I. What You Should Know About Home Care in Beaumont, TX
The seat of Texas’ Jefferson County, Beaumont is a city of 112,556 people that’s located roughly 30 minutes west of the Texas/Louisiana border and 90 minutes east of Houston. Approximately 17,000 seniors live here, attracted in part by exceptionally low housing costs and Texas’ lack of state-level income taxes and property taxes. Overall, the cost of living in Beaumont is 21% cheaper than it is elsewhere in America.
While this region of the country does get hot and humid in the peak of summer, it makes up for it with quite comfortable winters; average daily highs remain in the 60s from December through February. Health-conscious seniors will also appreciate the area’s water quality, which is notably higher than that found elsewhere in the nation.
Seniors who retire in Beaumont don’t have to look far for excellent medical care. Two Beaumont hospitals appear on U.S. News and World Report’s annual hospital rankings. Baptist Hospitals of Southeast Texas is ranked as high-performing in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease care, and Christus Southeast Texas Hospital-St. Elizabeth is ranked as high-performing in heart attack, heart failure and COPD care.
II. What You Should Expect to Pay for Home Care in Beaumont, TX
Genworth Financial’s annual Cost of Care Survey reports that the average monthly cost of in-home care in Beaumont is $4,385. The city’s average cost is identical for home health care, which is a similar service that usually involves more medical support. In markets where such costs differ, costs for home health care tend to be a bit higher than those for in-home care.
Genworth’s data presumes a 44-hour work week for the caregiver, which means your specific monthly costs will be higher or lower if you don’t need that exact amount of coverage. Broken down to an hourly rate, in-home care costs $23/hr in Beaumont.
The Cost of Home Care & Home Health Care in Nearby Cities
Beaumont’s costs are cheaper than the Texas average of $4,576, and Texas’ costs are cheaper than U.S. averages. Nationally, seniors pay $4,957 a month for home care and $5,148 for home health care. Brownsville, located in the southernmost tip of Texas, is much cheaper than the U.S. average at $2,860 for either type of care. In Dallas, prices rise to $4,862 for either type of care. State costs are at their highest in the capital Austin, where seniors pay $5,196 for home care or home health care.
The Cost of Home Care Compared to Other Senior Living Options
Prices for other types of long-term care in Beaumont are fairly similar to those of in-home care. Social-minded seniors might prefer staying in an assisted living facility, where the average monthly cost is $4,372. Nursing home care is an alternative choice for seniors who need around-the-clock medical supervision; a semiprivate room in a nursing home will set you back an extra $1,000 at $5,323 per month. It’s worth noting that in many markets, adult day care is hundreds or thousands of dollars cheaper than other long-term care options. However, Genworth’s 2021 data reports no day care-specific costs for Beaumont.
III. How to Find Home Care in Beaumont, TX
Finding a home care provider for yourself or a loved one can be a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. Below, we explain the process of how to find a home care provider in 5 simple steps. Use the infographic below to help guide your search for in-home care in Beaumont, TX.
IV. Home Care Resources for Seniors in Beaumont, TX
Nutrition and Services for Seniors
What You Should Know
Nutrition & Services for Seniors runs a meal-delivery program for older adults in Beaumont’s Jefferson County. If you qualify for this program, volunteers will bring noontime meals directly to your door on Mondays through Fridays. Meals made specifically for adults with dietary restrictions are available.
In addition to its regular meal delivery service, the organization runs an Animeals program that provides twice-monthly delivery of pet food. There’s no charge for the additional Animeals service.
Who Is Eligible?
As long as you’re at least 60 years old, live in Hardin or Jefferson county and are unable to prepare or pick up meals for yourself, you’re eligible for this meal service. There are no income limits.
How to Get Started
Call (409) 892-4455, send an email to [email protected] or stop by the Beaumont office, located at 4590 Concord Road.
Senior Property Tax Exemption
What You Should Know
All Texas homeowners are eligible for a $40,000 homestead exemption that can be used to lower the taxable value of said home. Older adults qualify for an additional $10,000 of property tax relief. Both exemptions can be combined to reduce a primary residence’s taxable value by a total of $50,000. This exemption applies only to local property taxes, as there are no state-level property taxes in Texas.
Who Is Eligible?
If you own your home and it is considered your primary residence, you don’t need to do anything to qualify for the basic $40,000 exemption. You must be at least 65 years old to claim the additional $10,000 exemption.
As with the base exemption, the senior exemption can only be claimed on the primary residence. However, you are allowed to live away from the primary residence for up to 2 years so long as you intend to return and do not legally establish a different property as your primary residence.
How to Get Started
Call the Jefferson County Appraisal District at (409) 840-9944 or email [email protected]. Alternatively, download the state’s Application for Residential Homestead Exemption from the comptroller’s office.
Texas Weatherization Assistance Program
What You Should Know
You can use the financial support from this program for home upgrade projects that lower your energy costs. If you qualify, funding can cover repair or replacement costs for old heating systems, insulation for walls and ceilings, weather-stripping of drafty doors and the like. An auditor from the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs can come directly to your home to examine your existing energy needs and recommend projects.
Who Is Eligible?
While there is no age restriction for this program, your household income will need to be under a certain level; the level is determined by the amount of people living in the house. Under 2022 income guidelines, you must have a household income of no more than $27,180/yr if you’re the only resident. The income limit rises slightly for each additional household member, up to a limit of $93,260 for a home of eight people.
How to Get Started
Contact the Greater East Texas Community Action Program at (800) 621-5746 to apply.
Lone Star Legal Aid
What You Should Know
LSLA provides free legal aid to low-income Beaumont residents, primarily focusing on housing law, health law and vulnerable populations. While LSLA handles only civil cases and cannot assist you with criminal complaints, its team of volunteer legal professionals can help you handle eviction proceedings, consumer scams, disputes with municipal services and similar concerns.
Who Is Eligible?
Generally, Lone Star Legal Aid serves Texas residents who have incomes that are no more than 125% of federal poverty guidelines. However, you may still qualify for some types of aid depending on your particular legal issue. While much of the firm’s work is senior-focused, there are no age-related eligibility conditions.
How to Get Started
The organization has a local office at 1965 Park Street that serves residents of Jefferson, Hardin, Liberty and Orange County. Apply online or call (409) 835-4971 during regular weekday work hours to discuss your situation. You can also call the main office in Houston at (713) 652-0077 or the toll-free number at (800) 733-8394.
Area Agency on Aging of Southeast Texas
What You Should Know
This AAA is part of the South East Texas Regional Planning Commission. Through its wide scope of services, this nonprofit helps older Texans with caregiver support that provides for respite and mental health needs, benefits counseling programs that clarify rules and laws regarding Social Security and similar entitlements, protective programs that investigate community complaints of elder mistreatment and transportation services that can help the elderly safely make it to important medical appointments.
Who Is Eligible?
The AAA is tasked with supporting the needs of area residents 65 and older, but not all of its programs have strict age-eligibility cutoffs.
How to Get Started
Call directly at (409) 924-3381 or stop in the agency’s offices, located at 2210 Eastex Freeway.