How Much Does Overnight Home Care Cost?
Date Updated: December 9, 2024
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Kristi Bickmann, a licensed Long-Term Care Specialist, represents top-rated "Traditional" & "Hybrid" LTC companies. Serving associations such as the American Nurses Association, she's a licensed insurance agent in 27 states. Specializing in insurance products for seniors, Kristi helps hundreds of families every year protect assets, retirement, and loved ones. She understands aging concerns firsthand, having assisted her own parents. Kristi ensures accuracy on topics about senior long-term care and its consequences.
Overnight home care costs approximately $21,840 per month, according to data from the 2024 Genworth Cost of Care Survey. This figure includes 168 hours of care per week. Exact costs vary, depending on factors such as the level of care needed, location and caregiver qualifications.
Overnight Home Care Costs Explained
Home care offers assistance and support to seniors who prefer to remain in their homes instead of residing in an assisted living or nursing facility. Because seniors receive customized help, they can expect to pay higher costs — especially for overnight care. Common home care services include assistance with daily living activities, medication reminders, housekeeping and transportation to appointments. Costs increase if the senior requires specialized support, such as memory care or physical therapy.
The location also impacts expenses. Due to varying costs of living, certain states have higher home care costs than others. For example, in California, 24/7 home care costs $26,208 per month, $4,368 above the national average. In Texas, meanwhile, 24/7 home care costs $16,380 per month, $5,460 below the national average. Seniors should also consider the caregiver's qualifications. In general, more experienced caregivers charge higher rates.
How to Pay for Overnight Home Care
Seniors have many options when funding home care. Some use personal savings and income to cover expenses. If seniors don't have the funds available, they may be able to use insurance. Traditional Medicare, Medicare Advantage and long-term care insurance policies sometimes cover part of the costs. Coverage varies greatly depending on the exact policy.
Other funding options include life insurance and reverse mortgages. Some life insurance policies permit seniors to access benefits early to pay for care, and reverse mortgages allow homeowners over age 62 to convert part of their home's value into cash to pay for long-term care. Seniors interested in saving money may prefer assisted living or nursing care; both offer 24/7 supervision. The median monthly cost of assisted living is $5,350, while nursing home care's monthly median cost is $8,669, making them affordable alternatives.