What are in home care services? In simple terms, they’re support services that come to you—helping with daily tasks, safety, and health while you remain in your own home. That support can range from a few hours of weekly help with groceries and bathing to round-the-clock assistance for someone with serious mobility or cognitive issues.

At Diversified Insurance Brokers, we’ve seen more and more families ask how to keep a parent or spouse safely at home for as long as possible. In home care is often the “first step” on the care ladder—long before a nursing home is needed. The challenge is understanding what’s available, what it costs, and how to build a plan that doesn’t derail your retirement.

What In Home Care Services Actually Do

In home care is a broad term. It can include non-medical help with daily living, light medical support, or a mix of both. The goal is almost always the same: keep you safe, comfortable, and as independent as possible in your own home.

Common in home care services include:

• Personal care: Help with bathing, dressing, toileting, grooming, and transferring in and out of bed or chairs.
• Companion care: Conversation, supervision, meal preparation, light housekeeping, and transportation to appointments.
• Medication reminders: Cueing, setting up pill boxes, and making sure medications are taken on time (but not prescribing).
• Home health services: Skilled nursing visits, wound care, IV therapy, or physical/occupational therapy ordered by a doctor.
• Respite care: Short-term help so a spouse or adult child can take a break from full-time caregiving.

Most families start with a few days per week of personal or companion care and then add hours as needs increase. For some, that prevents or significantly delays the need for assisted living or nursing home placement.

In Home Care and Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)

Many in home care plans are built around activities of daily living (ADLs)—the basic self-care tasks we all perform. These typically include bathing, dressing, toileting, transferring, continence, and eating. If you or a loved one struggles with multiple ADLs, it’s a strong sign that ongoing help is needed.

If you’re not familiar with the ADL concept, it’s worth reviewing. Our guide on what activities of daily living are and why they matter explains how ADLs are used to determine eligibility for long-term care benefits and when a care plan should be put in place.

Caregivers can also help with instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs)—things like cooking, managing bills, shopping, laundry, and driving. Losing IADL abilities is often the first early warning sign that someone may need support at home.

Types of In Home Care Providers

When you hear “in home care,” you might picture a nurse—but most of the care people receive at home is non-medical. Providers broadly fall into three categories:

• Home care agencies: These agencies employ caregivers who help with personal care, housekeeping, supervision, and transportation. They’re usually licensed at the state level and handle scheduling, payroll, and background checks.
• Home health agencies: These organizations provide skilled nursing and therapy services—typically under a doctor’s orders. In some cases, Medicare or private insurance may cover short-term home health after a hospital stay.
• Independent or family caregivers: Some families hire caregivers privately or rely on adult children or spouses for most of the day-to-day help.

Agency-based care tends to cost more per hour but offers more structure, back-up staffing, and oversight. Directly hiring caregivers may save money, but you’re also taking on responsibilities like payroll, supervision, and vetting.

What In Home Care Services Typically Cost

Costs vary widely based on where you live, how many hours per week you need, and whether services are medical or non-medical. In many areas, non-medical home care can range from a few thousand dollars per month for part-time help to a similar cost as assisted living if you need near 24/7 coverage. Skilled nursing or therapy visits typically cost more per hour than companion or personal care.

Because costs can rise steadily as needs increase, planning ahead is critical. Many families underestimate how long they’ll need help at home. Others hope that Medicare will pay for long-term support, when in reality it only covers limited, medically necessary home health for short periods—not extended custodial care.

How Long-Term Care Insurance Helps Pay for In Home Care

Modern long-term care insurance is designed to follow you across multiple care settings—including your own home. Once you meet the policy’s benefit triggers (often needing help with a certain number of ADLs or having a qualifying cognitive impairment), the policy can begin reimbursing for in home care services.

Many policies cover:

• Non-medical home care aides
• Home health services (visiting nurses, therapists)
• Adult day care programs
• Care coordination or care management services

Because benefit triggers and covered services differ by policy, it’s important to understand the details before you need care. If you’re exploring coverage for the first time, our guide on how to find, evaluate, and apply for long-term care insurance walks through key decisions like benefit amounts, waiting periods, and inflation protection.

Paying for In Home Care: Common Strategies

Families typically use a combination of sources to pay for in home care over time:

• Out-of-pocket savings: Cash reserves, investment income, or home equity.
• Long-term care insurance benefits: Reimbursements for qualified care services once eligibility is met.
• Hybrid life/LTC policies: Life insurance or annuities with built-in long-term care riders.
• Government programs: Medicaid and VA benefits, where eligible and available.

For many retirees, the goal is to leverage insurance so that a portion of care costs are covered, leaving more of their retirement savings intact. As you evaluate policy options, understanding the tax treatment of benefits can also be helpful. Our overview of the tax benefits of long-term care insurance explains how premiums and benefits may be treated under current rules.

Some clients also pair coverage with income-focused strategies—such as using a portion of savings to fund an annuity that can later help offset home care costs. In certain cases, a non-qualified long-term care annuity can be part of that plan, especially when there are existing taxable assets that you’d like to reposition more efficiently.

Signs It May Be Time to Bring Help into the Home

It’s common for families to delay in home care until a crisis—like a fall or hospitalization—forces the issue. Watching for early warning signs can help you act sooner and avoid rushed decisions.

Red flags include:

• Missed medications or confusion about prescriptions
• Noticeable weight loss, poor appetite, or spoiled food in the fridge
• Decline in personal hygiene or wearing the same clothes repeatedly
• Stacks of unopened mail or unpaid bills
• New dents or scrapes on the car from driving issues
• Increased falls, near-falls, or unexplained bruises
• Wandering, getting lost, or dementia-related behavior changes

Bringing in a few hours of weekly help at this stage can reduce risk and give everyone time to adjust, rather than waiting until 24/7 supervision is the only option.

Building a Plan Around In Home Care

A good plan looks at care needs over time, not just today. That means asking questions like:

• What would we do if one spouse needed help at home for several years?
• Who would coordinate caregivers, medical providers, and appointments?
• Do we have a backup plan if the primary family caregiver becomes ill or overwhelmed?
• How long could we comfortably self-fund in home care before needing to tap other assets?
• Would we prefer to age in place at home as long as possible, or is a move to assisted living later acceptable?

In many households, long-term care insurance is used to “wrap around” these questions, providing a dedicated pool of funds for in home care and other settings. That way, retirement savings aren’t the first line of defense every time a new care expense appears.

How Diversified Insurance Brokers Helps Families

As an independent, family-owned agency, Diversified Insurance Brokers has helped clients plan for in home care and long-term care needs since 1980. We don’t sell one company’s solution; we compare multiple carriers and strategies to help you:

• Understand what in home care services might look like for your situation
• Estimate potential costs at different ages and levels of care
• Review existing coverage you already own and identify gaps
• Compare stand-alone LTC policies and hybrid solutions side-by-side
• Coordinate in home care planning with annuities, life insurance, and retirement income

Whether you’re planning early, in the middle of a care journey, or facing an urgent need, our goal is simple: help you stay in control, protect your family, and make informed choices about care at home.