The 5 Best Home Care Agencies for Seniors in Urbana, IL for 2024

Located in the Champaign metro, Urbana is a culturally rich city with scenic parks, museums and golf courses. It has over 38,000 residents and is listed on the AARP Age-Friendly Network for its transportation amenities and affordable housing. This provides comfort and convenience to its senior population, which accounts for over 11% of residents. Two hospitals are in the city, including Carle Foundation Hospital and OSF Heart of Mary Medical Center, supporting access to high-quality medical services. The city also has several home care agencies that provide nonmedical services for seniors, including help with toileting and bathing, completing errands, meal preparation and light housekeeping. It differs from home health care, which includes skilled nursing services, but both types of care cost $5,196 per month.

Below we’ve compiled a comprehensive directory of every home care provider in the Urbana 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 Genworth 2021 Cost of Care Survey, seniors in Urbana pay $5,196 per month for in-home care. This is a couple of hundred dollars higher than the national norm of $4,957, but it offers a monthly savings of $150 over the state norm. Seniors in Springfield pay slightly less, with local care costs coming in at $5,100. In Decatur and Carbondale, rates are several hundred dollars less than in Urbana at $4,767 and $4,576, respectively, but in Danville, care costs are over $3,000 higher than in Urbana.

In Urbana, home care is moderately priced compared to other long-term care options, with in-home care and home health care coming in at $5,196 monthly. Assisted living is a few hundred dollars less at $4,750, but nursing home residents pay considerably higher rates of $6,083 for semiprivate accommodations. 

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.