May fit when
- Wants to remain at home
- Needs part-time or full-time non-medical support
- Family needs caregiver relief
May not be enough when
- Unsafe home environment without enough support
- Severe wandering risk without supervision
- Medical needs requiring skilled nursing unless paired with home health
Questions families should ask
- How many hours are needed each week?
- Are caregivers employees, contractors, bonded, and background checked?
- What happens if the caregiver is unavailable?
- Can care increase quickly?
- Is skilled home health also needed?
Coverage and payment questions
- Non-medical home care is often private-pay. Medicare may cover limited home health services when medical criteria are met, but not ordinary long-term custodial home care.
- Ask whether Medicaid waiver, VA benefits, long-term care insurance, private-pay contracts, or Medicare-covered medical services are relevant.
- Request written fee schedules, care-level rules, and discharge or transfer policies.