define the types of assistance and care required. Many families realize the need for in-home care based on specific tasks and support their loved one needs. Documenting these needs early on not only aids in selecting the right care provider but also ensures a smoother transition when care begins.

Creating a Comprehensive Job Description

Avoid vague job descriptions such as “taking care of Dad or Mom,” as they can lead to misunderstandings. Instead, detail the specific tasks expected of the caregiver, such as cooking, cleaning, laundry, medication pickup and errands. Clarify whether meals will be shared or if the caregiver is expected to bring their own. A written, detailed job description prevents disappointments and sets a clear framework for the care to be provided.

Ensuring a Comfortable Match

The comfort and trust between the caregiver and the family are paramount. The caregiver will be a significant presence in your or your loved one’s home, making it essential to ensure a good fit. During the hiring process or interviews with agency managers, emphasize the importance of a comfortable relationship between the caregiver and your family. If initial arrangements don’t feel right, don’t hesitate to discuss alternatives with the agency.

Table: Key Aspects of Setting Expectations with In-Home Caregivers

Define Care Needs

Document specific care tasks and assistance needed before hiring.

Detailed Job Description

List expected duties such as cooking, cleaning and errands in writing.

Comfort and Trust

Choose a caregiver with whom the family feels comfortable and trust.

Flexibility

Be open to adjustments or changing caregivers if the fit isn't right.

By approaching the caregiver hiring process with detailed preparation and open communication, families can significantly enhance the caregiving experience, ensuring that all parties have a clear understanding of the expectations and responsibilities involved.

What Is the Difference Between Home Health and Home Care?

The difference between home health and home care concludes that home health involves skilled nursing and therapy services, while standard home care does not. Rather, home care providers offer companionship, housekeeping and personal care assistance such as help with ADLs. Only home health care providers, not personal care assistants, are qualified to provide medical services.

What Is the Advantage of Home Health Care?

The advantage of home health care ensures that clients remain in their homes while actively receiving the care they need. This is especially important for seniors who wish to age in place and are not willing to or interested in moving to a residential care facility. Additionally, home health care services can be tailored to each individual’s specific needs, making care more personalized.

What Are Home Care Services?

Home care services include housekeeping, companionship, transportation and assistance with the activities of daily living such as eating, bathing, and grooming. The services that one receives will depend on their needs, and care is tailored for each individual. Home care services do not include medication administration, nursing care, therapy services or any other type of medical care beyond first-aid and wound care. Those in need of these medical services should seek a home health care aide.

What Is the Average Cost for In-Home Care?

In 2024, the median cost of in-home care in the United States stands at approximately $32 an hour. This comes out to $5,200 a month for 40 hours of care per week. Home health care is slightly more expensive, at a median rate of $35 an hour.

Does Medicare Pay for In-Home Care?

Medicare does not pay for in-home care because it is considered custodial, nonmedical care. However, if the client also receives home health care services from a Medicare-certified provider, their personal care services may also be covered if received from the same provider at the same time as the health care services. Additionally, some Medicare Supplement plans and Medicare Advantage plans may cover standard in-home care.

How Do You Secure In-Home Care for the Elderly?

To secure  in-home care  for the elderly, start by talking to your loved one’s health care provider. They can offer insight into the individual’s health and medical conditions and guide the type of care that would best suit their needs. They may also provide recommendations for trusted local in-home care providers to contact.

How Can You Arrange 24-Hour Care for the Elderly at Home?

You can arrange 24-hour care for the elderly at home by contacting  home care agencies . However, financial assistance programs generally don’t cover around-the-clock nonmedical in-home care, so you’ll likely need to fund such care privately. Alternative care settings might offer more affordable and practical options. If your doctor states that you or your loved one needs medical attention, public funding may cover short-term 24-hour  home health care .

How Do You Choose a Home Care Agency?

You choose a  home care agency  by evaluating your family member’s care needs and identifying providers that offer the necessary services in your area. Interview the  available agencies  to find the right fit for your loved one. Cost and Medicare coverage factor into this decision for many families. Also, ensure that the home care agency performs background checks on the staff members who will care for your loved one. 

How Do You Get Home Care for a Dementia Patient?

You get  home care  for a dementia patient by applying for these services  through Medicare . Available  home health care  services for people who have dementia include skilled nursing care and physical, speech and occupational therapies. Medicare members who qualify for home health care also qualify for personal care and housekeeping assistance. While Medicare covers some of these services, other options, such as Medicaid or  private insurance , should also be considered.

Can I Apply for In-Home Care for My Parents?

You absolutely can apply for  in-home care  for your parents. A legal document called a power of attorney allows you to handle medical and financial matters for your loved one when they can’t do so.  Establishing power of attorney  while your family member has decision-making capacity gives you the information you need to fulfill their wishes about medical care, including home care. 

Can I Provide Home Care for My Veteran Father?

You can provide  home care  for your veteran father or any family member who has served in the military. The Veterans’ Administration (VA) offers the  Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers  (PCAFC), which pays a monthly stipend, health care benefits and respite care for eligible family caregivers of veterans.

How Do You Prepare for Home Care?

You prepare for  home care  by understanding your loved one’s care needs and arranging the necessary services. Many families share caregiving responsibilities with a home care agency, so consider professional support to supplement care provided by loved ones. Research resources in your area as part of your preparation, including programs to assist your family member and benefits for family caregivers.  Medicare covers  part-time, intermittent home health care services for homebound adults older than 65 who need  skilled nursing care  or rehabilitation. 

Why Is Home Care Preferred Over Nursing Homes?

Home care  is preferred over nursing homes by many older adults because they want to  maintain independence  and control over their lives. Seniors often feel comfortable in familiar surroundings. Aging in place allows them to maintain strong community connections, especially if they’ve lived in the same area for decades. According to the AARP,  77% of adults  aged 50 and older want to live at home as they age. Home care services help these individuals achieve this goal.

Who Is Eligible for Home Care Services?

Elderly individuals and those with disabilities are eligible for  home care services  in most cases. Individuals recovering from illness or surgery, individuals with chronic conditions and those receiving hospice care also qualify. Specific needs and available resources play roles in determining eligibility. Criteria vary based on location or programs, and services depend upon income levels and insurance coverage.

Why Should You Choose Home Care?

You should choose home care when you need some assistance with your health and daily activities, but you don’t need constant monitoring and treatment.  In-home care  provides a comfortable and familiar environment, fostering a sense of independence and autonomy. It allows you to maintain control over your life while receiving necessary support. Additionally,  home care often costs less  than institutional care options.

Can a Doctor Mandate In-Home Care?

Yes, a doctor can mandate  in-home care  for an individual if they believe it as necessary for the person’s health and well-being. This recommendation typically occurs when a medical condition requires ongoing monitoring or the individual needs assistance with  activities of daily living  or requires medical treatments delivered safely and effectively in the home environment. The primary focus remains the safety and well-being of the patient.

Can All Elderly Receive In-Home Care?

Not all elderly can receive  in-home care , which consists of nonmedical  support with daily activities . Accessing these services depends on financial resources, health needs and eligibility for financial assistance programs. For example, Medicaid’s  Home and Community-Based Services  waivers provide funding for in-home care services based on specific criteria. Those who require extensive medical attention, specialized equipment or around-the-clock monitoring should consider other options.

Can I Receive In-Home Care If I’m Blind?

You can receive  in-home care  if you’re blind. The federal Rehabilitation Services Administration funds state programs that support  independent living services  for blind individuals. Through these grants, many states provide benefits such as assistive devices and home care help with:

• Orientation
• Housekeeping
• Meal preparation

In addition, the Braille Institute offers  free in-home services  designed to help individuals and their families adjust to blindness and live independently with the necessary support. 

Can the Mentally Disabled Receive Home Care?

The mentally disabled can receive  home health care  through Medicare if they can’t leave the home because of their disability. They must also require skilled nursing care, physical therapy or occupational therapy, such as active treatment from a psychiatric nurse. A doctor must certify the person’s  need for home health care , and the family must use a Medicare-approved home health agency. 

Can You Continue Driving While Receiving In-Home Care Services?

Yes, you can continue driving while receiving  in-home care services  as long as you can drive safely and are  appropriately licensed  to do so. Some seniors are still able to drive despite needing other assistance with everyday tasks. However, being able to drive may affect public funding eligibility.

How Do You Decide Between Assisted Living and Home Care?

You decide between assisted living and  home care  by considering your care needs, budget and lifestyle preferences. While these long-term options provide a similar scope of services, key differences may make one solution a more suitable, sustainable option for managing your current and future care needs.

Do Terminally Ill Patients Prefer Hospital Care or Home Care?

Many terminally ill patients prefer home care to hospital care, although preferences vary for each individual. Remaining at home allows a person to live in a familiar and comfortable environment, often close to family, friends and existing support networks. Non Medical  in-home care services  provide assistance with  everyday activities , without which, seniors may require extensive skilled care.

Why Might Someone Need 24-Hour Home Care?

Someone might need 24-hour home care if they have declining health or dementia or are recovering from an injury or surgery. More than  76% of adults age 50+  wish to remain in their own homes throughout their lives. However, with  20.7% of seniors  aged 85+ needing assistance with the activities of daily living, many will require some form of care, either from a family member or an  in-home care provider .

• General Questions
• What Leads People to Move into Assisted Living Facilities?
• How Do You Care for Elderly at Home?
• What Are Ways Aging Adults Can Care for Themselves at Home?
• Can Family Members Provide Home Care for the Elderly?
• What Are the Steps to Care for a Bedridden Patient at Home?
• How Can In-Home Care Help Elder Family Members?
• How Do You Convert Your House for In-Home Care?
• How Do You Update a Two-Story Home for Elderly Care?
• Should Adult Children Take Care of Dying Parents at Home?
• How Do You Care for Alzheimer’s Patients at Home?
• Can You Care for Someone With Dementia at Home?
• What Kind of Home Care Assistance Is Available for an Alzheimer’s Patient?
• Can an Elderly Person With Dementia Obtain Continuous Home Care?
• Is It Possible to Keep My Memory Care-Dependent Mother at Home?
• Can Late-Stage Alzheimer’s Patients Receive Care at Home?
• Is It Safe to Care for Parkinson’s Dementia Patients at Home?
• Does a Stage 4 Dementia Patient Need Home Care?
• How to Care for Mild Alzheimer’s Patients at Home?
• Is At-Home Care Better for Dementia Patients?

