The 5 Best Home Care Agencies for Seniors in Charleston, WV for 2024

Seniors looking for a place to retire or live should consider Charleston, West Virginia. Charleston is an affordable, welcoming and culturally rich city ranked as one of the best places to live for seniors in the Caring Senior Living Report 2022. In-home care services cost an average of $4,481 per month in Charleston, according to the 2021 Genworth Cost of Care Survey, which is more affordable than in many other cities across the U.S. Home care includes personal grooming, light housework and meal preparation. Alternatively, home health care is available for those who need additional medical services from a therapist or nurse. Nearby, Charleston Area Medical Center and West Virginia University Hospital offer the best geriatric care in the state.

Below we’ve compiled a comprehensive directory of every home care provider in the Charleston area – complete with services offered and reviews from families who’ve actually used the service. In addition to our in-depth provider listings, we’ve compiled resources to help seniors and their families to access all the tools they need to age in place safely and gracefully.

According to the 2021 Genworth Cost of Care Survey, Charleston is an affordable city for home care at an average monthly cost of $4,481. Home care costs in Charleston are the highest in the state but less than the national average. The nearby city of Beckley has an average home care cost that is $1,764 cheaper than Charleston, and in Huntington, home care costs remain less expensive by about $800. Other areas in the state are also less costly, including Parkersburg and Wheeling at roughly $1,400 and $1,000 less per month, respectively.

Seniors in Charleston have many long-term care options. Home care and home health care — the latter of which includes medical services from registered nurses — both have an average cost of $4,481. For seniors who need more assistance in a residential facility with round-the-clock staff, assisted living costs about $300 more than home care. As the most costly option, a nursing home facility costs almost three times as much as home care.

Given the high cost of in-home care, many people use one or more forms of financial assistance to cover the expenses. Below, we explain some of the most common sources of financial help for paying for in-home care. If none of these options are available to you, you can reach out to your Area Agency on Aging or Aging and Disability Resource Center to learn about local resources.

• Long-Term Care Insurance: Long-Term Care Insurance covers expenses related to senior care, including in-home care. Depending on the policy type, beneficiaries may receive a cash payment to use towards long-term care or reimbursement for qualifying long-term care expenses. Note that there are limitations- typically a maximum benefit of $150 per day- and exact coverage terms vary depending on the exact policy, so always check the details.
• Medicare: Medicare does not cover in-home care because it is classified as custodial, or non-medical, care. However, some Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement plans, which offer expanded benefits, may cover in-home custodial care.
• Medicaid: Medicaid coverage of in-home care varies between different states because it is not a federally mandated benefit. Currently, all states cover some in-home care either through their standard Medicaid or a waiver program. The specific coverage rules are set individually by each state.
• Veterans’ Benefits: The Aid and Attendance benefit is a monthly cash payment that beneficiaries can use to pay for senior care, including in-home care services. To qualify for A&A, Veterans must already receive the VA pension and meet several additional requirements, including needing assistance with the activities of daily living.Contact the Department of Veterans Affairs to learn more.
• Reverse Mortgages: Home Equity Conversion Mortgages (HECMs) are federally insured loans that are available to homeowners age 62 and over. Reverse mortgages allow you to access a portion of your home’s equity in cash, tax free. Many seniors use reverse mortgages to finance their care expenses, including in-home care. Note that although there are no monthly payments due on reverse mortgage loans, borrowers do have to repay the loan once the last surviving homeowner passes away, moves, or sells the home.