How Much Does In Home Care Cost?
When we experience a severely debilitating disease, or injury, most of us would much rather get the help we need with things like dressing, managing meals and medication, and getting around in our own homes instead of going into a facility like a rehab or nursing home. How to pay for the help we need is where too many of us fall into the long term care gap.
What is the average in home care cost in Washington?
According to the Cost of Care Survey, conducted by Genworth Financial, the median cost for home health aide services in the U.S. is $27 per hour. And to the surprise of many consumers, neither private health insurance nor Medicare covers long term care costs like paying for a home care aide, home modifications, meals or medical equipment.
In Washington State rates for professional home care aides range from $16/hr to $38/hr, according to SeniorCare.com
Whether we are experiencing diminished physical or mental capacity to care for ourselves, most of us want to stay home, close to family and friends. Many count on family members who have retired, or quit work to care for them. In fact, nearly 1 in 4 Americans are caring for a family member and that number is growing.
But without respite care and financial support, unpaid family caregivers can burnout quickly. Relying on family or friends can be unsustainable, and many folks don’t have anyone around to help care for them. In fact, more Americans are living alone, are childless or kinless.
“I believe that home care is one of the best medicines there is.”
-Silvia, Seattle, WA
How much will in home care cost my family?
The level of care you need will help determine how much help you need and how much that will cost.
Do you just need someone to help with errands like picking up prescriptions or groceries, making meals, and cleaning a few times a week?
Or, do you need help getting around, making meals, dressing, bathing and managing medication a few hours a day?
To know how much in-home care costs will be for you and your family, you’ll need to think about the level of care and support you need. For those who do not need 24/7 care, home care can be a much more affordable option than moving into a long term care facility.
“None of our loved ones had resources to pay someone to help with their daily personal needs. Our family took shifts caregiving while continuing to work to pay our bills. It wears you out mentally, physically and financially.
-Linda, Arlington, WA
WA Cares is a safety net no different from unemployment insurance – we hope we never need it, but glad it’s there if we do.”
Washingtonians can tap their WA Cares benefit to pay for in home care
Workers in Washington now have a flexible state benefit they can use to pay for a home care aide, medical equipment or modifications that make it possible to stay at home as long as possible.
WA Cares benefits, starting at $36,500 and increasing with inflation, become available to workers who qualify for long term care services beginning in 2026. Assuming a 2.5% annual inflation adjustment, this benefit will grow to $66,019 by 2050.
Funds can help pay for home modifications, such as installing ramps to replace stairs, grab bars, and walk-in showers. They can be used for medical equipment such as wheelchairs, scooters, medication reminders, supplies for wound care and more. You can use your WA Cares benefit to pay for rides to appointments and grocery shopping, or meal delivery.
And WA Cares benefits make it possible for Washingtonians to get in home care by providing resources to pay for a home care aide to help with daily activities like dressing, bathing, meals, and getting around. You can even use your WA Cares benefits to pay a family member to care for you at home.Find out about your WA Cares benefits with this helpful calculator.
