Top Home Care Agencies in Seattle, WA
Seattle offers 93 home care agencies dedicated to providing seniors and individuals with disabilities supportive services like help with activities of daily living and companionship. The average cost of home care in Seattle is $34 per hour, but the total cost varies depending on a client’s needs. To help you choose a suitable Seattle home care agency, we offer agency listings and insight into local costs, payment options, and reviews of local agencies. We also highlight Washington licensing requirements for home care agencies to help you understand what’s standard before you decide on an agency.
Home Care Agencies near Seattle, WA
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Costs of home care in Seattle, Washington
Average cost of home care in Seattle, WA
Average monthly cost of home care vs. senior living in Seattle, WA
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 Seattle.
Paying for home care in Seattle, Washington
In Seattle, people commonly look into paying for health-related home care costs using health insurance. However, health insurance only covers medically necessary care services. Nonmedical home care services, like personal care and housekeeping, may not be covered. For nonmedical home care services to be covered, they must be part of a medically necessary medical care plan.
Most families in Seattle turn to their income and other assets to pay for home care costs, especially for nonmedical services. This may include private funds from savings, retirement funds, and health savings accounts (HSAs). Individuals may also be able to use veterans benefits, or free up cash from reverse mortgages, life insurance policies, or long-term care (LTC) insurance.
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 Seattle?
Yes, Medicare can pay for some home care services in Seattle if they’re provided as a part of medically necessary care services prescribed by a doctor. In order for Medicare to cover home care, services must be provided by a Medicare-certified home health care provider. Nonmedical home care services without a medical necessity may not be covered.
Does Medicaid pay for home care in Seattle?
Yes, Washington’s Medicaid program, known as Apple Health, does pay for some home care services in Seattle, because it may be categorized as a type of long-term care service. To qualify, individuals must have some difficulty performing daily tasks on their own due to aging or a disability. Qualifying home care services include assistance with the following:[01]
- Meal preparation
- Assistance with activities of daily living (also called ADLs, which include bathing, dressing, etc.)
- Housekeeping
Apple Health also covers at-home medical care services for individuals who need skilled nursing care. These services may include medical monitoring services like wound care and medication administration.[01]
What other Seattle services help seniors age in place?
In Seattle, seniors can reach out to the following organizations to help them age in place:
- Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (SHIBA) offer free and unbiased benefit counseling to Medicare beneficiaries in Washington. To access benefit counseling services and learn what you qualify for, you can attend a Medicare counseling session online or in person, or find a local SHIBA office near you.
- The Aging and Disability Services (ADS) is Seattle’s local area agency on aging. The ADS helps seniors and individuals with disabilities access their eligible care services. They also offer caregiver support, care coordination, and legal, nutrition, and transportation services to individuals with disabilities and seniors.
Where do I get information about veterans benefits in Seattle?
To get information on potential veterans benefits you can use to pay for home care, use the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs’ (WDVA) King County veterans resources page. This portal helps locate veterans service organizations (VSOs) near you. These VSOs employ benefit counselors who can help veterans and their surviving spouses access their eligible benefits, like potential home care services.
Many of Seattle’s VSOs are located in one convenient location, which can be found at the VA regional office at this address:
Henry M. Jackson Federal Building
915 2nd Ave.
Seattle, WA 98174
Within the VA regional office, veterans can access several VSOs, such as the following:
What families are saying about home care in Seattle
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How to choose the right Seattle home care agency
To help you choose among Seattle home care agencies, we encourage you to consider several factors during your search. Some considerations may include licensing standards, accreditation status, agency hiring practices, fees, and minimum care requirements. Learning about these factors beforehand can help narrow down options based on what matters most to you or your loved one.
You may also want to consider whether medical care is needed within the home. While home care agencies can accommodate many personal care needs, some may not offer medically specialized home health care. Some agencies only offer nonmedical home care. On this page, you’ll find both nonmedical and medical home care agency listings.
Home health care is prescribed by a doctor and provided by a licensed nurse or nursing assistant. Some agencies may offer both types of care, but it’s best to reach out to your loved one’s doctor or a social worker if home health care is necessary.
Knowing the type of care needed and information on Washington’s home care agency requirements can help you confidently choose a home care agency in Seattle.
Licensure and accreditation
The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) licenses all home care agencies in Seattle. To obtain a home care license, Seattle agencies must submit and receive approval from the health department for the following materials:[02]
- Completion of an in-home services orientation
- Background checks processed through the Washington State Patrol
- Description of agency’s organizational structure
- Description of management and supervision plans
- Description of home care agency services
Home care agency licensing requirements for those providing medical care are similar, but they have more requirements.
After initial licensure, the DOH regularly performs unannounced on-site inspections of home care agencies to ensure they follow health and safety standards. Inspections are performed by registered nurses, who focus on:[03]
- Delivery of client care
- Interviewing clients about the quality of services they receive
- Interviewing agency employees about training and knowledge of agency policies
- Review of randomly selected client and employee files
Hiring practices
Learning about an agency’s hiring practices can help you see how their home care aides are equipped to care for their clients. In Seattle, the DOH requires a criminal background check for every agency employee. The DOH also requires home care aides to meet at least one of the following requirements:[03]
- Have an active DOH home care aide certification
- Complete a home care aide certification in their first 200 days since being hired
- Complete a nursing assistant training program in their first 200 days
- Have prior experience as a home care aide in a licensed home care agency in Washington
- Be licensed as a nursing assistant, registered nurse, or licensed practical nurse in the state of Washington
Fees and minimums
Seattle home care agencies vary in their service fees and minimum care requirements. To make an informed decision, be sure to ask whether an agency requires any deposits, a minimum number of hours of care, or any additional charges for care.
For instance, some home care agencies offer a free initial assessment to assess care needs, while others may charge for one. Furthermore, some agencies may require a minimum number of hours per shift or charge extra for care provided overnight or on a holiday or weekend.
You may also want to ask whether a prospective agency has a minimum age requirement for clients, so you can more easily rule out options.
Other questions to ask Seattle home care agencies
Ask these 10 questions to help you find the right home care agency.
Frequently asked questions about home care in Seattle
Home Instead - Mountlake Terrace, WA, Griswold Care Pairing for Eastside & Bellevue, WA and Senior Helpers of Greater Puyallup are the top-rated Home Care facilities near Seattle, WA. 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 Seattle 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
Washington State Department of Social and Health Services, Aging and Long-Term Support Administration. Services that help an adult remain at home.
Washington State Department of Health. Home care agencies.
Washington State Department of Health. (2024). In-home services survey program.
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