Home care services allow seniors to receive needed assistance with daily tasks at a much lower cost than nursing homes or assisted living facilities. In many cases, the costs of medications and needed continuous treatment such as oxygen may also be lower when given at home as opposed to provided by a nursing facility. Patients also benefit from enjoying the comforts of home instead of moving into a facility that is unfamiliar and restricting.

Direct Cost Savings

The fees for home care services are often less than half of what the fees for staying in an assisted living facility are. The fees for staying in a nursing home can be even more expensive. While nursing home and assisted living facility fees may include costs such as utilities and housing in additional to the cost of assistance, these amenities do not always justify the additional cost. Clients are also only provided with one room in most nursing homes and a small efficiency in most assisted living facilities, which is not as desirable as the home which clients are familiar with. Clients may also be able to utilize Medicaid, Medicare, or insurance to assist with costs of home care, which are usually not accepted at assisted living facilities.   

Indirect Cost Savings

Home healthcare and assistance can help clients to avoid costly hospital stays after medical emergencies. Whether home care is medical or non-medical, receiving assistance may allow clients to transition out of hospitals sooner. Medical equipment and medication costs may also be inflated at nursing homes, while clients will only pay the basic cost for these treatments when they are provided at home. Receiving home care also allows clients to tailor the care schedule to specific needs. Some clients may only need assistance for a few hours per day or week, which makes the 24 hour care that is provided and billed at nursing homes unnecessary.

Health Benefits of Home Care

In addition to saving clients money in both direct and indirect ways, studies are increasingly finding that there are health benefits to receiving aid in the home as opposed to a facility. Clients have more control over sleep schedules, eating schedules, visitations, and outings, which helps clients to keep a more positive mental attitude. This results in lower risks of depression and anxiety, which in turn helps clients to avoid costly medical treatment for these conditions. Clients with conditions such as dementia also have a longer life expectancy when treated in the home compared to nursing homes and have fewer incidents of injuries. Staying healthier is not only desirable for seniors; it also helps clients to save on the costs that would be needed for medical treatments, hospital stays, and medications.

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