At-Home Care: When One Says "No" to Home Care Because of Cost Worries

Most adults want to remain in their homes as they age. Those of us in the home care industry have heard this time and again, and it’s an opinion confirmed by research.

According to a study commissioned by Home Instead, Inc., for the Home Instead® network, 86% of seniors want to live at home for as long as possible. But many older adults need help to achieve that goal. 

In fact, as individuals age, some form of care is often necessary to remain at home. There generally are two types of home care:

Home health care provided by licensed medical professionals for which the individual has received an order or prescription from a healthcare provider. 

In-home care such as personal care, homemaker or companionship services provided by professional caregivers.

Cost can be a concern for many aging adults. Perhaps you have these apprehensions yourself or your aging parents have expressed this worry. But home care can help older adults stay independent and home longer, and cost doesn’t need to be a roadblock. 

Research reveals that home care is, in fact, one of the most affordable options available, according to industry surveys. Consider this, from the 2021 Genworth Cost of Care Survey: Nationally, the daily costs of homemaker services ($163) compare favorably with $260 for a semi-private nursing home room. So, older adults could stay in their own homes with the support they need to remain independent. 

Not only could home care allow you or your parents to remain at home, services are designed to be flexible and geared to their needs. For example, Home Instead provides at-home care and companionship support for aging adults from a few hours a day to 24/7 support. Services span the care continuum... from providing personal care to specialized Alzheimer’s care and hospice support. 

Because home care services, both home health and in-home care, are often only required for a few hours a week, the savings to aging adults can be significant. A Home Instead, Inc. study indicates that 22% of the Home Instead network’s clients employ care professionals for four hours or less per week, and another 20% of clients employ care professionals between four and eight hours each week. Depending on the level of care needed, home care has the potential to save thousands of dollars a month compared with nursing homes and assisted living facilities.

For more information, visit Rob Costello’s Home Instead Senior Care, in the Wellness Village at ParkinsonsResource.org/the-wellness-village/directory/home-instead-senior-care, where he has been a member since February.