Search for Properties in Your Area

See pricing for, is a caring star community.

Earning a Caring Star means this community is among the best Senior Living commuities in America.

Top Cities for Home Care

• Albuquerque, NM
• Alexandria, VA
• Ann Arbor, MI
• Arlington, VA
• Atlanta, GA
• Baltimore, MD
• Baton Rouge, LA
• Bethesda, MD
• Birmingham, AL
• Boca Raton, FL
• Boynton Beach, FL
• Brooklyn, NY
• Bryn Mawr, PA
• Charlotte, NC
• Chevy Chase, MD
• Chicago, IL
• Cincinnati, OH
• Cleveland, OH
• Colorado Springs, CO
• Columbia, SC
• Columbus, OH
• Downers Grove, IL
• Englewood, CO
• Englewood, NJ
• Fairfax, VA
• Fairfield, CT
• Falls Church, VA
• Floral Park, NY
• Fort Lauderdale, FL
• Fort Wayne, IN
• Fort Worth, TX
• Gilbert, AZ
• Glendale, AZ
• Grand Rapids, MI
• Greensboro, NC
• Greenville, SC
• Hartford, CT
• Henderson, NV
• Honolulu, HI
• Houston, TX
• Indianapolis, IN
• Jamesburg, NJ
• Jericho, NY
• Kansas City, MO
• Knoxville, TN
• Lake Worth, FL
• Las Vegas, NV
• Lawrenceville, GA
• Lexington, KY
• Lincoln, NE
• Little Rock, AR
• Littleton, CO
• Los Angeles, CA
• Louisville, KY
• Marietta, GA
• Memphis, TN
• Meridian, ID
• Milwaukee, WI
• Minneapolis, MN
• Monroe Township, NJ
• Montgomery, AL
• Myrtle Beach, SC
• Naperville, IL
• Nashville, TN
• New Canaan, CT
• New York, NY
• Oak Brook, IL
• Oklahoma City, OK
• Olympia, WA
• Overland Park, KS
• Palm Beach Gardens, FL
• Paramus, NJ
• Philadelphia, PA
• Phoenix, AZ
• Pittsburgh, PA
• Portland, OR
• Potomac, MD
• Puyallup, WA
• Raleigh, NC
• Redwood City, CA
• Rockville, MD
• Sacramento, CA
• Saint Louis, MO
• Saint Paul, MN
• Salt Lake City, UT
• San Antonio, TX
• San Diego, CA
• San Jose, CA
• San Mateo, CA
• Scottsdale, AZ
• Seattle, WA
• Shawnee Mission, KS
• Silver Spring, MD
• Spokane, WA
• Springfield, MO
• St. Charles, MO
• Toms River, NJ
• Trenton, NJ
• Vancouver, WA
• W Hartford, CT
• Warrington, PA
• Washington, DC
• West Chester, PA
• West Palm Beach, FL
• Westport, CT
• Wilmette, IL
• Winston-Salem, NC
• Woodbridge, VA
• Yardley, PA
• Yonkers, NY

Home Care by State

• Connecticut
• District of Columbia
• Massachusetts
• Mississippi
• New Hampshire
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• West Virginia
• Table of Contents

Speak with a Caring Family Advisor

Our experts can help find the community or care you need in your area — all at no cost to you.

Request Sent!

A member will contact you within 24 hours to assist with any and all of your needs.

(855) 240-7757

Oops, it looks like we made a mistake.

We’re sorry, but there was an issue with your request for information about senior care services.

To get connected with a Family Advisor, please call

• Providers/Payers
• News & Blog
• Request a demo

Cost of home care: Average out of pocket costs in 2022

Many people prefer to live at home as they age, for as long as they can. Aging in place is a term defined by the CDC as the ability for one to live in their own home safely and independently, regardless of age or income. Home is truly where the heart is, and for many, it brings a level of comfort that an assisted living community just can’t. However, aging often requires more attention and care when it comes to a person’s health. That’s where in-home care comes in.

In-home care is an option for seniors who require assistance in their homes as they age in place. This care is delivered by trained aides who help individuals with ADLs (activities of daily living), IADLS (instrumental activities of daily living), and more day-to-day management of their lives and well-being. As great as the idea sounds to have a home health aide, the costs can be incredibly high. Keep reading to discover the true cost of in-home care and how to determine what the out-of-pocket costs may be.

Types of services provided by home healthcare aides

There are several types of in-home care services. These services—or some of them, depending on your specific needs—will be provided if you decide this is the right choice for yourself or a loved one.

Examples include:

• Personal hygiene and care assistance for bathing, dressing, grooming, and brushing teeth
• Assistant with using the bathroom
• Meal prep and grocery shopping
• Light housekeeping, such as laundry, dishes, dusting, cleaning
• Running errands and helping with around-the-house tasks
• Meal preparation and serving/feeding
• Providing transportation
• Medication management and administration
• Home safety modifications and management
• Monitor vitals and record a client’s condition each day
• Offer companionship and socialization

There are other services that home health aides may provide as well. Oftentimes, familial caregivers can also manage many of these tasks. However, it can become quite a burden or inaccessible if they live in different areas. So hiring a home health assistant often becomes the best choice.

The cost of home care today

By 2030, the number of people aged 65 and older will reach 71 million. Many of these older adults will require personal care services, such as assisted living communities and skilled nursing care in the home. And this number won’t be slowing down anytime soon; the need for in-home care will only grow from here, both via demand and cost.

That leads us to our next point. Assisted living facilities and home health care services are both expensive, and deciding between in-home care vs. care in a facility can prove challenging. We hope that this cost breakdown will help you determine which is best for your needs.

A few fast facts about the cost of in-home care:

• The majority of home care agencies charge by the hour vs. monthly contracts.
• Location, level of care, and licensing requirements can all drastically affect the cost of in-home care.
• The demand for in-home care is surging, and the cost rose nearly 3.80% from 2004 to 2020.
• Currently, for full-time (40 hr/week) in-home care for seniors, the median monthly cost is almost $4,500.

According to the Genworth Cost of Care Survey 2004-2020 , the current annual cost for a private room in a nursing home is $105,000+. Assisted living facilities, home health aides, and home care homemakers are nearly half the cost sitting around $50,000 to $55,000 annually. That’s a drastic jump, thus why in-home care becomes a very viable option for many who would choose to age in place over uprooting to a nursing home.

How much will in-home care cost in the future?

In-home healthcare costs can change drastically depending on several factors—location is one of the greatest. For example, Washington state is one of the most expensive states at $31.16/hr, but Louisiana is one of the lowest at $17/hr. The Cost of Care Survey takes a deeper dive into the hourly, monthly, weekly, and monthly rates of in-home care for the next 50 years.

The current median hourly rate for a Home Health Aide in the U.S. stands at around $24/hr. This number will grow dramatically over the next few decades (at 3% inflation) as such:

2030 — $32.25/hr

2040 — $43.35/hr

2050 — $58.25/hr

2060 — $78.29/hr

2070 — $105.21/hr

As you can see, in 50 years, when many young college grads will be reaching the age of needing long-term care, they can expect to pay nearly $100 an hour for an in-home care aide. However, we know advancements in technology and healthcare continue to make it easier and more realistic to live longer and healthier lives.

For continued support, while aging in place, reach out to Ōmcare. Our Home Health Hubs make it easier than ever to manage medications at home and prolong or replace the need for an in-home aide. Our easy-to-use system can make medication administration fast, easy, and safe while allowing for remote telehealth visits and connecting with loved ones. Reach out today for more information.

Ōmcare uses cookies to enhance your experience on the website and to analyze site usage for marketing efforts. By clicking I Agree or closing this banner, you're agreeing to our Privacy Policy .

Privacy Preference Center

Privacy preferences.

Ōmcare understands that your privacy is important to you. We are committed to protecting the security of your private information as you use this website.

Privacy Policy

Voted #1 In Senior Living By Those Who Matter Most.   Learn More >

• Here For Myself
• Here For A Loved One
• Here For A Career
• Active Adult
• Independent Living
• Enhanced Living
• Assisted Living
• Memory Care
• Your Experience
• Things To Do
• Resource Center
• Cost Calculator
• Find A Career
• Resident & Family Portal
• Find A Community
• Where to Begin
• Living Options

Navigating Medicare Coverage: Does Medicare Pay For Assisted Living?

A comprehensive guide to caring for aging parents.

Active Adult – Designed for retired adults 55 or older who would enjoy freedom from chores and maintenance, exclusive perks, convenient amenities, countless social opportunities and much more. This is retirement like you always imagined with everything you need to make the most of every day.

Independent Living – From maintenance-free living to convenient amenities and more, everything is designed to provide peace of mind and help you spend your days exactly as you want to.

Assisted Living – From help with medication to support with daily activities, coordinating appointments, and more, assisted living offers 24-hour care.

Memory Care – Designed for those experiencing dementia or other memory impairments, our licensed memory care neighborhood offers specially trained employees, intentional programming, unique community features, and more.

Enhanced Living – For those who are most comfortable in an apartment setting and are not ready or in need of the care services offered in assisted living, enhanced living offers flexibility to only pay for necessary services.

Discover Senior Living In Swartz Creek, Michigan

Understanding home health care costs, storypoint senior living in union, ky, why fortified cereals are important and our favorite cereal options.

As our parents age, it’s normal for their needs to evolve. When this happens, they may require assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs), like bathing, dressing and meal preparation, to get through their day. At this stage of your loved one’s journey, a senior living community may be worth considering.

However, some seniors may wish to get assistance in the comfort of their home, surrounded by close friends and family. If your family member would prefer to age in place, home health care offers a great option. Our in-depth guide is here to help you understand home health care costs — so you can make an informed decision about your loved one’s care.

