Finding the Right Home Health Care For You

A smiling woman sitting on a couch is checked over by a smiling nurse.

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Caring for an elderly or disabled relative can be rewarding, but it can also be time-consuming and exhausting. More than 50 million people in the U.S. are caregivers, according to Guardian Life Insurance, and nearly two-thirds of those individuals have a full- or part-time job. If you need extra assistance with caring for a relative, a caregiving professional can help.

Before you hire someone, determine what kind of care your loved one needs. If he or she is mostly independent and primarily needs assistance with shopping and running errands, consider hiring a companion caregiver. While formal training isn’t required, some agencies require that the companions they employ have a high school diploma.

If your loved one needs help with basic hygiene tasks, such as bathing and using the bathroom, you may need a personal care aide. Standards for PCAs vary by state, with some states requiring up to 100 hours of training. You can find your own state’s PCA requirements here.

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A home health aide performs simple medical tasks, such as taking blood pressure. A home health aide may also report on your loved one’s medical condition to a health care professional. Requirements for home health aides vary by state. You can check your state’s rules here.

A certified nursing assistant can perform some medical procedures, such as wound care and emptying catheter bags. Check your state’s CNA certification requirements here.

Once you determine what kind of caregiver your loved one needs, the next decision is whether you want to hire one independently or through a home health care agency. Start by asking your loved one’s doctor for recommendations or resources. Friends and family members who have hired a caregiver may also be able to provide a reference.

If you decide to place an ad on a job search site, specify the needed skills, experience and hours. Ask candidates for their caregiver certifications and for two references from former employers. If your loved one needs to be driven to doctors’ appointments, ask to see job candidates’ driver’s licenses.

Once you’ve selected a caregiver, you’ll need to negotiate an hourly wage. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median pay for a home health care aide in 2023 was $16.12 an hour, but depending on your loved one’s needs and the cost of living in your area, you may have to pay a much higher hourly wage.

Using a home health care agency

Hiring a caregiver through a home health care agency will cost up to 30% more than hiring one on your own, but an agency will vet caregivers and manage the administrative responsibilities, says Linda Abbit, a caregiving expert and author of The Conscious Caregiver. An agency can provide a backup if your caregiver is unavailable, too.

Paying for home health care

If your loved one has long-term-care insurance, it may cover caregiving costs. Similarly, if your loved one has a life insurance policy or annuity with a long-term-care component, you may be able to use those funds. Medicaid covers some home health care for low-income seniors; eligibility and services covered vary by state. Go here for details on your state.

Note: This item first appeared in Kiplinger Personal Finance Magazine, a monthly, trustworthy source of advice and guidance. Subscribe to help you make more money and keep more of the money you make here.

Ella Vincent is a personal finance writer who has written about credit, retirement, and employment issues. She has previously written for Motley Fool and Yahoo Finance. She enjoys going to concerts in her native Chicago and watching basketball.