Top Home Care Agencies in Boston, MA
Boston, Massachusetts, has 189 home care agencies with an average hourly cost of $31. The total cost of home care in Boston varies from person to person, depending on how many daily hours of care are needed. Because this type of care is desirable for seniors who need extra support but want to continue living at home, we’ve outlined helpful payment methods and local resources for the Boston area below. You’ll also find home care agency regulations and listings to help you choose a Boston home care agency.
Home Care Agencies near Boston, MA
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Costs of home care in Boston, MA
Average cost of home care in Boston, MA
Average monthly cost of home care vs. senior living in Boston, MA
Compare the costs of aging in place against senior living
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Paying for home care in Boston, Massachusetts
How people pay for home care in Boston may depend on what type of care they receive. For instance, it’s common for people to consider their health insurance. However, most policies only cover the medical version of home care, known as home health care. Personal funds, such as pensions and savings accounts, are often used to cover nonmedical home care services and any home health care not covered by insurance.
Some of the public insurance methods that may cover home care costs, pending eligibility, include Medicare and Medicaid, known as MassHealth in Massachusetts. Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits are another option for eligible individuals. You may also be able to use your long-term care insurance policy, depending on what it covers.
Paying for home care
Get an overview of all payment options for home care.
VA home care benefits
See how VA benefits can help veterans and their spouses pay for home care.
Home care and LTC insurance
Learn how to use long-term care insurance to cover home care costs.
Does Medicare pay for home care in Boston?
Yes, Medicare will pay for home care services in Boston, so long as they’re given alongside doctor-prescribed home health care services. The main difference between home care and home health care is that home health care provides skilled medical care, and home care provides nonmedical personal care.
A person must have a disability or be age 65+ to be eligible for Medicare coverage. To navigate these benefits, we recommend contacting the Massachusetts Serving the Health Insurance Needs of Everyone (SHINE) Program. SHINE counselors help people maximize their Medicare benefits, save money, and apply for additional programs. Call 1-800-439-0183 to speak with a counselor.
Our Boston listings include both home care and home health care agencies. However, A Place for Mom, per federal law, can’t work with Medicare-certified home health care agencies. We refer to home care agencies in the area, and you’ll see these verified partners in the listings above.
Does Medicaid pay for home care in Boston?
Yes, Massachusetts Medicaid, or MassHealth, pays for home care services that are part of medically necessary home health care prescribed by a doctor. Personal nonmedical home care on its own isn’t covered.
Eligibility for MassHealth is typically based on income and Massachusetts residency. However, additional criteria apply to seniors seeking coverage for home care services, such as being at least 65 years old or needing long-term care services.[01]
Once approved, people can also apply for Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Waivers. Specifically for seniors, the Frail Elder Waiver can help those age 60+ get the support they need to continue living at home instead of in a nursing facility.[02] You can contact your nearest Aging Services Access Point for eligibility and enrollment information.
Where do I get information about veterans benefits in Boston?
To learn about veterans benefits and get support with the application process, we recommend contacting the Massachusetts Executive Office of Veterans Services or the Veterans Benefits Administration Boston Regional Office first. They can help veterans, their dependents, or their surviving spouses understand their eligibility for certain VA benefits, as this can be difficult to navigate alone.
Veterans service organizations (VSOs) are great options to contact next. They connect people with trained and VA-vetted benefit officers who can thoroughly explain all available benefits. They often guide people through the lengthy application process for little to no cost. Explore your options below to find a VSO near you:
- Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Department of Massachusetts
- Disabled American Veterans (DAV) chapter search
- American Legion post search
- Paralyzed Veterans of America chapter search
What other Boston services help seniors age in place?
Boston has a few resources to help seniors continue living at home independently. The city’s Age-Friendly Boston program works with local businesses to meet the needs of the senior population. In addition to offering local food access resources, Age-Friendly Boston hopes to make transportation and home repairs more accessible to seniors.
Boston also has Age Strong Advocates who offer senior benefit application assistance. They can also connect seniors to local groups and make referrals to expert legal and financial advisors. Call 617-635-4366 to speak with an advocate.