Factors That Influence Home Health Care Costs

When looking into home health care for an aging parent, cost may be a primary consideration. Here are some major factors that may influence home health care costs:

• Level of care needed: The level of care required by your loved one may affect the cost of in-home care. Individuals who need basic assistance with daily activities, like meal preparation, medication management and light housekeeping, are likely to pay less compared to those who need more intensive medical care or specialized services, such as dementia care or physical therapy.
• Type of care provider: The type of home care provider you choose for your loved one can influence how much home care services cost. For instance, a home aide is likely to charge a lower hourly rate compared to a registered nurse (RN). Additionally, home health care agencies are generally costlier compared to independent caregivers. While home care agencies may offer additional benefits, like caregiver background checks and liability insurance, they tend to charge higher rates to cover administrative costs.
• Location: Home health care costs may also vary greatly depending on the geographic location. Urban areas tend to have higher living costs and, consequently, higher home health care rates. Rural areas, on the other hand, may have fewer available caregivers but lower hourly rates. In metropolitan areas like New York City or San Francisco, for example, the cost of in-home care is generally higher compared to smaller towns or rural communities.
• Frequency and duration of care: The frequency and duration of care needed by the senior may impact the cost of home health care. People who require 24/7 assistance due to medical conditions may incur higher costs compared to those who only need occasional assistance. Similarly, shorter visits from caregivers may be less expensive than extended stays.
• Additional services: Some home health agencies provide additional services at an extra cost. Individuals who need assistance with transportation, companionship or physical therapy, may pay higher home health care costs. Furthermore, seniors with complex medical conditions or specific care needs, such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease, may require specialized caregivers with additional training, which can further increase costs.

Cost Breakdown: Hourly, Daily And Monthly Rates

When it comes to calculating home health care costs, several methods may be used to accommodate the diverse needs of seniors and their families. When considering home health for an aging parent, it’s important to choose the option that best fits their unique care needs, budget and specific situation.

Here are a few key methods of calculating home care costs:

• Hourly rate: Most home health care providers charge by the hour, so you pay for the exact amount of time the caregiver spends assisting your loved one. This option provides flexibility and allows you to adjust the number of hours of care based on your loved one’s changing needs.
• Daily rate: Some in-home care agencies offer daily rates. This means that you may have to pay a fixed amount for each day, regardless of the number of hours the caregiver spends with your loved one. This approach can be beneficial for families who require extended or continuous care and want a predictable cost structure.
• Overnight rates: Overnight care services typically have their own pricing structure, as caregivers may be required to stay awake and provide assistance throughout the night. In this case, you might pay a flat fee for overnight care, which is typically higher than the hourly rate for daytime care.

Analyzing State-By-State Average Costs

Home health care is generally more affordable compared to other senior living options . When considering home health care for your aging parent, you may find yourself asking how much private home care costs per hour or how much 24/7 in-home care costs per month. According to Genworth’s 2023 Cost of Care Survey , the national median cost of home health care is around $24 per hour or $4,000 per month. However, due to various key factors, including cost of living and demand for caregivers, home health care costs may vary significantly from state to state. Here’s a detailed breakdown of how much in-home care may cost across the country:

It’s important to recognize that the figures provided in this comparison represent state averages and offer a general overview of home health care costs across different states. However, the actual cost of in-home care may vary significantly based on a wide range of factors, such as the specific community within each state, the level of assistance needed by your loved one and their individual preferences or circumstances. Other variables, such as the cost of living, geographical location and the availability of care providers, can also influence private pay home care rates.

Paying For Home Health Care

Paying for your loved one’s home health care can be a significant financial undertaking. Fortunately, there are several ways to help cover the costs. Here are some options that are worth considering:

• Private funds: Some families choose to pay for home health care costs from personal savings, investments or retirement accounts. Selling assets or downsizing living arrangements are some of the common ways to free up funds for the cost of home health care.
• Long-term care insurance: Some long-term care insurance policies can help cover the expenses associated with home health care. However, it’s important to recognize that insurance policies may vary widely in coverage and cost, so it’s essential to review the terms carefully and select a policy that aligns with your loved one’s specific needs and situation.
• Medicare: Medicare may help cover some home health services for individuals who meet specific criteria, like being homebound and requiring skilled nursing care or therapy services. However, coverage limitations may apply, so it’s crucial to understand what services are covered by your loved one’s Medicare.
• Medicaid: Medicaid may provide financial assistance with home health care costs for low-income individuals and their families. While Medicaid coverage can vary from state to state, some states offer home and community-based services waivers that may help cover the cost of home health care for eligible seniors.
• Veterans benefits: Veterans and their spouses may be eligible for home health care benefits through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The VA offers various programs that provide financial assistance or in-home care services to qualifying veterans.
• Community programs and grants: Some local community organizations, nonprofits and government agencies may offer financial assistance or grants to help low-income seniors afford home health care services. These programs may vary by location, so it’s worth researching available resources in your area.

Types Of Services In Home Health Care

In-home care can help ensure your loved one receives the help they need in the familiar comfort of home. Here are some types of services offered in home health care:

• Personal care: Caregivers can provide assistance with personal care tasks, including bathing, grooming, dressing and toileting, to help seniors maintain their dignity and well-being.
• Medication management: Effective medication management is vital, especially for seniors with complex medical needs. A home care caregiver can help ensure that your loved one takes their medications as prescribed, helping protect their safety and well-being.
• Mobility assistance: Caregivers can aid with mobility and transferring, including assistance with walking, getting in and out of bed or chairs and using mobility aids, such as walkers or wheelchairs. Mobility assistance can help prevent fall-related injuries among seniors.
• Meal preparation and nutrition: This includes planning and preparing nutritious meals tailored to your loved one’s dietary preferences. Caregivers can also assist with feeding, if necessary, to ensure your aging parent meets their nutritional needs.
• Companionship and socialization: Depending on an individual’s unique needs, caregivers can provide companionship and engage them in meaningful activities to help combat feelings of loneliness and isolation. This can include conversation, playing games, going for walks or accompanying seniors to social outings and appointments.
• Housekeeping and errands: Individuals receiving in-home care can get help with light housekeeping tasks, like laundry, vacuuming and lawn care. Some caregivers may also provide assistance with grocery shopping and other errands to help seniors live a more comfortable life.
• Transportation assistance: Some home health care agencies may provide transportation to medical appointments, social events, errands and more. This can help seniors access essential services and activities outside their home, helping promote a sense of independence.
• Respite care: Caregivers can offer temporary relief for family caregivers by providing professional assistance and support for their loved one. This allows regular caregivers to take a break, attend to their own needs or handle other responsibilities while ensuring their loved one’s well-being is maintained.
• Specialized care: Caregivers with specialized training can offer tailored care plans for seniors with specific health conditions or specialized needs, including Alzheimer’s or dementia care, diabetes management, wound care or physical therapy.

Comparing Home Care To Its Alternatives

While looking for the best care service for an aging parent, you may come across a wide variety of senior living options. Let’s look at a few key alternatives and how they compare to home health care:

• Assisted living communities: Assisted living communities provide a supportive environment for seniors who may need assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs), but do not require around-the-clock specialized care. Most assisted living communities have trained employees available 24/7 to assist residents, and they often provide a wide range of amenities and services tailored to seniors’ needs and preferences. However, unlike in-home care, assisted living communities may involve transitioning your loved one to a communal living setting. While senior living communities offer opportunities to build new friendships and access to amenities, such as fitness centers and scheduled activities, they may lack the familiarity and comfort of home provided by home health care.
• Nursing home: Nursing homes provide around-the-clock skilled nursing care and assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs) for individuals with complex medical needs or disabilities. This is a great option for people with advanced medical conditions, or those who require specialized care that can’t be provided at home. While nursing homes may have specially trained employees, including nurses and therapists, to manage residents’ care needs, they often lack the personalized attention and comfortable environment of in-home care.
• Respite care: Respite care provides temporary relief for family caregivers by offering professional care and support for their loved one. Unlike in-home care, which is ongoing, respite care is typically a short-term stay to allow the primary caregiver to take a break as needed. Respite care services can be provided in various settings, including at home, in assisted living communities or adult day care centers.
• Skilled nursing communities: Most skilled nursing is designed to offer comprehensive medical care and rehabilitation services for individuals recovering from surgery, illness or injury. While both in-home care and skilled nursing can provide medical assistance, skilled nursing offers a higher level of medical supervision and specialized care.
• Hospice care: Hospice care is designed to offer comfort and support for individuals with terminal illnesses and their loved ones. While in-home hospice care can resemble in-home care, it’s specifically tailored to meet the unique needs of people with terminal illnesses. Hospice care teams may include health care professionals, counselors and volunteers who offer emotional, spiritual and practical support to both the patient and their family members during this challenging time.

Compassionate Care With StoryPoint Group

If you feel your aging parent needs more help with activities of daily living than you can provide at home, don’t hesitate to seek assistance. At StoryPoint Group, we’re here to help you give your loved one the best possible care during every stage of their journey. To learn more about our award-winning senior living offerings, schedule a tour of a community near your location or contact us today.

StoryPoint Group | Senior Care Experts

Leaders in Senior Living Services

Related Articles You May Enjoy

The best senior discounts in 2024, 25 heartfelt gifts for caregivers, a comprehensive guide to the cost of senior living, looking for more information.

Connect with us by phone at 1-844-275-9990 to get answers to your questions, or just to say hello.

Download Your Brochure

Senior Home Care: Services, Costs and Tips for Aging in Place

Learn about in-home caregiving options for seniors who want to stay in their houses for as long as possible.

This article is based on reporting that features expert sources.

What Is Senior Home Care?

Aging is a fact of life. We simply can’t stop the clock, and for most adults, there will come a time when a little extra assistance performing the tasks of daily living would be helpful.

Getty Images

In fact, someone who turns 65 today has a nearly 70% chance of needing some type of long-term care in their remaining years, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.

For some people, this support means moving into an assisted living community or a nursing home. For others, aging in place is a much more attractive goal.

What Is Aging in Place?

"Aging in place" is exactly as it sounds: Spending your twilight years in your home, without having to move to a senior care facility.

It's also a popular choice. According to AARP's 2021 Home and Community Preferences Survey, 77% of adults age 50 and older want to stay in their homes for the long term. Only 29% of survey respondents said they plan to relocate to another community as they age.

