The 5 Best Home Care Agencies for Seniors in Sandy Hook, VA for 2024

Sandy Hook is a rural community in Goochland County, just off I-64 and about 40 minutes from downtown Richmond. The 2020 Census found the county’s seniors comprise an above-average 23.4% of its 24,727 residents. It’s somewhere for seniors who prefer a peaceful and leisurely pace of life in surroundings studded with lush green trees and farmland. The community has one store, which also serves as the gas station and post office. For general health care, the nearest hospital is Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association on the edge of Richmond, which is only a 25-minute journey. In Sandy Hook, home health care agencies deliver medical support through registered nurses and therapists, while home care agencies provide nonmedical care services for around $5,148 per month, according to the Genworth 2021 Cost of Care Survey.

Below we’ve compiled a comprehensive directory of every home care provider in Sandy Hook– 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.

Due to Sandy Hook’s proximity to Richmond, the community shares the same monthly home care cost. At $5,148 per month, Sandy Hook’s median fee is costlier than the state and national averages of $4,767 and $4,957, respectively. The 2021 Genworth Cost of Care Survey also reveals Sandy Hook is at the midpoint when compared to the nearest surveyed cities. More expensive options include Staunton at $5,339 and Charlottesville at $6,292. However, more affordable home care services can be accessed at Virginia Beach where the median fee is $4,767 and Lynchburg where $4,185 is the average.

The median fees for home care ($5,148) and home health care ($5,243) differ because the former is a nonmedical service while the latter is medical care provided by registered nurses and therapists. Both options are costlier than adult day care ($1,712) and assisted living ($4,901) because their services are one-on-one, while the alternatives have varying ratios of staff to seniors. Sandy Hook’s costliest option is nursing home care, where a standard semiprivate room is around $8,654.

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.