The 10 Best Home Care Agencies for Seniors in Fort Lawn, SC for 2024

Fort Lawn is located in the far east of Chester County, which has 32,209 residents, 19.4% of whom are seniors aged 65 and older. This is above the national average of 16.8%, making the area more tailored to older adults. Specific community resources are available for seniors, including a County Council on Aging. The town offers a low cost of living and access to health care, such as the nearby MUSC Health Lancaster Medical Center.

According to the 2021 Genworth Cost of Care Survey, the average monthly cost of home care in Fort Lawn is $4,668, which is slightly higher than the South Carolina average, and includes personal care and assistance with daily tasks. For seniors who require medical services at home, home health care is a better choice.

Below we’ve compiled a comprehensive directory of every home care provider in Fort Lawn– 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 monthly costs of home care in Fort Lawn are $4,668. This is $235 higher than the state average, and $289 lower than the national average. An hour away in Columbia, monthly home care costs are $283 lower than Fort Lawn. Nearby in Spartanburg, monthly costs are about $592 lower than Fort Lawn. The least affordable home care costs in the state are found further south in Charleston, which is $337 more expensive, and Hilton Head island, which is $909 more expensive.

Monthly home care costs in Fort Lawn are typically about $100 cheaper than home health care, which includes light medical services such as wound care and medication administration. Assisted living costs around $270 less than home care and a semiprivate room in a skilled nursing community is typically $3,088 more than home care. The most affordable care option is adult day care, which is around $3,500 cheaper than 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.