Home care agencies in New York City provide a variety of supportive services for seniors aging in place. This may include assistance with general hygiene or help with chores. While total costs will depend on a senior’s needs, the average cost of home care in New York City is $27 per hour. Before choosing a home care agency, it’s important to know if an agency can meet your family’s needs. This guide provides useful information about home care in New York City including costs, how to pay, state regulations, and agency reviews. You’ll also find listings of local home care agencies to help aid you in your search.
Our family had a positive experience, the workers were all very hard working, consistent in their care and extremely dedicated. We appreciated that you could pock and choose their services, so if you needed...
I have been using their services since 2021 for my father. My dad needs 24 hours care. Caregivers are very reliable, flexible and provide high quality care. Thanks to [name removed], he is always there when...
As far as we could tell the quality of the care was excellent, our loved one was very difficult to handle and sometimes verbally abusive but the care taker never stopped caring for our loved one she was...
Everything is working out very well for my mother since she started to receive home care services, from this agency, She is doing a lot better, and so far I'am satisfied with all they have for us. Our care...
The manager [name removed] was fantastic and very responsive. Whenever I had a problem she would respond immediately and replace if I had any needs. I would highly recommend touching hearts at home for your...
Everything has been going great for my mother in law. She has been getting adjusted to the community. The staff has been very accommodating with my mother in law to help with the transition. It's been...
I've had a very good experience with this service. The caregivers we've used have been very good, caring and attentive, and we've had no major issues with scheduling. We've found one particular caregiver...
The woman [name removed] was extremely helpful with all moms needs and cleaned house also. [name removed] arranged all this for me and checked in numerous times. Great job
Great caregivers. Easy to schedule. Staff was very helpful and yes, we would recommend this community to other families based on the experience we have had so far
I was searching everywhere and calling several agencies without any success. That is until I found Friends for Life. From the first call I was told not to worry and they would find someone to help care for...
They provide excellent care!
We are very satisfied with the service provided by this agency. We needed home care and the representative was very helpful in meeting our needs and was available when we needed assistance. We have a very...
I have not been too terribly involved in the process as my sister has mostly overseen things to make sure mom is getting the care that she needs, but from what I have been able to see and gather, everything...
We had a really good experience with Bayada Nurses. Everybody, from the staff to the caregivers, were all very good, helpful, understanding, and accommodating. They were super super helpful. I am no...
What our family likes the most about the Home Helpers Home Care of Southern Bergen County is the fact that the service exists and someone is able to care for my mother when I or my sister can't be there for...
Use our cost calculator to compare your loved one’s current living and home care expenses against the cost of senior living in New York City.
Most families pay for the cost of nonmedical home care out of pocket. They pay for services using funds such as savings, retirement pensions, health savings accounts (HSAs), and long-term care insurance. Veterans benefits may also help cover some costs of home care services for eligible veterans and their spouses.
The type of care your loved one needs will impact the cost and may determine eligibility for different types of payment methods.
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.
Yes, Medicare will pay for some home care services when they’re included in an at-home health care plan prescribed by a doctor. Services must be deemed medically necessary and be prescribed by a doctor after a hospital stay for a surgery, injury, or illness. Medicare only covers medical home care services if they’re provided by a Medicare-certified home care agency.[01]
New York State provides Medicare information and counseling services through the Health Insurance Information, Counseling, and Assistance Program (HIICAP). Trained HIICAP volunteers can be contacted to help beneficiaries understand the services Medicare covers, qualification requirements, and the application process.
Yes, there are several Medicaid-funded programs in New York that provide home care supports. While each of these home care programs has different eligibility rules, all participants are required to qualify for Medicaid in New York State. The following programs offer home care supports for New York residents:
To qualify for these programs, applicants must be eligible for Medicaid. Some of the programs also require a doctor’s orders, a community health assessment, or both.[02] To learn more about applying for these programs and specific eligibility requirements, you can call the general Home Care Services Program line at 718-557-1399 or contact your local NYC borough office.
The New York City Department for the Aging provides information about senior-specific resources. It can help connect seniors to services and activities like job searching tools, recreation centers, and housing programs.