What families are saying about home care in Boston
Recent reviews for home care in Boston
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How to choose the right Boston home care agency
Whether a home care agency is needed for personal support or for home health care services, it’s important to do some research before you choose an agency. The information you’ll find below guides you through Massachusetts home care agency licensing and regulation requirements, so you can be prepared with the information before making a final decision. We’ve also outlined some caregiver qualifications and questions to ask potential agencies.
Licensure and accreditation
Massachusetts has a Home Care Licensing Commission that works to create licensure and regulation requirements for home care agencies in the state. However, only home health care agencies are currently regulated in Boston.[03,04] Home health care agencies must be licensed by the Massachusetts Department of Labor Standards.[05]
Home health care agencies must also follow certain MassHealth regulations if they contract with Medicaid. Agencies must follow these regulations if MassHealth is to cover home health services for a Medicaid beneficiary:[04]
- Hold a home health services certification from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health
- Comply with periodic inspections
- Only provide services to people under the care of a physician
- Keep records of all services provided
Massachusetts home care agencies can also be accredited, meaning the agency has met an accrediting organization’s care quality standards. The Home Care Alliance of Massachusetts has an accreditation program. They consider 15 standards:[06]
- Policies for employee and client privacy
- Service planning agreements
- Complaint filing procedures
- Procedures to report abuse
- Workers compensation insurance coverage
- Payroll procedures
- Caregiver orientation
- Caregiver training
- Caregiver competency
- Licensure for professional caregivers, such as nurses and physical therapists
- Emergency contact policies
- Caregiver supervision policies
- Background screenings
- Liability insurance
- Adherence to federal and local business laws
Because Massachusetts doesn’t require licensing standards for all home care agencies, identifying if an agency is accredited may be important to consider in your search.
Hiring practices
Massachusetts has state regulations in place so home care agencies can hire qualified caregivers. Caregivers working for home care agencies must complete 60 hours of training before working with clients. The training includes 40 hours of homemaker training and 20 hours of personal care training.[07]
Those who work for home health care agencies, also known as home health aides, have additional requirements. Every home health aide has to be a certified nursing assistant (or CNA). Plus, if an agency is covered by Medicare or MassHealth, home health aides have to complete 12 annual hours of additional training and an evaluation.[07]
Fees and minimums
In addition to the hourly rate, Boston home care agencies may charge fees or have minimum hourly requirements. We recommend contacting agencies you’re interested in and asking them about some of these topics:
- Required deposits
- Cost of a client assessment
- Minimum number of hours or shifts
- Minimum age requirement for clients
Other questions to ask Boston home care agencies
Ask these 10 questions to help you find the right home care agency.
Frequently asked questions about home care in Boston
Ezra Home Care LLC, Amada Senior Care of Westborough, MA and Care Resolutions Inc - Sherborn are the top-rated Home Care facilities near Boston, MA. These Home Care facilities received the highest rankings based on verified family reviews. See full list of communities.
The average cost of Home Care in Boston is {{ zipAverageCost }} per month. This cost may vary based on location, amenities, floorplan, level of care and other factors.
Home care is provided by an aide who comes to a senior’s home to help with daily chores and activities of daily living. It can be offered anywhere a senior calls home — including a house, senior apartment, independent living, or assisted living. Learn more about home care.
Home care services are customizable to a senior’s unique needs. Services can include companionship, help with chores like cooking and housekeeping, or assistance with activities of daily living, like toileting and bathing. Explore home care services in more detail.
Home care provides nonmedical services for seniors who require assistance with daily tasks like housework, bathing, dressing, and transportation. In contrast, home health care is prescribed by a doctor and includes services like skilled nursing care and therapies, health monitoring, and medication administration that are provided by licensed medical professionals. Read more about home care vs. home health care.
References
Mass.gov. (2024). Eligibility for people age 65 and older and people who need long-term care services.
Mass.gov. (2024). Frail Elder Waiver: Information for applicants and participants.
Mass.gov. (2024). Home Care Licensing Commission.
Home Health Agency, Code of Massachusetts Regulations Chapter 130 § 403.
Mass.gov. (2024). Apply for home health agency Medicare certification.
Home Care Alliance of Massachusetts. (2020). Home care agency accreditation program.
In the Know Caregiver Training. Massachusetts regulations for caregiver, home health aide and CNA training.
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