What's key to staying in your familiar environment is senior home care .

“Senior home care allows seniors to continue living as independently as possible at home, with limited care provided as the individual’s needs require,” says Bob Rees, chief sales officer with eHealth Inc., a health insurance broker and online resource provider headquartered in Santa Clara, California.

Senior Home Care vs. Senior Home Health Care

Support for aging in place can take a variety of forms – from technology to human services – but it tends to take two primary forms: senior home care and senior home health care.

Senior home care

This category involves personal care assistance , such as light housekeeping and running errands.

“Maybe they help someone get dressed or take a shower,” notes Danielle Pierotti, clinical associate professor and director of undergraduate studies with the School of Nursing at Idaho State University in Pocatello.

These caregivers are not usually licensed to provide health care services, and the training they receive varies from company to company. This form of care is also typically paid for out of pocket by the senior or the family.

Senior home health care

This category of care, which can include both medical and personal care components, involves a licensed professional, such as a registered nurse or a physical therapist, and a physician's orders, Pierotti says. Senior home care, on the other hand, may not involve a physician.

Home health care services are also usually covered by Medicare or a private insurer.

To qualify for Medicare coverage , you’re may be required to be homebound.

Home health services that may be covered by Medicare include:

• Skilled nursing care.
• Physical or occupational therapy.
• Speech-language pathology services.
• Injectable osteoporosis drugs for women.
• Durable medical equipment and other medical supplies for home use.

“Before coverage kicks in, you generally need to be seen face-to-face by a doctor to certify that you are in need of home health care services,” Rees adds.

What Senior Home Care Services Are Available to Help You Age in Place?

The menu of options offered by senior home care organizations is virtually limitless, but it's often dictated by the family budget. Services for seniors receiving in-home care may include:

• Light housekeeping, such as cleaning and laundry services.
• Meal preparation or delivery and diet monitoring.
• Assistance with eating.
• Personal services, such as assistance with bathing, dressing or walking.
• Assistance with shopping and other errands.
• Companionship and social interaction.
• Transportation.
• Volunteer services, which can run the gamut from simple companionship to transportation, personal care, emotional support and more specialized skills, such as assisting with paperwork or other needs.

Senior home health care services, on the other hand, can include:

• In-home nursing care, such as wound dressing, IV therapy, health monitoring, pain control and other nursing duties.
• In-home physical, occupational or speech therapy, as mentioned.
• In-home doctors' visits or telemedicine checkups via video conferencing or phone.
• Medical social services, such as counseling and identifying community support and other resources.
• Medication management or reminders.

Types of In-Home Senior Caregivers

Different organizations offer these services using one of three models, says Lakelyn Eichenberger, gerontologist and caregiver advocate for Home Instead Inc., a network of independently owned and operated senior home care agencies headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska.

Independent caregivers

This type may be a more casual arrangement, and the care may be coming from a friend, family member or a local provider that you hire independently.

Small caregiver registries

In some cases, a local organization or registry connects families with caregivers who are available. This is also a form of independent caregiving that the family would pay for out of pocket, but it may be a more formalized arrangement between the senior and the caregiver.

Agency caregivers

With this model, an agency employs professional caregivers who are sent into clients’ homes to care for them. Agencies can range in size from local mom-and-pop operations to regional or national franchise organizations. Some of these agencies may work with insurance companies to handle billing for what can be covered by Medicare, but it depends on how the business operates.

Some agencies also offer specialized memory care services for older adults who want to remain in their home but are dealing with cognitive decline, dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Senior health caregivers offering these types of services are typically trained in what to watch out for and what to do when the individual’s health starts to change.

Other options

Creative living and care situations are also popping up.

“What we’re starting to see as the baby boomer generation grows older are a number of other options, including tiny house communities that offer independent living with some aspects of daily life being communal – think group meal time,” says Dr. Elizabeth Landsverk, a geriatrician based in the San Francisco area.

For example, she continues, some “retirees have chosen to live on a boat – I am one of them – as long as they are fit and have someone else on hand to help. We’re also hearing more and more about some who choose to live aboard cruise ships as most day-to-day needs like meal preparation, laundry, etc. are included in the cost.”

When Do You Need Senior Home Health Care?

Seniors usually need short-term assistance in situations such as:

• After coming home from a hospital stay .
• While recovering from an illness or injury.
• While experiencing chronic conditions, advanced age or cognitive decline .

In-Home Senior Care Cost

Estimating how much in-home senior care will cost can be challenging: The various combinations of services, plus the level of care needed and geographic location, all factor into price.

“The cost of care in a city like San Francisco tends to be higher than Omaha, Nebraska,” Eichenberger points out.

Generally, however, the median annual cost for homemaker services is $59,488, or $26 per hour, according to Genworth Financial's 2021 Cost of Care Survey (the most recent data available). The median annual cost for a home health aide is $61,776, or $27 per hour.

Most in-home care companies charge by the hour, with a typical range between $20 and $40, depending on the market. Each organization also has its own fee structure and cost ranges.

“Sometimes people think that home care is more expensive than it really is, but then they’ll underestimate the cost of a nursing home . Oftentimes, depending on the level of need , the opposite is true,” Eichenberger says.

For instance, the annual median cost of a semi-private room in a nursing home is $94,900, according to the Genworth survey. A private room in a nursing home is $108,408, about twice the median of in-home care.

“Having care at home can delay the need to move to a facility or community setting in a lot of cases,” which may cut down on lifetime cost, Eichenberger notes.

Ways to Pay for Senior Home Caregiving

For the most part, home care is covered out of pocket by families, though some long-term care insurance options may cover these fees.

In addition, Medicare Advantage benefits, as of 2019, include non-skilled home care services, such as assistance with tasks like bathing and dressing.

For both options, check your plan for details.

Is In-Home Senior Care Tax Deductible?

You may be able to deduct some aspects of in-home senior care when filing your taxes. Generally speaking, the medical expenses piece of in-home senior care is tax deductible if these expenses are deemed medically necessary by a physician. These expenses only become tax-deductible once they’ve exceeded more than 7.5% of your adjusted gross income.

For instance, assistance with certain activities of daily living, such as bathing, dressing, eating and toileting, may be deductible if they’re medically necessary and rendered for a minimum of 90 days. Other services, such as companionship or assistance with tasks that have not been deemed medically necessary, would not be tax deductible.

Before deducting any costs associated with in-home senior care services, seek the advice of a certified tax professional for specific guidance.

How to Find the Right In-Home Senior Caregiver

When considering whether elderly home care is right for your situation, Pierotti recommends “being very honest with yourself about what you’re comfortable with and what you’re seeking.” She likens the search for the right mix of services to completing a home renovation project.

“If you think about it in terms of how you would work with any contractor coming into your home – are you the type of person who’s comfortable hiring the plumber, the electrician and the lawn person all by yourself? Or do you want to hire a contractor who’s going to manage all those people? It’s a similar sort of situation,” she explains.

This can be a confusing and difficult aspect of finding the right solution, which is further compounded by the services a senior needs likely changing over time. Aging is dynamic, and it’s hard to predict exactly what assistance will be needed at a given point.

To get started, however, consider taking these steps:

• Talk to your physician about your care needs.
• Outline your budget.
• Research the options in your area.
• Ask lots of questions. Not only can you ask others for referrals to agencies, registries or individuals, but you should also interview multiple caregivers to ensure you're getting the services you need.

Tips for Aging in Place

Aging in place requires an honest assessment of needs versus wants and separating the ideal from reality, Pierotti says.

“‘What I really need is someone to make sure Dad gets a shower twice a week, but what I’d really love is someone who comes in every day and makes sure he has lunch and is dressed,’" she notes. "And then you can begin to break down and think through the things you really want compared to the things that you’d love to have and process those decisions along the way. What are you comfortable with? What can you afford? Where can you get people?”

Other tips include:

• Conducting a home safety assessment. Making modifications to the home may allow you or your loved one to remain there without risk of injury.
• Observing how potential caregivers interact with you or your loved one.
• Making sure that the caregiver is bonded and insured.
• Working with an established agency. If a caregiver is a no-show, the agency will find a replacement for you, Landsverk points out. If you hire on your own, you'll need to find a replacement yourself.

Bottom Line

Pierotti says many people can avoid moving to a nursing home when the right mix of family and community support is identified and employed. But this situation can be challenging for the family caregiver who’s tasked with coordinating care.

“The key thing is that we’re all in this together. As a national community, we’re going to have to talk about aging and what does it mean for all of us,” Pierotti says, adding, “To me, that’s what the conversation about aging is about.”

Having those conversations early and frequently is important to finding the right solution for your family.

The U.S. News Health team delivers accurate information about health, nutrition and fitness, as well as in-depth medical condition guides. All of our stories rely on multiple, independent sources and experts in the field, such as medical doctors and licensed nutritionists. To learn more about how we keep our content accurate and trustworthy, read our  editorial guidelines .

Eichenberger is a gerontologist and caregiving advocate for Home Instead Inc., a network of independently owned and operated senior home care agencies headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska.

Landsverk is a San Francisco area-based geriatrician offering an online telemedicine, education and support resource for eldercare professionals, caregivers and families. She is the author of “Living in the Moment: Overcoming Challenges and Finding Moments of Joy in Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias.”

Pierotti is clinical associate professor and director of undergraduate studies with the School of Nursing at Idaho State University in Pocatello. She previously served as president and CEO of ElevatingHOME and the Visiting Nurses Associations of America.

Rees is chief sales officer with eHealth Inc., a health insurance broker and online resource provider headquartered in Santa Clara, California.

Tags: aging , nursing homes , senior citizens , senior health

Most Popular

Pregnancy Resource Center

health disclaimer »

Disclaimer and a note about your health ».

Your Health

A guide to nutrition and wellness from the health team at U.S. News & World Report.

You May Also Like

What is a medicare flex card.

Elaine K. Howley June 28, 2024

Medicare and Prior Authorizations

Paul Wynn June 27, 2024

What Is the Medigap Birthday Rule?

