Home Care in Annapolis, MD

Annapolis, MD, is the home of the U.S. Naval Academy, the Maryland State House and many attractive neighborhoods. In 2021, individuals aged 64 and older made up more than 17% of the city’s population of 40,687 residents. Forbes also named Annapolis one of the top 25 places to enjoy your retirement, highlighting the city’s good air quality and low risk of natural disasters.

Although Annapolis has higher costs of living than the national average, the city has much lower housing, food, transportation and health care costs than nearby Washington, D.C., making it a good place for seniors to receive home care. Older residents of Annapolis also enjoy special tax benefits offered by the Anne Arundel County Department of Finance. Seniors who are at least 70 years old and have lived in the same dwelling for more than 10 years receive a 30% increase in the local Homeowner’s Tax Credit program.

Due to its location, Annapolis gives seniors convenient access to some of the top health centers in the United States, including Johns Hopkins Hospital and the University of Maryland Medical Center. Anne Arundel Medical Center also has an excellent reputation.

According to the 2021 Genworth Cost of Care Survey, home care in Annapolis costs an average of $4,957 per month, while home health care costs an average of $5,053 per month. Home health care costs slightly more because it includes services provided by licensed health professionals.

Genworth uses 44 hours of care per week as the basis for its calculations, so your costs will vary based on how many hours of care you need. To make it easier to budget for in-home care, you should expect to pay $26.00 per hour for home care and $26.50 per hour for home health care in Annapolis.

The cost of home care in Annapolis is right around the national average, and it’s slightly lower than the Maryland average. Annapolis also has lower average prices than Hagerstown or Washington, D.C., but it’s slightly more expensive than the Salisbury area. In Hagerstown, seniors pay an average of $5,148 per month for both types of in-home care. Washington, D.C., has the highest care costs, averaging $5,339 per month for home care and home health care. Salisbury has average monthly fees of $4,957 for both in-home care options.

Accessible Homes for Seniors

What You Should Know

The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development administers Accessible Homes for Seniors. The financing program makes loan funds available to seniors who need help making their homes more functional or accessible. Eligible seniors may use these funds to install accessible showers, widen doorways and add grab bars and other safety features to their homes. Grants of up to $25,000 are available to seniors who need to make accessibility-related modifications and don’t qualify for financing.

Who Is Eligible?

To qualify for financing, an applicant must be at least 55 years old and live in a home that’s structurally sound and doesn’t have any known safety hazards. In most cases, participants must own and live in the home they want to modify, but the program occasionally accepts seniors who are currently living with loved ones. Accessible Homes for Seniors also has financial eligibility requirements. To be eligible, a senior’s income can’t exceed 80% of the median for Maryland or the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. Seniors with open bankruptcies, open foreclosures or unpaid state or federal tax liens aren’t eligible for assistance.

How to Get Started

Contact your local Maryland Access Point to request an application. You can also call the Special Loan Programs division of the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development at (844) 369-4150 or email [email protected].

Annapolis Housing Rehabilitation

What You Should Know

The Annapolis Office of Community Development administers a housing rehabilitation program to help city residents make home improvements. Although it’s referred to as a loan program, the agency doesn’t lend money to participants. Instead, it pays licensed contractors directly, ensuring they make approved repairs according to current safety standards. Eligible Annapolis residents may receive up to $30,000 to make needed improvements. As long as a participant doesn’t sell, rent or transfer the home within 15 years of signing the contract, the program forgives the loan.

Who Is Eligible?

The housing rehabilitation program is available to Annapolis residents with incomes below the limit set by the Office of Community Development. It bases this limit on the number of people in the applicant’s household. The property to be repaired must also be the applicant’s principal residence.

How to Get Started

For more information about the housing rehabilitation program, call (410) 222-7600. You can also download the application from the city’s website and mail it to Arundel Community Development Services, Inc., 2666 Riva Road, Suite 210, Annapolis, MD 21401.

BeSMART Energy Efficiency Loan

What You Should Know

The BeSMART Home Loan Program offers low-interest loans to Maryland residents who want to improve the energy efficiency of their homes. Seniors can use these funds to add insulation, install ENERGY STAR appliances, update their windows and make other improvements to reduce energy usage and increase their comfort. Eligible seniors may receive up to $30,000 in financing for a 10-year term. A licensed contractor must make all repairs and upgrades, but participants have the freedom to choose which contractor to use.

Who Is Eligible?

BeSMART loans are available to Maryland residents who own their own homes, have debt-to-income ratios no higher than 50% and have credit scores of at least 640.

How to Get Started

To learn more about BeSMART, contact the Community Development Administration at (301) 429-7402.

Weatherization Assistance Program

What You Should Know

The Weatherization Assistance Program provides funds to help Maryland homeowners install materials designed to reduce energy usage and make home maintenance costs more affordable. These funds come from Maryland utility companies, the Strategic Energy Investment Fund, the Limited Income Home Energy Assistance Program and the U.S. Department of Energy. Participants receive a free home energy audit to determine what repairs they need to make to increase their home’s energy efficiency.

Who Is Eligible?

Weatherization assistance is available to Maryland homeowners with incomes at or below 60% of the state median. For a household with one person, 60% of the SMI is $38,940; the limit increases with each additional household member. The program prioritizes seniors and disabled residents.

How to Get Started

To learn more about the Weatherization Assistance Program, call (855) 583-8976.

Maryland Homestead Tax Credit

What You Should Know

The Maryland Homestead Tax Credit helps residents by limiting the increase of a taxable assessment on a home from one year to the next. If a home’s value increases by more than 10%, a homeowner who qualifies for the homestead credit only pays tax on the first 10% of the increase. For example, if a home is assessed at $300,000 one year and $340,000 the next year, the owner wouldn’t have to pay tax on the $10,000 difference between the new assessed value and the 10% cap.

Who Is Eligible?

To qualify for the Maryland Homestead Tax Credit, applicants must meet the following conditions during the previous year:

• The homeowner didn’t request a change in zoning classification.
• They didn’t transfer the property to a new owner.
• There was no substantial change in the use of the property.
• The assessment made the prior year wasn’t “clearly erroneous.”

A homeowner must also live in the home and fill out a one-time application to determine their eligibility.

How to Get Started

To learn more about the Maryland Homestead Tax Credit, call (866) 650-8783 or email [email protected].