--- title: "In-Home Care for Seniors: What It Is, Costs, How to Start" description: "In-home care explained: what a caregiver does, how it differs from home health, 2025 hourly costs in Kansas and Missouri, and how to find an agency." url: https://seniortransitionassistance.com/help/care-at-home/in-home-care/ updated: 2026-10-09 site: Senior Transition Assistance --- Care at home # In-home care for seniors: what it is and how to get started In-home care lets your parent stay in the home they love, with a caregiver who comes in for a few hours a week or a few hours a day. Here's what it covers and what it costs. Talk it through with a person[ (800) 614-8388 ](tel:+18006148388) Free. We listen, explain your options, and introduce you to a few that fit. You decide. Quick answer In-home care is non-medical help at home from a trained caregiver: bathing, dressing, meals, light housekeeping, errands, reminders and company. It's billed by the hour; in 2025 the median was $34 an hour in Kansas and $33 in Missouri (CareScout Cost of Care Survey 2025). It's usually paid privately; Medicare doesn't pay for it when it's the only care needed. [(800) 614-8388](tel:+18006148388) to find agencies near you. **Last updated October 9, 2026** Costs are published medians or typical ranges with a named source, never quotes. Every community and agency prices differently. **On this page** 1. [ What an in-home caregiver does](#g-what-an-in-home-caregiver-does) 2. [How much help is enough?](#g-how-much-help-is-enough) 3. [Agency or independent caregiver?](#g-agency-or-independent-caregiver) 4. [Who helps pay](#g-who-helps-pay) 5. [Getting started](#g-getting-started) 6. [Questions](#g-faq) ## What an in-home caregiver does - Personal care: bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting. - Meals: planning, cooking, cleaning up. - Medication reminders. - Light housekeeping and laundry. - Errands, shopping and rides to appointments. - Companionship, walks and conversation. - Supervision for someone with memory loss. Caregivers don't provide skilled nursing. For wound care, injections or therapy, that's [home health care](https://seniortransitionassistance.com/help/care-at-home/home-health-care/). ## How much help is enough? Many families start with a few visits a week and add hours as needs grow. Common patterns: - **A few hours, a few days a week** for bathing, meals and errands. - **Daily visits** for medications, meals and a check-in. - **Overnight or 24-hour care** after a hospital stay or as dementia progresses. See [24-hour home care costs](https://seniortransitionassistance.com/costs/24-hour-home-care/). At full-time hours, home care can cost more than [assisted living](https://seniortransitionassistance.com/costs/assisted-living/): 44 hours a week had a 2025 median of $6,435 a month in Kansas. ## Agency or independent caregiver? | | Agency | Hiring directly | |---|---|---| | Screening and training | Agency handles | You handle | | Payroll and taxes | Agency handles | You're the employer | | Backup if the caregiver is sick | Agency sends someone | You find someone | | Cost per hour | Usually higher | Usually lower | ## Who helps pay Long-term care insurance, VA benefits for eligible veterans and surviving spouses, and Medicaid home and community-based services waivers for people who qualify. Your Area Agency on Aging (1-800-677-1116) knows local programs. See [paying for care](https://seniortransitionassistance.com/help/paying-for-it/). ## Getting started 1. List what help is needed and when. 2. Call two or three agencies and ask the questions in our [agency checklist](https://seniortransitionassistance.com/help/care-at-home/how-to-choose-a-home-care-agency/). 3. Meet the caregiver before the first shift. 4. Start with a trial schedule and adjust. ### Want help at home? We'll introduce you to home care agencies near your parent. Free. [ (800) 614-8388 ](tel:+18006148388)[Have us call you](#g-form) ## Questions families ask ### How much does in-home care cost per hour? The 2025 median was $34 an hour in Kansas, $33 in Missouri and $35 nationally. ### Does Medicare pay for in-home care? Not for non-medical care alone. It covers part-time skilled home health care when the rules are met. ### What's the minimum number of hours? Many agencies set a minimum visit length. Ask each agency. ### Can in-home care help someone with dementia? Yes. Ask whether the agency trains caregivers in dementia care. See [dementia home care](https://seniortransitionassistance.com/help/care-at-home/dementia-home-care/). ## Sources - [CareScout Cost of Care Survey 2025, Median Cost Data Tables (survey July to November 2025; median cost data tables, published March 2026)](https://pro.genworth.com/riiproweb/productinfo/pdf/282102.pdf) - [Medicare.gov: Home health services](https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/home-health-services) - [Medicare.gov: Long-term care coverage](https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/long-term-care) - [Eldercare Locator (U.S. Administration for Community Living), 1-800-677-1116](https://eldercare.acl.gov/) ## Related guides - [Care at home](https://seniortransitionassistance.com/help/care-at-home/) - [In-home care costs](https://seniortransitionassistance.com/costs/in-home-care/) - [Home health care](https://seniortransitionassistance.com/help/care-at-home/home-health-care/) - [Home care vs. home health](https://seniortransitionassistance.com/help/care-at-home/home-care-vs-home-health/) - [Choosing an agency](https://seniortransitionassistance.com/help/care-at-home/how-to-choose-a-home-care-agency/) - [PACE](https://seniortransitionassistance.com/help/pace-program/) - [Aging in place](https://seniortransitionassistance.com/help/care-at-home/aging-in-place/) - [Dementia home care](https://seniortransitionassistance.com/help/care-at-home/dementia-home-care/) - [Finding a caregiver](https://seniortransitionassistance.com/help/care-at-home/finding-a-caregiver/) --- Canonical page: https://seniortransitionassistance.com/help/care-at-home/in-home-care/