Payton Sy June 26, 2024

Factors That Increase Sun Sensitivity

Elaine K. Howley and Stacey Colino June 24, 2024

Spotting Skin Cancer Before It Kills

Elaine K. Howley June 21, 2024

Medicare Glossary

Payton Sy June 20, 2024

Does Medicare Cover Podiatry?

Paul Wynn June 20, 2024

LASIK Eye Surgery

Mariya Greeley and Elaine K. Howley June 20, 2024

Is Mifepristone Safe? Side Effects, Uses and How It Works

Payton Sy June 18, 2024

Foods That Cause Cancer

Elaine K. Howley June 17, 2024

• Directory Search
• Article Search

Everything You Need to Know About Home Care Costs in 2023 (by State!)

90% of seniors want to age at home. And for many, securing home care can be an essential part of aging in place. The costs will vary depending on things like geographic location, services needed, and frequency of the care. But, once you’ve decided to hire some help, it can be useful to know what to expect. So, here’s everything you need to know about the cost of senior care at home for 2023.

What is home care?

Here are the 5 most expensive states for receiving home care:, here are the 5 least expensive states for receiving home care:, home care versus other types of senior care, how does 24/7 care affect the cost, how does hiring an independent caregiver affect the cost, does medicare cover home care, long-term care insurance, reverse mortgage, how can i find the best home care near me.

The term home care can actually mean a lot of different things. Essentially, it refers to any care or service that can be obtained and used within the comfort of your own home. It’s meant to help maintain your quality of life and ensure safe aging in place . Types of home care include:

• Companionship
• Personal care assistance
• Skilled nursing
• Physical therapy
• Occupational therapy
• Speech therapy
• Meal prep or meal services
• Homemaker services
• Transportation
• Health monitoring
• And many, many more…

How much does home care cost?

The average cost of home care nationally is just around $5,000 per month. Let’s take a look at monthly averages by state. These totals are based on a 44-hour week and include homemaker and skilled services:

There may be certain circumstances where a senior may require care for more extended periods of time or even overnight. Though prices will vary by provider, you can usually expect the cost to go up dramatically. The national average for 24/7 care at home (168 hours) is $19,292.

Independent caregivers are usually around 20% cheaper than those from an agency. On average, a caregiver from a larger company will charge around $26 per hour, whereas an independent caregiver’s services are about $20 per hour. However, you should keep in mind that when hiring independently, you may be responsible for conducting your own background checks, which will come with a fee.

Medicare is government-provided health insurance for seniors who are over 65. It will not pay for custodial care but will cover the cost of skilled care at home.

Medicare Part A and Part B will pay for things like:

• Part-time skilled nursing care
• Physical, occupational, or speech therapy
• Medical supplies for home use
• Part-time home health aides

Medicare will pay if:

• Services are part of a plan of care created and reviewed regularly by a doctor.
• A doctor prescribed skilled nursing care or therapy for a specific medical condition.
• You are certified homebound by a doctor.

Medicare will not pay for:

• 24-hour care
• Meal services

For more information on what Medicare will help with, visit Medicare.gov.

Or, check out Medicare Moments with Toni King , a podcast that puts Medicare into “people terms.”

How can I pay for home care?

Planning ahead for the possibility of long-term care is a great idea! Of course, sometimes we forget to plan until we’re actually faced with major health changes. Regardless, you have several possibilities that can help pay if and when it’s time for home care!

Traditional health insurance rarely pays for costs associated with long-term care. Help with daily activities and mobility are a pretty big part of receiving long-term care. So, that’s where long-term care insurance can help. It can cover custodial care, meal services, and even housekeeping services.

Medicaid is a joint federal and state program that helps low-income individuals pay for care. It can help with the cost of both custodial and medical care. Every state has different qualification requirements. You can visit  Medicaid.gov  to learn about eligibility in your state.

Homeowners over the age of 62, who have considerable equity, can borrow against the value of their home. You don’t need immaculate credit to qualify. And, what’s best? The loan doesn’t have to be repaid until the house is sold!

Read Next: Best Ways To Pay For Home Care Services

Find home care near me.

Having an in-home care provider can be an essential part of aging in place. And, choosing the best provider is an important decision! Here are some steps to take, when beginning your search:

• Know your loved one’s needs and determine the proper care.
• Get recommendations.
• Do your research.
• Contact your top choices.
• Meet with some in-home care providers.

Read Next: How To Choose The Best In-Home Care In 5 Steps !

Popular Articles About Home Care

Originally published September 06, 2023

Jennifer Otto

Read More About Our Contributors

The Integrated Approach to Home Care and Care Management

Top-Rated Home Health Care Near San Bernardino

Top 9 Home Health Care Companies in Los Angeles

Senior Resource

Free Senior Resources

The Ultimate Guide to Retirement Communities

5 Health Conditions That Affect Baby Boomers and 5 Ways to Avoid Them

Ultimate Estate Planning Checklist & Guide

Guide to Adult Day Care

Change location, find awesome listings near you.

In-Home Dementia Care Costs And Financial Considerations For Family Members

Dementia generally refers to a class of neurocognitive conditions, the most common of which is Alzheimer’s disease , that typically result in symptoms like memory loss, cognitive impairment, and a reduced ability to function. In the later stages of dementia, patients may have difficulty living on their own without support. At this point, family members and loved ones may want to consider assisted living options. In-home care can be an appealing choice, as it is often helpful for patients to continue their daily living routine without too much disruption.

However, cost can be a significant consideration when assessing care options for a loved one. There is no set cost for in-home dementia care, just as there is no set cost for moving your loved one into a nursing home or memory care facility. Dementia patients frequently have different needs, and depending on your loved one’s unique situation and resources, in-home care could look very different. It can be helpful to better understand what may be required of in-home care in order to calculate the estimated costs. If long-term planning for your loved one is negatively impacting your mental health, consider speaking with a licensed therapist for support.

What does in-home care involve?

In-home care may be broken down into the following broad categories.

• Personal care services: These activities likely come to mind for most people when they think about in-home care. Personal care usually encompasses the basic activities of day-to-day living, such as bathing, dressing, eating, exercising, and using the toilet. 
• Homemaker services: These services typically keep the dementia patient’s home safe and functional. They may include cleaning, housekeeping, yard care, home maintenance, and gardening, as well as food-related tasks like grocery shopping, cooking, and meal planning and preparation.
• Companion services: These services can address a dementia patient’s social needs. Companion services normally involve transportation, whether that means driving a patient to a medical appointment or walking with them to the post office down the street. They can also involve recreational activities, like playing games or creating art, and coordinating visits from friends or family members.
• Skilled care services: “Skilled care” often encompasses what many people think of as medical care, and it may not be necessary for every dementia patient. For example, if a patient requires regular physical therapy or medications that must be injected, skilled care may be a required component of in-home care.

If family caregivers are unable or unwilling to provide all of the necessary care services, a home health aide may need to be employed. It can be important to check the credentials of any person hired to provide services to a loved one with dementia and to fully understand what they can and cannot do. Some home health aides may be licensed only to provide personal care or homemaker services, and additional support may be necessary if the patient has in-home medical needs. 

Hidden costs of in-home care

When calculating the cost of in-home care, it can be tempting to directly compare the fees associated with nursing homes or memory care communities with those associated with a home health aide or family caregiver (who may not receive compensation at all). However, the cost of in-home care is typically much more complicated than a simple difference in fee rates. 

If a family caregiver who is currently working for pay is planning to transition into providing full-time care without compensation, the salary they will no longer be earning should generally be factored into the cost analysis. Even if a prospective family caregiver is not currently working for pay (for example, a stay-at-home parent who is transitioning to providing care for an elderly relative after their children leave for college), their cost of living should be included in cost calculations.

The cost of the home itself may also need to be considered. If the patient owns their home, are they still in the process of paying off the mortgage? If so, those monthly payments need to be considered, along with home insurance and mortgage insurance (if applicable). If the patient doesn’t own the home, what will rental payments look like? What about home maintenance costs?

Another potentially unconsidered cost of in-home care could be renovating the home to make it safer for a dementia patient to reside there. These changes may include the following:

• Additional lighting to ensure that all rooms and hallways have good visibility
• Wall straps and anchors to secure large furniture and prevent it from tipping
• Replacing old furniture with chairs with armrests, which a person can push down on to more easily stand up
• Installing a locked cabinet or safe to store potentially dangerous items, like medications, sharp objects, matches, alcohol, tools, vitamins, small appliances like blenders, and cleaning products 
• Placing a latch or deadbolt at eye level on all exterior doors so the patient does not have to bend over to lock their door, and removing locks from all interior doors so the patient cannot lock themselves in anywhere
• Replacing a shower or tub with a walk-in version, or placing grab bars around the shower, tub, and toilet
• Installing safety features on certain appliances, such as stove knob covers, a safety lock on the washing machine and dryer, and auto-shutoff on heated objects
• Placing a motion sensor on the garage door
• Replacing stair railings with steadier, sturdier options
• Moving closet shelves to a more accessible height
• Placing textured stickers on slippery surfaces and bright tape on the stairs

Average memory care costs

As mentioned, no two dementia patients may require the same level of care, and there can be more to in-home care costs than initially meets the eye. However, it can be helpful to have a ballpark range for the cost of memory care from a number of different providers. 

Genworth, a company that provides life insurance and long-term care insurance, conducts an annual survey of a representative sample of memory care providers . According to their 2023 report, the median monthly costs of different long-term care options are as follows:

• In-home care from a family member: $5,720
• In-home care from a home health aide: $6,292
• Care from an assisted living facility: $5,350
• Living in a nursing home in a semi-personal room: $8,669
• Living in a nursing home in a personal room: $9,733

These costs may seem prohibitive to many people. Financial assistance may be available from state-run programs or government health programs like Medicare or Medicaid. Eligibility requirements can vary, so be sure to check with your local government agency.

Finding additional support for caring for a dementia patient

The financial and emotional stressors associated with taking care of a loved one with dementia can be significant. It may be beneficial to speak to a mental health professional in these situations. However, if you are providing in-home care to a loved one, leaving them home alone so you can attend a therapy appointment may not be feasible. Online therapy can be a more accessible alternative in these situations. 

