Home Care Agencies

Kind, trained people who come to your home. They help your mom or dad with meals, baths, errands, and being safe at home.

What is home care?

Home care is non-medical help at home. A caregiver comes to your house and helps with things you used to do on your own.

That can be bathing, meals, laundry, rides to the doctor, or just having someone around. The caregiver is trained but is not a nurse.

You don’t need a doctor’s order. You don’t need to be sick. If you or someone you love needs help to stay safe at home, home care is the right fit.

Who is home care for?

Most people who get home care are seniors. But anyone can use it. Common reasons:

Mom or dad is getting older and can’t do things alone
Someone has memory loss or dementia
Coming home from the hospital and need help while you heal
A family caregiver needs a break (this is called respite)
You want company and a check-in once a day

How is home care paid for?

Most home care is paid out of pocket. Medicare does not pay for non-medical home care. That trips up a lot of families.

Other ways to pay for it:

Long-term care insurance (if mom or dad bought it years ago)
VA Aid and Attendance (for veterans and their spouses)
Medicaid waiver programs (rules change by state)
Private pay — many families pay by the hour

Hourly rates change a lot by city. The national average is around $30 an hour. Some cities are higher.

Home care vs. home health

These names sound the same. They are not.

Home Care

• Daily help, no doctor needed
• Caregivers and aides
• Private pay or LTC insurance
• Long-term, sometimes for years
• Anyone can get it

Home Health

• Medical care, ordered by a doctor
• Nurses and therapists
• Paid by Medicare in most cases
• Short-term (weeks to months)
• You must be mostly homebound

Learn about home health →

What does home care help with?

Caregivers help with the things mom or dad used to do every day. The list is long:

Bathing & Dressing

Help getting clean and ready for the day.

Meals

Cooking, feeding, watching for choking risks.

Errands

Groceries, drug store, post office, doctor visits.

Light Housekeeping

Laundry, dishes, making the bed, tidying up.

Companionship

Talking, games, walks, just being around.

Memory Care

Routine and safety for dementia or Alzheimer’s.

Mobility Help

Getting in and out of bed, walking, going to the bathroom.

Medication Reminders

Reminding mom or dad to take pills on time.

Find home care near you

Pick your state to see home care agencies. We list every state-licensed agency in our database.

Don’t see your state? Search any state at homecareatlas.com/agencies.

How to pick a home care agency

Here’s what matters when you call around:

State licensed. Most states require a license to run a home care agency. Ask for the license number.
Background checks. The agency should run a check on every caregiver before they come to your home.
Caregiver match. Ask how they pick the caregiver. Will it be the same person each visit? Can you meet them first?
Backup plan. What happens if the caregiver gets sick? Will someone else come?
Hourly rate. Get the rate in writing. Ask about minimums and holiday rates.

Need help right now?

Search our directory for home care agencies in your city or zip code.