How Much Does Home Care Cost?
Most seniors hope to get through their elder years without ever having to leave their home behind. 87% of them have said they want to age in place, maintaining the sense of home many of them have associated for years with a particular house or apartment.
That wish isn’t always possible to manage. Sometimes health issues reach a point where seniors need a level of care that they can’t manage on their own or get from a family member. When that happens, many families consider nursing homes or assisted living facilities, but a growing number are also pursuing the possibility of an option that makes aging in place possible: home health care.
What is Home Health Care?
Home health care involves hiring an aid that comes for a set length of time to provide care for someone. If a family can provide care for a loved one during evenings and weekends, but not during the typical workweek, a home health care worker can fill in the gaps and show up for the hours when no one else is available.
Home health care is a great option for many people who want to maintain some independence and their own space in spite of needing a high level of care, but the one-on-one nature of that care can make it expensive.
National Average Cost of Home Health Care
Genworth collected data over the past year on home health care costs. They looked both at the costs of homemaker services, which include tasks such as cooking, cleaning and running errands; and home health aide services, which provide more extensive care for seniors who need help with tasks like getting dressed and taking medicine on time.
The national average for one year’s worth of each is:
- $45,760 for Homemaker Services
- $46,332 for a Home Health Aide
Average Cost of Home Health Care by State
The national average doesn’t necessarily tell you what you can expect though. Prices for home health care vary throughout the United States. Genworth also broke down how the averages play out state by state.
Alaska Average Home Health Care Cost:
Homemaker: $59.488
Home health aid: $61,776
Alabama Average Home Health Care Cost:
Homemaker: $36,608
Home health aid: $37,752
Arkansas Average Home Health Care Cost:
Homemaker: $41,184
Home health aid: $41,184
Arizona Average Home Health Care Cost:
Homemaker: $45760
Home health aid: $47,979
California Average Home Health Care Cost:
Homemaker: $52,624
Home health aid: $54,912
Colorado Average Home Health Care Cost:
Homemaker: $51,480
Home health aid: $54,912
Connecticut Average Home Health Care Cost:
Homemaker: $45,760
Home health aid: $50,336
Delaware Average Home Health Care Cost:
Homemaker: $50,336
Home health aid: $53,768
Florida Average Home Health Care Cost:
Homemaker: $42,328
Home health aid: $45,188
Georgia Average Home Health Care Cost:
Homemaker: $41,184
Home health aid: $41,184
Hawaii Average Home Health Care Cost:
Homemaker: $54,912
Home health aid: $57,772
Iowa Average Home Health Care Cost:
Homemaker: $48,048
Home health aid: $52,624
Idaho Average Home Health Care Cost:
Homemaker: $45,760
Home health aid: $45,760
Illinois Average Home Health Care Cost:
Homemaker: $48,345
Home health aid: $50,336
Indiana Average Home Health Care Cost:
Homemaker: $44,616
Home health aid: $45,760
Kansas Average Home Health Care Cost:
Homemaker: $45,760
Home health aid: $46,332
Kentucky Average Home Health Care Cost:
Homemaker: $41,184
Home health aid: $42,900
Louisiana Average Home Health Care Cost:
Homemaker: $34,892
Home health aid: $36,608
Massachusetts Average Home Health Care Cost:
Homemaker: $56,857
Home health aid: $57,200
Maryland Average Home Health Care Cost:
Homemaker: $45,485
Home health aid: $47,476
Maine Average Home Health Care Cost:
Homemaker: $50,336
Home health aid: $54,340
Michigan Average Home Health Care Cost:
Homemaker: $46,332
Home health aid: $48,048
Minnesota Average Home Health Care Cost:
Homemaker: $54,912
Home health aid: $59,488
Missouri Average Home Health Care Cost:
Homemaker: $42,603
Home health aid: $43,472
Mississippi Average Home Health Care Cost:
Homemaker: $38,896
Home health aid: $38,896
Montana Average Home Health Care Cost:
Homemaker: $52,624
Home health aid: $52,624
North Carolina Average Home Health Care Cost:
Homemaker: $40,612
Home health aid: $41,184
North Dakota Average Home Health Care Cost:
Homemaker: $63,972
Home health aid: $63,972
Nebraska Average Home Health Care Cost:
Homemaker: $52,624
Home health aid: $53,768
New Hampshire Average Home Health Care Cost:
Homemaker: $54,912
Home health aid: $57,200
New Jersey Average Home Health Care Cost:
Homemaker: $48,048
Home health aid: $50,336
New Mexico Average Home Health Care Cost:
Homemaker: $47,453
Home health aid: $48,025
Nevada Average Home Health Care Cost:
Homemaker: $48,620
Home health aid: $48,048
New York Average Home Health Care Cost:
Homemaker: $50,336
Home health aid: $52,624
Ohio Average Home Health Care Cost:
Homemaker: $44,616
Home health aid: $45,760
Oklahoma Average Home Health Care Cost:
Homemaker: $45,760
Home health aid: $47,705
Oregon Average Home Health Care Cost:
Homemaker: $52,624
Home health aid: $52,624
Pennsylvania Average Home Health Care Cost:
Homemaker: $49,192
Home health aid: $49,306
Rhode Island Average Home Health Care Cost:
Homemaker: $52,624
Home health aid: $57,200
South Carolina Average Home Health Care Cost:
Homemaker: $41,184
Home health aid: $42,297
South Dakota Average Home Health Care Cost:
Homemaker: $52,647
Home health aid: $53,768
Tennessee Average Home Health Care Cost:
Homemaker: $41,184
Home health aid: $41,184
Texas Average Home Health Care Cost:
Homemaker: $43,358
Home health aid: $43,472
Utah Average Home Health Care Cost:
Homemaker: $48,048
Home health aid: $48,048
Virginia Average Home Health Care Cost:
Homemaker: $43,472
Home health aid: $44,593
Vermont Average Home Health Care Cost:
Homemaker: $50,336
Home health aid: $53,768
Washington Average Home Health Care Cost:
Homemaker: $56,834
Home health aid: $56,834
Wisconsin Average Home Health Care Cost:
Homemaker: $51,480
Home health aid: $52,624
West Virginia Average Home Health Care Cost:
Homemaker: $36,333
Home health aid: $37,752
Wyoming Average Home Health Care Cost:
Homemaker: $59,488
Home health aid: $52,052
The state averages get quite a bit closer to helping you understand what to expect from home health care costs in your area, but you can even find a lot of variety in costs for different areas of the same state.
Your best bet for knowing what home health care will cost you is to look at the options in your own community.
How to Find a Quality Home Health Care Provider
If your family is interested in hiring home health care for a loved one, then you can browse the providers in your own city, get a feel for the typical costs, and read reviews provided by people like you that have tried them out.
You can probably expect the costs to be significant, but if the needs of your loved one require that level of care, it often makes more sense to turn to a professional than to struggle trying to do it on your own. Finding the right home health care option can make your life much easier and your loved one’s life better.
4 Comments
-
None of the figures mentioned state how many hours per week of home care.That would be helpful information.
-
I’m am very interested in senior care. I will be needing help in the near future and want to be as prepared as possible. I feel like the more I find out on my own the more say I will have when the time comes for me to do something.
-
Thank you for this information. I am providing care to my wife with the help of aides.