How Much Does Home Care Cost?

How Much Does Home Care Cost? 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.

Kristen Hicks is an Austin-based copywriter and lifelong student with an ongoing curiousity to learn and explore new things. She turns that interest to researching and exploring subjects helpful to seniors and their families for SeniorAdvisor.com.

4 Comments

  1. H Clemens July 28, 2016 Reply

    None of the figures mentioned state how many hours per week of home care.That would be helpful information.

  2. Jo Lyn Brooke July 29, 2016 Reply

    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.

  3. Abraham November 14, 2017 Reply

    Thank you for this information. I am providing care to my wife with the help of aides.

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