Veterans service organizations (VSOs) in New York City can provide information, counseling, and assistance in applying for benefits to veterans and their spouses. The New York City Department of Veterans Services (DVS) has offices in each borough and can provide benefits counseling or connect veterans to other service organizations, like the following:
To set up an appointment with a NYC DVS benefits counselor make an appointment online or call your local DVS office.
When exploring home care options, families learn about agencies’ care philosophies, hiring practices, and scheduling. Families are also encouraged to understand state regulations for home care agencies and to read reviews. You can also use the resources provided below to check on an agency’s accreditation and licensure status. This information can help you narrow down options and find the home care agency that fits your loved one’s needs.
Knowing the type of care your loved one requires is important. Home care agencies can provide a range of services, from nonmedical supports for seniors who need extra help around the house to complex nursing care. This may include personal care services, like help with bathing and dressing, or help with home tasks such as laundry, light housekeeping, or meal preparation. More complex care provided by medical professionals, like wound care, drug administration, and physical or occupational therapy services could also be provided.
Keep in mind that some home care agencies specialize in one type of care, while others might offer both forms of care — nonmedical personal care or home health care. If you think your loved one may require at-home medical care or even skilled nursing, speak first with their doctor or social worker to ensure you understand their care needs. This will help you evaluate local New York City home care agencies and find one that can meet their care needs.
Home care agencies in New York City are licensed by the New York State Department of Health (NYSDH). The department refers to home care agencies as Licensed Home Care Service Agencies (LHCSAs).[03] Home care agencies in New York offering medical care services are called Certified Home Health Agencies (CHHAs).[04] It’s important to note that home care agencies may contract with home health care agencies to provide certain home health care services to clients.
After initial licensure inspections are approved for an agency, the Department of Health conducts unscheduled inspections to monitor compliance with state regulations. Some of those regulations are as follows:[05]
Inspections are conducted periodically for Licensed Home Care Service Agencies and Certified Home Health Agencies, but are not to exceed a 36-month period between inspections.[06] These periodic inspections also include the investigation of low-level complaints. High-level complaints, however, are investigated immediately.
To view information about home care agencies in New York, you can use the NYSDH home care agency search tool. It includes an agency’s location, counties it serves, and the types of services it provides.
You can also check if there have been any enforcement actions levied against the agency in the last 10 years. Enforcement actions are citations for noncompliance with state or federal regulations that result in a substandard quality of care, history of poor care outcomes, or harm to patients.[07]
Use the following steps to help refine your search results:
Home care agencies in New York are required to develop and implement written policies and procedures, which must be reviewed annually. Certified Home Health Agencies are required to ensure a personal care caregiver has completed the following before being hired:[08]
Families are encouraged to create a list of questions for home care agencies. In addition to care-related questions, be sure to ask about additional fees or care minimums. Questions you may consider asking a potential agency include the following:
Ask these 10 questions to help you find the right home care agency.
CareTen Inc. - Hackensack, NJ, Steadfast Caregivers, LLC and Unity Home Care are the top-rated Home Care facilities near New York City, NY. 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 New York City 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.
Medicare.gov. Home health services.
New York State Department of Health. (2022, November). Personal care services program.
New York State Department of Health. About licensed home care service agencies.
New York State Department of Health. About certified home health agencies.
New York Codes, Rules, and Regulations. (2023, October 4). Section 766.11 – Personnel.
New York State Department of Health. State inspection process.
New York State Department of Health. About enforcement.
New York Codes, Rules, and Regulations. (2018, December 12). Section 700.2 – Definitions.
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Medicare.gov. Home health services.
New York State Department of Health. (2022, November). Personal care services program.
New York State Department of Health. About licensed home care service agencies.
New York State Department of Health. About certified home health agencies.
New York Codes, Rules, and Regulations. (2023, October 4). Section 766.11 – Personnel.
New York State Department of Health. State inspection process.
New York State Department of Health. About enforcement.
New York Codes, Rules, and Regulations. (2018, December 12). Section 700.2 – Definitions.