Home Care in Arkansas

Per Genworth’s 2021 Cost of Care Survey, in-home care costs an average of $4,185 per month. This typically covers assistance with daily activities and personal care provided by an aide. You can expect to pay $4,195 per month for home health care, which includes clinical or rehabilitative care provided by a nurse, therapist or other licensed health care professional.

At $4,185 per month, average costs of in-home care in Arkansas are $772 lower than the national norm of $4,957. Seniors in Oklahoma and Missouri typically pay more for the same type of care, with respective costs of $4,862 and $4,767. Average rates are lower in Mississippi, at $3,813 per month. Prices drop further to $3,623 in Louisiana.

Arkansas’s seniors also pay less than the national average for home health care, with fees of $4,195 and $5,148, respectively. With median monthly costs of $4,862 in Oklahoma and $4,767 in Missouri, Arkansas’s western and northern neighbors pay more for home health care. As with in-home care, prices for home health care are lower to the south and east; average monthly rates are $3,718 in Louisiana and $3,813 in Mississippi.

In Arkansas, nursing home care is the costliest senior care option, averaging $6,083 per month. Home health care costs around $4,195, with a slight saving for in-home care, which costs roughly $4,185 per month. Seniors typically pay around $3,760 per month for assisted living care. Adult day care averages $1,733 per month, making it the cheapest long-term care option for Arkansas seniors.

In Arkansas, Medicaid directly covers home health care. Limited personal care is also covered by the state Medicaid Personal Care Program.

The Personal Care Program covers medically necessary hands-on supportive services for seniors with physical dependency needs. Services may include assistance with:

• Bathing
• Dressing
• Grooming
• Toileting
• Eating
• Mobility
• Medication management
• Light housekeeping
• Laundry
• Shopping for essential items

Only those classified as categorically needy are eligible for assistance. You must also have an assessment to decide if you qualify for personal care services under the state Medicaid plan. If you’re eligible, a personalized care plan will detail your funded services.

Services are generally provided by an aide and are similar to tasks that would be carried out by a nurse’s aide if you were in a hospital or nursing home.

Under a self-directed model, known as the Independent Choices program, you can choose your care providers. Beneficiaries receive a cash allowance and are responsible for managing and directing their own care, including appointing caregivers. You can hire adult relatives to provide services if you prefer.

The ARChoices in Homecare waiver provides additional home care support beyond home health care and personal care.

ARChoices in Homecare

The ARChoices in Homecare waiver program provides various services to support Arkansas seniors who are aging at home or in the community. The program aims to delay or avoid admission to a nursing home.

Services may include assistance with daily activities, such as bathing, dressing and toileting, home-delivered meals, modifications to make your home more accessible and adult day services. The waiver also covers respite care either at home or in a facility, which provides a short break for your caregivers.

You can choose your own care providers, which can include paying family or friends to help you in your home. You’ll receive training to manage your own care and allocated budget.

To qualify for ARChoices in Homecare, you must be 65 or older or have a disability. You must also meet financial criteria and need at least one waiver service. You must also satisfy a functional requirement for a nursing home level of care. This means that, without in-home support, you would need to move into a nursing home.

To apply for waiver services, call the Choices In Living Resource Center at (866) 801-3435 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Alternatively, you can contact your local Arkansas Department of Human Services county office.

To be eligible for Arkansas Medicaid, you must satisfy income and asset requirements. For single applicants, the annual income limit is $18,075, and the asset cap is $2,000. For those from a two-person household, the maximum permitted income is $24,353, and the asset limit is $3,000.

You can conveniently apply online via the Access Arkansas portal. You can easily upload documents, check the status of pending claims and update relevant information.

If you prefer to apply by mail, you can download an application form and return it to your local DHS county office. Note: Office mailing addresses are different from their physical addresses and are provided at the end of the form. Alternatively, visit your local DHS county office to complete an in-person application.

What Information You Will Need

Medicaid has strict rules and eligibility criteria, and you will need to provide full information about your financial and personal situation. It can help if you gather the following information beforehand:

• Social Security number
• Proof of identification
• Proof of in-state residency
• Proof of citizenship status
• Current bank statements
• Proof of all income, such as pay stubs, tax returns, pension letters and benefit award letters
• Details of all assets, including investments
• Copies of health insurance policies

How to Get Help Applying for Medicaid

Applying for Medicaid in Arkansas can be overwhelming, particularly because of the high level of information you need to provide. Luckily, Arkansas has resources to help you apply for Medicaid, check eligibility, appeal adverse decisions and understand coverage.

Medicare doesn’t pay for non-medical home care, but it can cover the cost of the medical version of home care, called “Home Healthcare” in some situations. In order to be eligible, you need to be homebound and have a referral from your doctor for the specific type of medical care that is needed. There are also other restrictions that apply.

Below is an overview of some of the services typically covered by Medicare for those who are eligible:

• Physical Therapy: Physical therapy is used to help patients recover from injuries (broken bones, knee injuries, etc.), and to treat ongoing conditions such as arthritis. Additionally, physical therapy is often provided in the home to help seniors recover from surgeries and procedures, such as a knee or hip replacement.
• Nursing Care: Licensed nurses can provide a number of medical services (such as wound care, changing feeding tubes, etc.) for those who need medical care, but don’t need to stay in a hospital full-time.
• Occupational Therapy: Occupational therapy is designed to help seniors regain or maintain the ability to accomplish normal, daily tasks, such as bathing, dressing, eating, etc., and providers can travel to your home if needed.
• Speech Therapy: Seniors can lose the ability to adequately communicate for many reasons, and speech therapists are there to help seniors regain the ability to communicate using a variety of means. Additionally, speech therapists help to keep seniors independent by modifying diets and teaching special techniques to swallow safely.

As mentioned above, home care is distinctly different from home healthcare, but there is some overlap – so while Medicare doesn’t cover non-medical home care, there are personal care services that may be covered in special circumstances – such as an occupational therapist helping with eating or dressing.

Read our guide to Medicare and Home Care Coverage for more information.

While the above programs can be a great way to make home care affordable for many people, they are not the right solution for everyone. Thankfully, there are other ways to make home care more affordable for you and your family. For more information about your other options, read our section on Other Ways to Pay for this guide.

Remaining at home has many benefits for seniors, such as living in a familiar environment and being close to loved ones, though aging in place can present some challenges. Arkansas has several free and affordable services to help older adults maintain a high quality of life and live independently, safely and comfortably at home.

Apart from limited exemptions, all home care workers in the United States must be vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the COVID-19 outbreak. Vaccine mandates apply to both home care aides and home health care professionals. These rules are current as of April 2022 but could change at any time. You can obtain statewide and national updates from your local Area Agency on Aging. Service provider agencies might implement additional requirements beyond essential state measures, such as stricter use of personal protective equipment and more rigid vaccination policies. Contact an agency representative to learn more about their practices and requirements.

Arkansas Department of Health is responsible for regulating, monitoring and licensing private home care agencies. The Department issues regulations for home caregiver training, ensures agencies comply with relevant rules and protects the rights of service recipients.

Whether you are looking for yourself or a loved one, finding a quality home care provider can be a stressful process. To help you overcome this challenge, we’ve created a helpful checklist below that can help guide you through the process of both determining your needs, and finding a home care agency that will be the best fit for you and your family.

Download PDF Here

Learn More About Home Care in Arkansas’s Top Cities

• Hot Springs
• Little Rock