Top Home Care Agencies in St Louis, MO
St. Louis, Missouri, has 220 home care agencies that help seniors and adults with disabilities receive care within the comforts of home. The average cost of St. Louis home care is $24 per hour, but the total cost depends on each person’s care requirements. The agency listings, reviews, payment methods, and home care regulations below can help you take the next step in choosing a home care agency.
Home Care Agencies near St Louis, MO
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Costs of home care in St. Louis, Missouri
Average cost of home care in Saint Louis, MO
Average monthly cost of home care vs. senior living in Saint Louis, MO
Compare the costs of aging in place against senior living
Use our cost calculator to compare your loved one’s current living and home care expenses against the cost of senior living in St Louis.
Paying for home care in St. Louis, Missouri
Retirement funds and personal savings are common ways to pay for home care in St. Louis. While it’s common for people to consider turning to their health insurance, usually only medically necessary services are covered. For those needing nonmedical support with everyday tasks, care services will likely not be covered. Nonmedical home care services typically include housekeeping and support with activities of daily living, such as personal hygiene tasks and mealtimes.
Personal funds like retirement accounts, savings, and pensions are most often used to cover the cost of home care. Long-term care (LTC) insurance may be another option, as many policies provide benefits once you need help with at least two activities of daily living (or ADLs). If you have a long-term care insurance policy, be sure to check when your specific policy starts providing coverage. In addition, Medicare, Medicaid, and Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits may cover home care costs if you’re eligible.
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 St. Louis?
Yes, nonmedical home care services are covered by Medicare, but only if those services are deemed necessary alongside doctor-prescribed at-home medical care services.[01] A doctor must determine that care services are medically necessary, and those services must be provided by a Medicare-certified home care agency. Also, to receive Medicare coverage for medically necessary home care services, you must be at least 65 years old or have a disability.
Missouri’s State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) is a great resource for one-on-one support with Medicare enrollment and benefits. SHIP will connect you with a counselor for individualized help. To get started, visit their website to fill out their contact form at the bottom of the page. Or, you can call 1-800-390-3330 on weekdays to speak with a counselor about Medicare and home care coverage.
Does Medicaid pay for home care in St. Louis?
Yes, the Missouri Medicaid program, MO HealthNet, pays for personal home care services if they’re given alongside doctor-prescribed skilled nursing care services. This means Missouri residents age 63+ and adults with disabilities can use MO HealthNet to cover nonmedical home care services provided with medically necessary home health care.
You can also look into the Aged and Disabled Waiver from the Missouri Department of Social Services. This home and community based services (HCBS) waiver is for adults age 63+ who are at risk of living in a nursing home if they don’t have other care options. Homemaker services, help with chores, adult day care, and meals delivered at home may be covered by this waiver.
Where do I get information about veterans benefits in St. Louis?
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits can help eligible veterans, their spouses, or their dependents pay for St. Louis home care. However, understanding what you qualify for and applying for benefits can be overwhelming. We recommend first contacting the VA St. Louis regional office to get started.
Veterans and their loved ones can also use a Missouri veterans service organization (VSO) for support with benefits. VSOs have qualified benefit officers trained to help people understand their eligibility and guide them through the application process. To find a VSO near you and receive support, browse the organizations listed below:
- Missouri Veterans Commission
- Disabled American Veterans (DAV) chapter search
- Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) post search
- American Legion post search
- Paralyzed Veterans of America chapter search
What other St. Louis services help seniors age in place?
The city of St. Louis and St. Louis County offer additional resources to help seniors age in place. These resources connect seniors with local services that help with different areas of daily life, such as transportation and even home repairs. Combining these services with home care can help seniors continue living in their homes for as long as possible.
The St. Louis Area Agency on Aging has a list of senior centers and a host of information about local services that help seniors retain their independence. Available services include health management programs, minor home repairs, senior nutrition, and assistance with health insurance.
The County Older Resident Programs are for St. Louis seniors age 60+. These programs typically include volunteer visitors, tax and claims assistance, telephone reassurance, and transportation. You can reach them during weekdays to get more information on the services they offer.
What families are saying about home care in Saint Louis
Recent reviews for home care in Saint Louis
TheKey Corporate- St. Louis, MO in Saint Louis, MO
Morning Glory Home Care, Inc. in Edwardsville, IL
Senior Helpers - Webster Groves, MO in Saint Louis, MO
How to choose the right St. Louis home care agency
Understanding licensure requirements, accreditation, caregiver requirements, and other business practices can help you choose the right home care agency. St. Louis home care agencies aren’t required to have a license, but there are licensing requirements for any home care agencies that provide medical care services.
On this page, you’ll find home care agencies that provide a range of services. Some provide only nonmedical care, others exclusively medical care, and still others may provide both. Take time to consult with your or your loved one’s doctor or social worker to fully understand their care needs. This step is crucial so you ensure you find a home care agency that provides services that will meet their needs.
Licensure and accreditation
St. Louis home care agencies offering only nonmedical care aren’t licensed, but some may be accredited. Accreditation means that an accrediting organization recognizes that the home care agency has met a certain set of standards. Examples of standards for accreditation include caregiver competency, how clients are assessed, and infection control methods.[02]
Home care agencies offering medical care, on the other hand, must be licensed each year by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services after passing an inspection.[03] During inspections, representatives from the department visit the agency’s location and look at client and caregiver training records. They may also visit clients in their homes.[04] Visit the Department of Health and Senior Services website for more information on these regulations.
Hiring practices
If St. Louis home care agencies aren’t licensed, they may each have their own hiring practices. However, it’s common for home care agencies to hire caregivers who are at least 18 years old, have passed a thorough background check, and have or will complete CPR and first aid training. If you’re considering a home care agency offering medical care services, those caregivers must receive dementia-specific training.[05] If only nonmedical home care is needed, it may be worth asking those agencies if they also have dementia training requirements.
You can contact any agency you’re interested in to ask about caregiver qualifications. For example, consider asking what, if any, training caregivers are required to complete and how often the agency evaluates each caregiver’s abilities.
Fees and minimums
We recommend taking time to understand St. Louis home care agencies’ fees and requirements that may affect the overall cost of care. Having this information ahead of time can help you make an informed decision, so consider asking the questions below:
- Does the agency charge a fee for the initial client assessment?
- Is there a required minimum number of shifts or hours per shift? Some agencies require at least seven hours per week or between two and four hours per day.
- Does the agency charge an upfront deposit?
- What is the estimated charge of care per hour based on your loved one’s current needs?
We also suggest asking if the agency has a minimum client age requirement, as this can impact which agencies may be the best fit. You can also describe a few of your or your loved one’s needs and ask how the agency’s caregivers can meet them.
Other questions to ask St. Louis home care agencies
Ask these 10 questions to help you find the right home care agency.
Frequently asked questions about home care in Saint Louis
TheKey Corporate- St. Louis, MO, Lutheran Convalescent Home and Senior Helpers - Webster Groves, MO are the top-rated Home Care facilities near St Louis, MO. 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 St Louis 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
Medicare.gov. Home health services.
The Joint Commission. (2018). Accreditation for personal care and support.
Certified Home Health Agency, Missouri State Statues Chapter 197.400 § 197.475.
Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. Home health (certified/skilled).
Home Health Agencies, Code of State Regulations Chapter 26 (2020).
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