Studies have found that online therapy can be just as effective as traditional in-person therapy in relieving various mental health symptoms, including those associated with caring for a loved one with dementia. One group of researchers examined a group of dementia caregivers who completed a course of online therapy and found that the therapeutic intervention usually helped to relieve symptoms of anxiety and depression . Online therapy could be a means for dementia caregivers to find additional support in navigating a potentially stressful situation. 

Long-term care costs for dementia patients can vary widely. When considering in-home care for a dementia patient, it can be important to think about all of the financial aspects of such care. Talking to an online therapist could help to relieve stress related to financial planning for dementia care.

• Which Is Worse, Dementia Or Alzheimer’s Disease? An Examination Of Different Forms Of Dementi Medically reviewed by Nikki Ciletti , M.Ed, LPC
• Assisted Living For Dementia Patients: What Is Memory Care? Medically reviewed by Nikki Ciletti , M.Ed, LPC
• Relationships and Relations

• Cat Behavior
• Health & Care
• Vet Approved

Average Cost of a Vet Visit for Cats in 2024: How Much You Can Expect To Pay

Image Credit: H_Ko, Shutterstock

Last Updated on June 29, 2024 by Catster Editorial Team

Click to Skip Ahead

Cats require our love, care, an enriched environment to express their natural behaviors, and high-quality food to thrive. They also need to see the veterinarian regularly to ensure their health stays strong throughout their life. It is easy to tabulate how much food, bedding, and toys will cost you as time goes on. But how much will it cost to get your cat preventative veterinary care or any treatment they may require in the coming years?  Here is everything you need to know about the average cost of a vet visit for cats this year, which can be somewhere between $40 and $150 during regular working hours, depending on the reason for the visit. This does not include any extra procedures or a visit outside of normal working hours, and they will be more costly than the cost of a general checkup.

How Much Is a Vet Visit for a Cat?

There is no way to know precisely how much a visit to the vet with your cat will cost because it depends on many things, including the reason for the visit, the types of tests that may be done, and how long the visit takes overall. It also depends on where you live and what type of animal care facility you decide to visit.

A basic checkup, sometimes referred to as a wellness exam, typically consists of an oral “interview,” where your vet will ask questions about things like how well your cat is eating and drinking, the amount of exercise that they get daily, their litter box habits, whether they have been in any catfights or accidents recently, and their overall behavior, alongside any particular concerns.

After the question-and-answer period, your vet will complete a physical examination of your cat, examining their mouth and teeth, having a look at their eyes and ears, and evaluating their whole body. They will also listen to their heart and lungs, feel their abdomen and limbs for any abnormalities, record their weight, and take their temperature.

A basic checkup can cost anywhere between $40 and $150, depending on where you live. You may need to see a veterinarian for reasons other than just a checkup, in which case, the cost of seeing the veterinarian may differ significantly. Here is an approximate chart of a few service examples and the average cost per region.

Average Vet Costs by Region

Source: https://www.banfield.com/Services/price-estimator

Please note that prices may vary significantly depending on the location of the veterinary clinic, state and city, the required and recommended additional tests and procedures, animals’ weight, and many other factors. This pricing list is meant only as a reference to average routine costs during regular working hours and does not include emergencies.

Additional Costs

In addition to the basic service options, we can address other specific services, so you have a ballpark idea of how much each may cost. For a more accurate estimate, it’s always best to contact your veterinarian directly.

Tooth Extractions

One or more of your cat’s teeth may need to be extracted due to problems such as dental disease , periodontitis, tooth resorption, stomatitis, or other issues.

The cost of tooth extraction for cats can be anywhere from $250 to more than $1,000, depending on the number of extractions, length of procedures, pre-anesthetic blood testing, use of dental x-rays, and the types of medications and equipment used during the procedure.

Senior Screening

Cats over the age of 10 should get more frequent health screenings. This type of examination is more comprehensive than a wellness checkup and typically includes bloodwork, a urinalysis, and, if necessary, X-rays or an ultrasound if a specific problem is suspected. Each senior checkup could cost between $100 and $800, depending on the tests and investigations you choose to include in your cat’s health package.

Allergy Treatments

Allergy treatments involve more than just prescribing medication. Your veterinarian will have to test your cat for allergies to figure out what is causing their allergic reactions. They may also refer your cat to a veterinary dermatologist. Once a cause is determined, they can determine the best course of action to help your cat avoid or fight off the cause of their allergies. Therefore, you can expect allergy treatments for your cat to cost between $ 500 and $2,000, depending on the extent of investigations and tests.

Deworming and Flea Treatment

Cats can pick up various intestinal and external parasites, especially if they spend any of their time outdoors or hunt. Unfortunately, multiple parasites could find a home in or on your cat’s body. These include roundworms, hookworms and tapeworms, fleas, ear mites, and ticks, amongst others.

Luckily, your cat can be treated for parasites at the vet’s office. Your vet may recommend a fecal test to determine exactly what type of worms your cat is infested with, which can cost between $50 and $150. Medication to treat the worms may cost anywhere from $25 to $150, depending on the product, as some may be effective for longer.

If your cat requires a routine surgery, such as neutering or spaying, or a non-routine procedure, such as wound suturing, lump biopsy, or other procedure, the cost is very variable and may go anywhere from $250 to even higher than $1,000, depending on additional pre-anesthetic and laboratory tests such as blood sampling. The average cost of less invasive or time-consuming non-routine surgeries, such as lump removals and stitch-ups, may be from about $500 to more than $1,400. These are just a few examples of how much a vet visit for a cat without insurance could cost you.

What to Expect Financially From an Emergency Vet Visit

You never know when you might need to take your cat in for an emergency visit, whether because they get injured, become ill, or ingest something they should not. The cost of just walking in the door to see a vet due to an emergency depends if it’s before or after midnight or during the weekend and public holidays, and may cost between $100 and $500. However, the costs do not stop there. Depending on the situation, there may be more charges relating to the following services.

Diagnostics

Diagnostic tests can include blood work ($75–$200), an X-ray ($150–$450), and an ultrasound ($300–$600). Overall, you could be looking at anywhere from $75 to $1,000 for diagnostics alone. If your dog requires more advanced imaging, such as a CT or an MRI, it can be even more expensive.

Hospitalization

Twenty-four hours of hospitalization for your cat could cost anywhere from $600 to over $1,000, depending on the treatments or services rendered during that time. If your cat needs to stay hospitalized for longer, there is often a reduction in fees in those circumstances.

Being hit by a vehicle, developing bloat, or ingesting a foreign body are just a few reasons your cat would need emergency surgery. While there is no way to know exactly how much surgery will cost until you know the reason, you can expect to pay between $1,500 and $4,000.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Which vet bills do pet insurance companies cover.

Many companies sell pet insurance to help cover the costs of veterinarian services they receive throughout their life. Most pet insurance companies cover a percentage of the bill for emergency , accident, and sudden illness vet services in exchange for you paying them a monthly premium. For an extra monthly fee, some insurance companies may offer to cover some of the costs of preventative care minus a deductible, but that is less common.

Most companies offer reimbursement plans, which means that they will pay you back after you pay for the veterinarian services yourself. However, depending on the insurance company and the vet you are working with, you may be able to score a plan that does not require you to pay for services out of pocket.

How Often Should I Take My Cat to the Vet?

Kittens should be seen by a vet several times in the first 6 months of their lives for a set of primary vaccinations, regular weighing, adequate deworming and flea treatments, and for planning their neutering or spaying. Afterward, adult cats should see a veterinarian once a year for a wellness checkup and any required vaccinations. Flea and deworming treatments can be done at home and require nothing more than a quick stop to pick medications up from the vet when necessary (usually monthly for regular flea treatments).

Once your cat reaches the age of 10, your veterinarian may suggest that you come in for wellness checkups twice a year, as changes in a senior cat’s health can happen quickly.

Now that we’ve given you the average cost of a vet visit for your cat, it’s obvious that veterinarian care can vary greatly, but it is necessary. Your cat cannot experience a happy, healthy, high-quality life without regular checkups, preventative healthcare, and recommended vaccinations. We hope that our guide helps prepare you for any veterinarian visits that you make with your cat in the future.

• Also see:   What’s the Price of Cat Urinary Treatment?
• North West Animal Eye 

Featured Image Credit: H_Ko, Shutterstock

About the Author

Rachael Gerkensmeyer

Rachael has been a freelance writer since 2000, in which time she has had an opportunity to research and write about many different topics while working to master the art of fusing high-quality content with effective content marketing strategies. She is an artist at heart and loves to read, paint, and make jewelry in her spare time. As a vegan, Rachael is obsessed with helping animals in need both in her community and anywhere in the world where she feels she can make a difference. Animals also happen to be her favorite topic to write about! She lives off the grid in Hawaii with her husband, her garden, and her rescue animals including 5 dogs, a cat, a goat, and dozens of chickens.

Bobcat Fever: Our Vet Discusses Signs, Causes & Treatment

My Cat Coughing Sounds Like a Duck, What’s Wrong? Vet-Verified Facts

Zumalka Pet Supplement Review 2024: A Detailed Look

Get catster in your inbox.

How to Give Your Cat Medication: Dr. Karyn’s Tips (with Video)

Black Persian Cat: Facts, Origin & History (with Pictures)

Litter Genie Easy Roll Pail Review 2024: Our Expert’s Opinion

© pangolia pte. ltd. all rights reserved..

Get an annual AARP membership for only $12. Limited time offer.

Long-Term Care Calculator

Use our free long-term care calculator to estimate how much you’ll need to cover the cost of LTC in retirement.

SeniorLiving.org is supported by commissions from providers listed on our site. Read our Editorial Guidelines

Not every senior requires long-term care (LTC), but it’s something that many older adults will need at one point or another. According to the Administration for Community Living, a 65-year-old has a 70 percent chance of needing long-term care. Use our long-term care calculator below to estimate how much money you’ll need to cover care costs.

Types of Long-Term Care

Depending on your physical and mental needs, you may need specific types of long-term care. The most common types of LTC include:

• Assisted living
• Memory care
• Nursing home care

People often get confused by the “long-term” aspect of LTC. Just because you require long-term care does not mean you will need to live in a facility for decades. In fact, the average length of long-term care is just three years. 1

Money Tip: Need help finding LTC that fits your budget? Check out our affordable senior care guide .

