Home Helpers - Lehigh Valley
3500 Fairview St., Unit 133, Bethlehem, PA, 18017
"The Home Helpers office serving Lehigh Valley was founded in 2004. We are the region's premier provider of non-medical caregiving services f..."
READ MORERanked as the number one place to retire in the northeastern United States, Bethlehem is a charming town in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley just east of Allentown. The Lehigh River runs through Bethlehem, adding to the area’s beautiful scenery, with over a dozen parks and nature centers dotting the area. Shops, museums, pharmacies and restaurants are conveniently located in town. More than 75,600 people live in Bethlehem, with 17.2% of the population aged 65 and up, which is higher than the national average of 16.8%. St. Luke’s University Hospital is an Adult Level I Trauma Center and boasts a nationally recognized open-heart surgery program.
According to Genworth’s Cost of Care Survey for 2021, home care for Bethlehem seniors averages $5,196 per month. This figure is a bit less than the cost for home health care, which includes the services of medical professionals in addition to nonmedical services. Older adults in Bethlehem have convenient access to excellent health care in town.
Below we’ve compiled a comprehensive directory of every home care provider in Bethlehem– 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.
3500 Fairview St., Unit 133, Bethlehem, PA, 18017
"The Home Helpers office serving Lehigh Valley was founded in 2004. We are the region's premier provider of non-medical caregiving services f..."
READ MORE1000 Evergreen Ave, Weatherly, PA, 18255
"Guardian Home & Community Services is rooted throughout Pennsylvania and is known as a trusted leader in the field of health care. The Gu..."
READ MORE1322 Ferry St, Easton, PA, 18042
6628 Woodland Ave, Philadelphia, PA, 19142
" Our priority at Comfort For All Home Care is to deliver excellent quality service in patient home/or communities by providing the highest..."
READ MORE190 Brodhead Road, Suite #305, Bethlehem, PA, 18017
Costs for in-home care in Bethlehem average $5,196 per month, which is more than $230 more expensive than both the national and Pennsylvania averages for the same types of assistance. In East Stroudsburg, home care prices are very similar to those in Bethlehem, while in Scranton and Reading, seniors pay an average of $600 less per month. Senior in-home care fees are more expensive moving southwest of Bethlehem, where care costs are about $145 more in Philadelphia.
Bethlehem
$5,196
Pennsylvania
$4,957
The United States
$4,957
East Stroudsburg
$5,144
Scranton
$4,576
Reading
$4,576
Philadelphia
$5,329
While home health care in Bethlehem is more expensive than in-home care, health care professionals, such as nurses and therapists, provide services that personal aides do not. The least expensive option for seniors is recreational programs offered in adult day care centers. These programs are beneficial to seniors who can travel to the centers within their communities. Assisted living is also less costly than either type of in-home care for seniors in this city. Nursing homes are the priciest option, costing over $7,000.
Home Care
$5,196
Home Health Care
$5,243
Adult Day Care
$1,625
Assisted Living
$4,784
Nursing Home Care (semiprivate room)
$12,461
Note: Data for Boxford was unavailable, so data for the nearest city, Boston, was used instead.
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.
Home care services are only one of the pieces needed for seniors to gracefully age in place. There are many services and programs that are low-cost or free, that enable seniors to enjoy an independent lifestyle in the comfort of their own home, such as help with home modifications, meal delivery services, and more. Below, we’ve compiled a few of the most helpful resources in Bethlehem:
Resource | Contact | Address | Service |
---|---|---|---|
Meals on Wheels of the Greater Lehigh Valley | 610-691-1030 | 4240 Fritch Drive, Bethlehem, PA 18020 | Meals on Wheels provides meals and other personalized services to homebound elderly and disabled adults in Bethlehem. Meals on Wheels’ experienced nutritionists set up special meals to ensure their clients are well-nourished according to USDA guidelines. |
Weatherization Assistance Program | (610) 691-5620 | 1337 East Fifth Street, Bethlehem, PA 10815 | This Community Action Committee of Lehigh County program helps low-income citizens by ensuring their home is weatherized for the winter. Elderly and disabled citizens are a priority, and assistance is available for individuals whose household income is at or below 200% of the federal poverty level. |
Respite Care Service | (610) 867-2177 | 321 Wyandotte Street, Bethlehem, PA 18015 | ShareCare Faith In Action provides much-needed respite care for the caregivers of elderly and homebound people. A volunteer comes to the residence and temporarily relieves the caregiver so they have time to take care of personal needs. The nonprofit organization specializes in assisting seniors with quality of life needs such as transportation, shopping and visitation. A new program using GrandPad Senior Tablets helps seniors communicate with easy-to-use technology. |
Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program | (610) 821-6509 | 555 Union Boulevard, Suite 3, Allentown, PA 18109 | The LIHEAP federal program helps homeowners with low or no income pay their heating bills. When applicants have met the federal guidelines for income and household size, they can get a discount or full payment of bills for gas or electricity. Individuals or households can also seek assistance to pay telephone bills. |
Senior Property Tax Relief | (610) 782-3038 | 17 South Seventh Street, Room 517, Allentown, PA 18101 | In 2006, Governor Ed Rendell signed the Taxpayer Relief Act. This law helps Pennsylvania’s school districts use money generated by its casinos rather than property tax revenue, taking the burden of property taxes from homeowners, especially senior citizens, for years to come. An application must be filed with the County Assessor’s office annually to receive this benefit. |
Aging can be a difficult process, and loved ones may not always ask for help – often times it’s up to their family to evaluate their need for help around the house. While no two situations are exactly alike, this checklist can help you and your loved ones determine when it’s time to start the search for a home care provider.
If you’ve determined that your loved one needs the assistance of a care provider in their home, it may be time for a difficult conversation. Handled correctly, however, this process can bring a family together and ensure that everyone’s concerns are addressed. Use this PDF as a starting point to help the conversation stay as positive and productive as possible.