The 10 Best In-Home Care Services for Seniors in Knoxville, TN for 2023

Q: How many home care agencies are there near Knoxville?

Seniors seeking a home care agency in and around Knoxville have <a href="https://www.caring.com/local/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&amp;type=in-home-care&amp;location=knoxville%2C+tn">33 agencies</a> available to meet their varying needs. These home care providers offer various services in the clients’ homes, and costs may vary based on the number of hours or days per week a client needs a caregiver to visit.

Q: What is the difference between in-home care and home health care?

The biggest difference between in-home care and home health care is that in-home care won’t include medical care. In-home care provides companionship, personal care and chore services. Caregivers may help with bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, transferring and other activities of daily living. Plus, chore services like light housekeeping, meal preparation, grocery shopping and taking clients to run errands. Home health care provides home care with skilled medical care. Medical services are generally provided by registered nurses and/or therapists based on the client’s needs. However, the same agency may provide both types of home care.

Q: How do you pay for senior care at home?

Seniors may pay for their in-home care through a private pay arrangement with a home care agency if they have the means. Those with limited incomes may apply for Tennessee&#8217;s CHOICES program to help cover home care costs. <a href="https://www.tn.gov/content/tn/tenncare/long-term-services-supports/choices.html">TennCare CHOICES</a> helps seniors aged 65 or older remain in their own homes with services including activities of daily living like bathing and dressing, and instrumental ADLs like shopping, housekeeping, food preparation, etc. Applicants must be Medicaid eligible. Personal care services may also be provided through the <a href="https://www.tn.gov/content/tn/aging/our-programs/options.html">OPTIONS for Community Living</a> program, which uses a sliding fee scale based on income.

Q: Who pays for cleaning supplies in home care?

Whether the client or the home care agency pays for cleaning supplies differs by company. However, many companies that furnish cleaning supplies often pass these costs on to their clients. The cost may be included in the hourly rate or charged separately. The home care contract should outline who pays for what and whether any additional charges apply for cleaning-related items.

Q: What is a home care assessment?

When starting home care, the home care agency typically performs a home care assessment. This assessment includes discussing care requirements and a walk-through of the home to look for fall hazards and other safety risks. Afterward, the care provider offers ways to optimize the home to increase safety and creates a detailed care plan based on the client’s needs in order to outline a schedule and list of included services.

Caring’s 2022 Senior Living Report ranked Knoxville as the top city in Tennessee for providing seniors with the best overall health and quality of life statewide. Knoxville’s lower housing costs, numerous primary care physicians, percentage of ADA-accessible transit and other factors make it a senior-friendly location. Seniors aging in place at home find high-quality medical services at Parkwest Medical Center and The University of Tennessee Medical Center, both ranked No.1 in Knoxville and No. 4 in Tennessee. Genworth’s 2021 Cost of Care Survey lists the average cost of home care in Knoxville as $4,757 per month, lower than the national average. Home care differs from home health care because it doesn’t include nursing care.

Below we’ve compiled a comprehensive directory of every home care provider in the Knoxville 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.

Directory of Home Care Services in Knoxville, TN

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Paying for Home Care in Knoxville, TN

The Cost of Home Care in Knoxville, TN

The 2021 Genworth Cost of Care Survey shows $4,757 per month as Knoxville’s average cost of home care, which is higher than the state average by $181. However, it’s lower than the national average by $200. Compared to other cities in the state, Knoxville’s average home care cost is more than all of them except Chattanooga. Its average is higher by just $10. Conversely, Cleveland’s cost is $38 less, Kingsport’s is $419 less and Memphis’ is $515 less.

Knoxville

$4,757

Tennessee

$4,576

The United States

$4,957

Memphis

$4,242

Kingsport

$4,338

Cleveland

$4,719

Chattanooga

$4,767

The Cost of Home Care vs. Other Senior Care Options in Knoxville, TN

Home care provides assistance with personal and household tasks but doesn’t include medical services like home health care. Generally, this makes home care lower in cost, but this isn’t true in Knoxville. Its average home care cost is $4,757, while home health care is lower at $4,715. Seniors needing limited care during daytime hours might seek adult day health, which costs $1,517. Assisted living costs less than home care at $3,823, but requires seniors to move into an assisted living facility. Nursing home care costs the most of all senior care options, averaging $7,148 per month for semiprivate rooms in Knoxville.

Home Care

$4,757

Home Health Care

$4,715

Adult Day Health Care

$1,517

Assisted Living

$3,823

Nursing Home Care (semiprivate room)

$7,148

Financial Assistance for Home Care in Knoxville, TN

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.

Free & Low-Cost Home Care Resources in Knoxville, TN

Aging adults in Knoxville who choose to age in place at home often need additional support to retain their independence. Several government entities and nonprofit organizations provide various programs to provide the support seniors need to remain in their homes longer at little or no cost.

Resource	Contact	Service
Community Action Committee	(865) 244-3080	The CAC of Knoxville and Knox County improves the quality of life of low-income residents. Its Emergency Home Repair Program provides repairs that help seniors remain independent and in their homes. CAC’s Weatherization Assistance Program reduces energy consumption and saves on energy bills. Both programs focus on the elderly, disabled and homes with children.
Property Tax Relief Program	(615) 401-7774	The Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury operates the Property Tax Relief Program for homeowners who are elderly, disabled, disabled veterans or surviving spouses of disabled veterans. Elderly applicants must be age 65 before the last day of the year requesting relief, own their home and meet income requirements.
Knoxville-Knox County Mobile Meals	(865) 524-2786	Knoxville-Knox County Mobile Meals delivers midday meals five days a week, plus Thanksgiving and Christmas, to residents aged 60 or older who can’t leave their homes without assistance and can’t cook for themselves. Participants are asked to cover a portion of their meal costs based on income.
Low Income Housing Energy Assistance Program	(865) 637-6700	LIHEAP is available through the Knoxville-Knox County Community Action. This program is designed to help low-income seniors and other residents countywide cover the costs of their heating and cooling bills. LIHEAP assistance may be applied to current or past utility bills.
Volunteer Assisted Transportation	(865) 673-5001	VAT offers low-cost rides to seniors and disabled individuals who might not otherwise be able to leave their homes. Volunteers use hybrid sedans and wheelchair-accessible minivans to take eligible riders to doctor appointments, pharmacies, grocery stores and social trips. Rides may be provided anywhere in Knox County and outside the county on a case-by-case basis.

Determining Your Loved One’s Need for In-Home Care

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.

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Checklist for determining the need for home care

Guidelines for Talking About In-Home Care

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.

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Talking with Family and Others about a loved one's needs

The 10 Best In-Home Care Services for Seniors in Knoxville, TN for 2023