How Do I Pay For Long-Term Care?

Paying for long-term care often involves a combination of funding sources. Medicare does not typically cover long-term care, and Medicaid coverage for LTC varies from state to state. For this reason, many people either pay for the costs out of pocket or acquire long-term care insurance to cover a part of their care.

According to Genworth, the estimated median cost of long-term care in 2024 is $5,511 per month for assisted living and $10,025 per month for a private room in a nursing home. Even if you have substantial retirement savings and don’t anticipate needing care for an extended period, you should still consider acquiring long-term care insurance in retirement .

How to Use Our Long-Term Care Calculator

Our free long-term calculator is easy to use, but it will require you to make some assumptions about your savings and assets. The information you’ll need to know (or assume) is divided into two categories – age, savings, and LTC needs, along with savings assumptions.

Age, Savings, and LTC Needs

• Current age
• Estimated age to begin LTC
• Annual cost of LTC (today’s dollars)
• Inflation rate
• Number of years needed in LTC
• Value of assets designated for LTC

As you can see, there’s a lot of information you need to provide right from the start. The estimated age to begin long-term care can be tricky, especially if you don’t show any signs of memory issues or don’t currently require help with things like bathing or getting dressed. You may want to speak with your doctor to anticipate future issues you may encounter. This could help you determine the age at which you might start long-term care.

Did You Know? To be eligible for assisted living, facilities require you to need assistance with at least two activities of daily living (ADLs).

Next, consider the cost of long-term care in today’s dollars. You can use Genworth’s Cost of Care Survey to help you find the cost of certain types of care in your city or state. You can also reach out to facilities and providers in your area for a quote.

The LTC inflation rate is generally linked to the average nationwide rate of inflation. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average annual rate of inflation is 3.43%.

As previously mentioned, the number of years you actually require LTC will depend on your specific needs. That said, most seniors average three years in long-term care.

Finally, you’ll need to input the value of assets and savings you’ve already set aside for long-term care. You may not have any savings for long-term care, in which case you can input zero. If you don’t have any savings specifically for long-term care, you’ll almost certainly need to rely on LTC insurance and any retirement savings you have.

Savings Assumptions

• Annual return (pre-tax)
• Marginal tax bracket
• Annual contribution increases

This category will require you to make certain assumptions about the future of your LTC savings. If you keep your LTC savings in a high-yield savings account or a tax-deferred retirement account, you can generally expect an annual return between 5% and 8%.

Your marginal tax bracket will depend on your income at the time that you need LTC. If you anticipate needing long-term care at 73, for example, you might use Social Security , retirement account distributions, and any other income sources as taxable income. This will help you find your future marginal tax bracket.

Pro Tip: Use our Social Security calculator to find out how much you’ll receive in benefits.

If you plan to increase contributions to your LTC savings between now and the time you anticipate needing long-term care, include these increases in your calculations.

Administration for Community Living. (2020). How Much Care Will You Need?

Genwroth. (2022). Cost of Care Survey .

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2023). CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) .

(855) 241-1699

What would you like to share with us?

What to know about Medicare and hospital at home programs

These days, when people with Medicare get to the hospital, they’re increasingly asked: Would you prefer using our hospital at home program?

That can be an enticing option if you need acute care for any of 60 conditions like COPD, pneumonia, congestive heart failure and urinary tract infections but not for things requiring a brick-and-mortar medical center like surgery or an MRI.

In 2019, people with Medicare had over 800,000 hospitalizations that could have qualified for hospital at home, according to the actuarial and consulting firm Milliman.

The disruptions of hospital stays

“There’s lots of evidence that, on average, patients are more comfortable in the home,” says Pamela Pelizzari, principal and senior healthcare consultant at Milliman. “If you’ve ever been in the hospital, it’s disruptive. It’s not restful. You’re getting disturbed constantly for lots of things. There’s an infection risk that it makes sense to try and avoid.”

With hospital at home, “we try to make sure that patients get to sleep at night at their usual sleeping hours, not wake them at weird times of day and organize the care so it allows for good rest,” says Dr. Pippa Shulman, chief medical officer at Medically Home. 

Data on the quality and usefulness of hospital at home is fairly sparse. But a few studies have shown that compared to brick-and-mortar hospital stays, the in-home service lowers mortality rates, fall risks and the onset of delirium while helping patients avoid infections some get in hospitals.

What patients and caregivers say about hospital at home

Studies have also found high satisfaction rates from hospital-at-home patients and their caregivers . For people with Medicare, the out-of-pocket cost for hospital at home is generally the same as for receiving similar care in a hospital.

Increasingly, says Rami Karjian, the founder and CEO of Medically Home, hospital at home is “becoming the default standard to provide care for eligible patients, as opposed to an exception.”

Nancy Foster, vice president for quality and patient safety policy at the American Hospital Association, calls hospital at home “a very effective, efficient way to care for patients.”

How hospital at home works

Hospital at home typically lasts for four or five days and can be declined by patients who prefer hospital stays. It has three components: daily in-person visits from doctors, nurses and paramedics; daily virtual visits from physicians and nurses at the hospital at home’s “command center” and Bluetooth-enabled remote monitoring from tablets and phones given to patients plus the personal emergency response devices they wear.

Advances in technology have made hospital at home much easier to provide, says Michael Dowling, co-author of The Aging Revolution and president and CEO of Northwell Health .

“Our tech kit takes about 15 minutes to set up,” says Medically Home’s Shulman.

Medical care provided by hospital at home can include IV antibiotics and infusions, EKGs, blood pressure monitoring, x-rays, and respiratory or oxygen therapy.

Typically, to qualify for hospital at home, people with Medicare need to first go to the hospital for an interview. If they’re selected as candidates, they then decide whether to enroll or to stay in the hospital.

Medicare and hospital at home

Hospital at home has been offered in the United States, England, Australia and Israel for decades, but Medicare typically didn’t cover it until the pandemic.

In 2020, however, when people without the virus wanted to stay out of hospitals and hospitals needed space for those requiring treatment for it, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) began allowing reimbursement for Traditional Medicare and private insurers’ Medicare Advantage plans.

Subsequently, hospital at home took off. In 2021, 186 hospitals offered it. Currently, about 320 hospitals in 37 states do, from Johns Hopkins in Baltimore to Mount Sinai in New York City to Sanford Health in Sioux Falls, S.D. to Presbyterian Healthcare Services in New Mexico.  

In 2022, Medicare’s hospital-at-home waiver was extended by two years.

“There’s no greater patient-centered care than care delivered in an individual’s home setting where they’re often most comfortable with their own sleeping accommodations and clothing, in addition to having easy access to their loved ones and their pets, who are often important elements in the return to health,” says Heather O’Sullivan, president of Mass General Brigham Hospital’s Healthcare at Home and a geriatric nurse practitioner.

Hospital at home fans and critics

Today, hospital at home has its fans—and its critics.

Lisa Rother, an Oklahoma City nurse, recalls the experience of one older man who had hospital at home from Medically Home, where she’s senior director of strategic marketing operations.

“He had been in hospitals multiple times for an infection of his bones and was losing his fingers gradually,” she says. “He wouldn’t stay in the brick-and-mortar hospitals because he felt very uncomfortable there. So, we hospitalized him within his home, helping him complete his full medical treatment and antibiotics and keep his hand.”

Rother says after the patient’s third or fourth day in the program, “he loved our nurses, he loved our physicians and completely changed his attitude.”

After all, she asked, “What better outcome can you have than being able to keep your limb rather than having an amputation?”

The American Hospital Association and American Medical Association are huge proponents of hospital at home.

But a 2023 report from the Emergency Care Research Institute said there hasn’t been enough reliable data on hospital-at-home outcomes. “No systematic evidence exists that H@H services to the acutely ill yield better patient care or lower costs compared to the current hospital-based system,” it said.

The nurses who oppose hospital at home

National Nurses United, the nation’s largest union and professional association of registered nurses, strongly opposes hospital at home.

The group calls it “Home All Alone” and “a grave threat to patient care and safety” that can “deprive people of professional, 24/7 nursing care.”

“Devices being deployed in patients’ homes can malfunction and give erroneous readings,” says Michelle Mahon, assistant director of nursing practices at National Nurses United. “There are also user curves. Imagine you’re very sick, running a high fever, can barely see straight and now you’re supposed to enter your own vital signs into an app or tool that maybe you can’t even see properly?”

Hospital-at-home providers and proponents reject those fears.

“We assume the patient and caregiver have no ability or knowledge” regarding the hospital-at-home tech devices, says Shulman.

Some critics, like National Nurses United, also worry about what could happen to hospital-at-home patients with medical emergencies.

“In the hospital, we are able to respond to a patient’s change of condition and recognize it before it becomes a crisis,” says Mahon. “Often, those changes are detected by skilled nurses before the data shows there’s a problem, especially in elderly people. There might be subtle changes in the way they talk or in their cognition, glassy eyes or in the smell of their breath. We can respond within seconds.”

Doctors are most apt to select patients for the hospital at home programs who are unlikely to have a sudden emergency “that would warrant an immediate crush of health care personnel descending,” says Foster.

Hospital-at-home programs often keep in contact with their patients for a month after their experience ends.

“We are making sure that our care plan works and you transition back to your primary care physician or specialist,” says Mark Prather, cofounder and executive chairman of the Dispatch Health hospital-at-home operator.

The Medicare rules for hospital at home

Each hospital at home program has its own technology and care system. But they all must adhere to these CMS rules for people on Medicare:

• At least one daily clinician visit, which can be remote after the initial in-person history and physical exam in the hospital or emergency department
• At least two in-person daily visits; if both are by a paramedic or “mobile integrated health practitioner,” there must also be a daily remote visit from a registered nurse
• An on-demand remote audio connection with someone from the hospital-at-home team who can immediately connect to an RN or physician
• Emergency response to a patient’s home within 30 minutes if needed

Questions to ask before signing up

If you’re considering getting hospital at home or are given the option, Northwell Health’s Dowling recommends asking: What kind of home-care capabilities does the organization have? How much hospital-at-home has it done? Are the nurses trained for the types of things that may need to be done?

