The 10 Best Home Care Agencies for Seniors in Bessemer, AL for 2024

Bessemer creates a welcoming environment for older adults through a range of cultural amenities and historic attractions. It has a variety of community-based programs and services for local seniors, an age group that accounts for nearly a fifth of the city’s 25,000 residents, and features such as its low cost of living and high access to health care make it a feasible long-term option for seniors. Medical West Main Campus is in Bessemer proper, and numerous agencies provide in-home support for older adults. The Genworth 2021 Cost of Care Survey shows that in-home care, which includes nonmedical services, such as personal care and meal preparation, costs $4,242 per month. This is lower than the cost of home health care, which includes skilled nursing services.

Below we've compiled a comprehensive directory of every home care provider in the Bessemer 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.

The Genworth 2021 Cost of Care Survey shows that Bessemer is among the more expensive places in Alabama for those seeking in-home care, with local agencies charging $4,242 per month for services. This exceeds the Alabama median by 11%, but it’s hundreds of dollars below the national norm of $4,957. Other cities in the northern region of Alabama typically have lower home care costs, including Huntsville, where seniors pay $4,004, and Tuscaloosa, where rates are about 10% below Bessemer’s average. Similarly, seniors in Florence pay about $670 less per month for care than Bessemer residents, and in Anniston, rates are competitive at $2,955.

Seniors who prefer to obtain private care at home pay approximately $4,242 monthly for full-time non medical in-home care, which includes basic services such as personal care, light chores and meal preparation. Home health care, which includes skilled nursing services, costs an additional $96 per month on average. However, seniors may save a significant amount of money on care expenses by opting for adult day health care, which features care in a community setting for 80% less than in-home care. Assisted living is a little more affordable at $4,028, but nursing home care is costlier at $6,768.

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 to pay 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 nonmedical 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 services 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 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 tax-free portion of your home's equity in cash. 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 have to repay the loan once the last surviving homeowner passes away, moves, or sells the home.