The 5 Best Home Care Agencies for Seniors in Elizabethton, TN for 2024

Elizabethton is home to a large senior community that makes up a fifth of its 14,000 residents, fostering a welcoming environment for retirees. Its modest cost of living combined with its lack of state income taxes make it a budget-friendly long-term option for many seniors, and its comfortable weather lets many older adults enjoy an active lifestyle year-round. The city also has several home care agencies to support older adults who live at home. These agencies provide a range of nonmedical services, such as help with household chores, meal preparation and personal care, and they charge $4,004 for services. They don’t provide the skilled nursing services that home health care agencies do, but older adults who need medical support have access to Sycamore Shoals Hospital.

Below we've compiled a comprehensive directory of every home care provider in the Elizabethton 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 reports that seniors in Elizabethton pay $4,004 per month on average for home care, making this among the most affordable places in the state and nation for this level of care. By comparison, the Tennessee average is about 14% higher than in Elizabethton, and nationally, rates exceed the local norm by 24%. Rates come in about $190 less than what seniors pay for home care in Jackson, and in Memphis, care costs are 6% above Elizabethton’s average. Similarly, in Kingsport, older adults pay $4,338 for this level of care, and in Knoxville, monthly fees are roughly $750 more per month than the average in Elizabethton.

In Elizabethton, home care agencies charge $4,004 per month for nonmedical care. While this is about $2,900 higher than the cost of adult day health care, which features daytime services outside the home, it’s nearly $100 less per month than the cost of assisted living. In-home care costs the same as home health care, which features skilled nursing in the individual’s home, and it’s about 47% less than the cost of nursing 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 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.