Medically Home’s Karjian adds: “I’d ask, ‘If this was your dad, what would you recommend for them?’”

O’Sullivan, of Mass General Brigham, suggests finding out who’d be coming into your home and their credentials.

The American Hospital Association’s Foster thinks you should also inquire about how often the team members will come, how you’ll know what to do if there’s an emergency and how often you might need help from someone living in your home.

Hospital at home generally isn’t a good idea if you live alone. That’s because there may be times when you’ll need in-person assistance and the hospital-at-home crew won’t be with you.

What will happen after 2024?

Medicare’s hospital-at-home reimbursement rules will come to an end for people with Traditional Medicare January 1, 2025 (not for those with Medicare Advantage plans) unless Congress and the Biden administration extend the waiver.

The problem if Medicare stops allowing hospital at home, says Foster, is that “many hospitals are very, very full and often short of staff, which could provide some challenges for inpatient care.”

National Nurses United wants the Medicare waiver to end in 2024. But proponents like the American Hospital Association, the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Home Care Medicine and the American Telemedicine Association want to see an extension for at least five years.

“Congress has been talking a lot about how long to extend [the waiver], which I think is a good sign,” says Rachel Jenkins, the American Hospital Association’s senior associate director of federal relations.

The future for hospitals and hospital at home

If CMS does continue allowing Medicare reimbursement for hospital at home after 2024, experts said, that won’t mean the end of in-person hospital stays—though hospitals gradually may wind up becoming primarily for patients needing surgery or ICUs.

“I don’t think we’re going to be taking out your gall bladder in your living room,” says Prather. “But in 10 years, we will be admitting all the classic medical admissions that are just better at home.”

“Hospitals are one cog in the wheel, not the central cog as they were years ago,” says Dowling. “The other cogs are home care, post-acute care, ambulatory care and physical therapy care. We’ve got to maximize all of those opportunities and be creative about it.”

• 3 big changes coming to Medicare in 2025—and what they’ll mean for you
• What women should know about Medicare coverage for health screenings and exams
• How Medicare beneficiaries with Part D plans can help ensure their medications are covered
• What Medicare beneficiaries need to know about generic medications

Most Popular

Health care just as important as economy. What experts want Biden and Trump to address.

When President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump face off Thursday during the first general election debate, health policy experts say tackling the exorbitant cost of health care is as much a top issue for voters as the U.S. economy.

Health care costs in the United States continue to rise — and Americans increasingly say they are unable to afford the care they need. 

There is no issue in health care even remotely close to voter frustration over the high prices patients have to pay for medical care, said Drew Altman, president and CEO of KFF, a nonprofit group that researches health policy issues.

“People tend to think about health care as separate from the economy,” he said. “But when you talk to voters, it’s not separate at all in their heads. Health care is a dimension of their pocketbook economic concerns.”

National health care spending is projected to have increased 7.5% in 2023 to almost $4.8 trillion, faster than the projected growth of the overall economy, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services . 

The estimated health care spending per person — the average amount spent on health care services for each individual — reached $14,423 in 2023, up from $13,493 in 2022 and $13,012 in 2021.

The rising cost is hitting Americans’ wallets. About half of U.S. adults say it is difficult to afford their health care costs, according to a recent poll from KFF . About 1 in 4 say they — or a family member — had problems paying for health care in the past year. 

That often means people will have to skip or delay the care that they need, said Dr. Adam Gaffney, a critical care physician at the Cambridge Health Alliance, who was not involved in the polling. A family member may try to provide financial aid, he added, but attempts to help another can sometimes aggravate problems for the entire family — most notably with medical debt.

"For American households, health care costs are one of the most important economic issues," he said. “What we spend on health care is going to be one of the biggest line items for a lot of families, particularly families with children or with elderly people with chronic diseases.”

No sweeping reform

Although Trump has revived threats to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, major health care reform is unlikely to be a central issue during the debate, Altman said. 

Biden is likely to tout the Inflation Reduction Act, which he signed into law in 2022. 

Among the provisions is allowing Medicare, for the first time, to directly negotiate drug prices with pharmaceutical companies. Earlier this year, the government began negotiating prices on the 10 costliest prescription drugs covered by Medicare, which included heart medications and diabetes drugs. The government is expected to publish the new negotiated prices by Sept. 1.

Earlier this month, the administration also announced a plan to eliminate debt from medical reports .

Aside from Obamacare and abortion, Trump has provided little detail on what health care policy would look like in a potential second term. He made addressing the high cost of prescription drugs a tentpole of his previous term, including a push to allow states to import drugs from Canada and a rule that would tie prices for certain drugs to prices paid by countries overseas.

The greatest challenge for both Biden and Trump will be pitching health care cost policies that both sides of Congress can get behind, said Robin Feldman, a professor of law and director of the Center for Innovation at UC Law San Francisco.

“Notions of unity and compromise seem to be a distant memory in Congress, as they are in the nation,” she said.

”The idea of a big major sweeping reform has felt unlikely in recent years,” Gaffney said. 

Breakthrough reforms remain challenging — but important.

“This distinction between health care as an issue and the economy as an issue at this point drives me crazy, because for real people, there is no distinction,” Altman said. “It’s one of their biggest economic concerns.”

Berkeley Lovelace Jr. is a health and medical reporter for NBC News. He covers the Food and Drug Administration, with a special focus on Covid vaccines, prescription drug pricing and health care. He previously covered the biotech and pharmaceutical industry with CNBC.

Education Store.

Advanced tools for advanced studies., max out your credits., endless potential., the apple store difference..

Pay in full or pay over time. Your choice.

Trade in your current device. Get credit toward a new one. 3

Customize your Mac with chip, memory, storage, and color.

Enjoy two-hour delivery from an Apple Store, free delivery , or  easy pickup.²

Make them yours. Engrave a mix of emoji, names, and numbers for free.

Choose a case. Pick a band. Make an Apple Watch just for you.

Shop one on one with a Specialist. Online or in a store.

More to love.

The apple experience..

Six Apple services. One easy subscription.

Quick Links

• Order Status
• Shopping Help

Return instructions

Image unavailable.

• To view this video download Flash Player

XL Flag Elektrostal Moscow oblast | landscape flag | 2.16m² | 23sqft | 120x180cm | 4x6ft - 100% Made in Germany - long lasting outdoor flag

Purchase options and add-ons, about this item.

• 100% Made in Germany » ... because the first impression last, quality flag for representative purposes *****
• State-of-the-art High-Tech Outdoor Fabric » One air-permeable 110 GSM Polyester to keep wind forces low and lifetime high
• Mirrored Back » Image printed on the front, mirrored image 100% visible on the rear side
• Landscape flag | 2.16m² | 23sqft | 120x180cm | 4x6ft
• Show your pride for your hometown with the Elektrostal flag! Made with quality materials and vibrant colors, this flag is the perfect way to display your patriotism and love for your city. Fly it proudly at home, at events, or even in your car. Get yours today and show your Elektrostal pride!
• The flag of Elektrostal, Moscow Oblast, is a striking combination of Old Glory red, representing strength and courage at 81%, complemented by a subtle touch of light grey at 5% for balance and harmony. The bold black stripe at 3% adds a touch of sophistication, while the shimmering gold stripes at 3% each symbolize prosperity and success. The flag is completed with a touch of very dark grey at 1%, representing the city s resilience and
• Elektrostal Moscow oblast

Product information

Warranty & support, looking for specific info, product description.

Flag: Elektrostal Moscow oblast landscape flag | 2.16m² | 23sqft | 120x180cm | 4x6ft Elektrostal Moscow oblast Elektrostal obwód moskiewski , flaga ???????????? ?????????? ??????? Since we know how important your external presentation is, we print our Elektrostal Moscow oblast flag for your representative appearance using the most modern machines in Germany. To ensure your maximum flexibility, we have equipped the flags with quality metal eyelets, to let you simply attach these flags to any flagpole. To let you use the flags for a long time, we have strengthened the flag using double safety seams and a tear proof strap at the side of the pole. Due to the quality of this business flag, you show a particular degree of the closeness to Elektrostal Moscow oblast. Details about this flag This landscape Elektrostal Moscow oblast flag is a quality product Made in Germany made of 110g/m² gloss polyester. This Elektrostal Moscow oblast flag is wind- and weather-resistant and highly durable. The flag colors are intensive and UV-resistant. This flag is specially made for outer space. This Elektrostal Moscow oblast flag will be delivered with a double safety-seam as well as with 2 metal eyelets to hoist at the flag pole. The metal eyelets give you great flexibility for placing this flag on any flagstaff. The mast side is reinforced with a white hem. The quality flag material and the metal eyelets will take care of a long endurance of this Elektrostal Moscow oblast flag. If required, the flag can be washed at 60 degrees Celsius. Recommended height of flag pole Elektrostal Moscow oblast flags of 2.16m² | 23sqft | 120x180cm | 4x6ft look best with flagpoles of around 6m | 18ft height. Need a bigger size or an other configuration? We can provide bigger sizes, other configurations, exclusive indoor ...

Customer reviews

Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.

To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.

No customer reviews

• Amazon Newsletter
• About Amazon
• Accessibility
• Sustainability
• Press Center
• Investor Relations
• Amazon Devices
• Amazon Science
• Sell on Amazon
• Sell apps on Amazon
• Supply to Amazon
• Protect & Build Your Brand
• Become an Affiliate
• Become a Delivery Driver
• Start a Package Delivery Business
• Advertise Your Products
• Self-Publish with Us
• Become an Amazon Hub Partner
• › See More Ways to Make Money
• Amazon Visa
• Amazon Store Card
• Amazon Secured Card
• Amazon Business Card
• Shop with Points
• Credit Card Marketplace
• Reload Your Balance
• Amazon Currency Converter
• Your Account
• Your Orders
• Shipping Rates & Policies
• Amazon Prime
• Returns & Replacements
• Manage Your Content and Devices
• Recalls and Product Safety Alerts
• Conditions of Use
• Privacy Notice
• Consumer Health Data Privacy Disclosure
• Your Ads Privacy Choices