Home Care in Bowie, MD

Bowie, Maryland, is a midsize city located about halfway between Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, not far from Annapolis, the capital of Maryland. It’s the largest municipality in Prince George’s County. Seniors aged 65 and older comprise almost 15% of its 58,329 residents. Bowie scored a 7.4/10 on the BestPlaces Comfort Index, making it one of the most pleasant places to live in the state.

The city lies close enough to Washington and Baltimore that active seniors can easily take advantage of the many fine-dining restaurants, world-class museums and well-known professional sports teams that play in both cities. While its cost of living is high, about 28 points above the national average, health care prices are seven points lower. Recent changes to the taxation of retirees mean that older residents making around $100,000 will not pay state tax on the first $50,000 of income. This policy will be phased in over five years starting in 2022.

Bowie is only a few miles from Annapolis where interested shoppers will find one-of-a-kind antique stores and other unique shops. Its harbor area is also an excellent place for a picturesque lunch or dinner, especially in the summer.

According to the Genworth Cost of Care Survey 2020, Bowie’s monthly average cost of home care is $4,671. Home health care, which includes some medical services and assistance with some activities of daily living, is approximately $300 more expensive a month at $4,957.

All costs in the Genworth study are based on an average of 44 hours a week of care. Therefore, your price for home care or home health care will fluctuate based on the number of hours of assistance you require each week. Home care in Bowie costs $24.50 an hour, while the fee for home health care is $26 an hour.

The Cost of Home Care & Home Health Care in Nearby Cities

Bowie’s home care and home health care average monthly costs are higher than other locations in Maryland. The city of California, located on the Chesapeake Bay, averages $4,481 for home care and $4,957 a month for home health care. On the Eastern Shore of the Delmarva Peninsula, Salisbury averages $4,528 a month for home care and about $50 a month more for home health care at $4,576. In Hagerstown in western Maryland, home care and home health care cost $4,576 a month.

Remember that there’s not necessarily a right or wrong choice – it comes down to choosing a provider that you feel comfortable with and who’s capable of meeting your specific needs. No matter which provider you choose, you should always have a formal arrangement with your expectations and the payment rate in writing. Doing so will prevent confusion or potential disagreements down the line so that the focus remains on helping the person receiving care.

Community Personal Assistance Services (CPAS)

What You Should Know
A program designed to help seniors aging in place remain in their homes and communities, CPAS helps pay for assistance with the activities of daily living. This includes help with cleaning, cooking, laundry and transportation. It also provides regular monitoring by nurses.

Who Is Eligible?
Any senior interested in the program must need specific levels of care and meet the program’s financial limits. You must also need assistance with activities of daily living, such as bathing, shopping or personal grooming.

How to Get Started
You can find out more about the program’s requirements and submit an application by calling Maryland Access Point at (844) 627-5465 or the MD Relay Service at (800) 735-2258.

Home and Community-Based Options Waiver

What You Should Know
Seniors who need assistance with activities of daily living, such as grooming, bathing or dressing, may be eligible for this waiver. Services may be helpful to individuals who require more advanced services, such as hospital care or mental health care. Seniors requiring home health care are also eligible.

Who Is Eligible?
You need to meet a level of care to qualify for this waiver. In this case, you must require the type of care typically provided by a skilled nursing facility. Income and asset levels will also be considered when applying for the program although only you and your spouse’s income and assets will be used when making this determination. Program officials will not use the income and assets of other people in your household.

How to Get Started
To learn more about the program and to apply if you qualify, contact Maryland Access Point at (844) 627-5465.

Bowie Senior Center

What You Should Know
The Bowie Senior Center provides seniors in the community with various resources. These resources include programming that offers social, educational, physical, recreational and creative opportunities for enjoyment and personal growth. The center also provides a congregate lunch program where seniors can socialize. For adults who can no longer drive or don’t have a car, transportation to the location is available.

Who Is Eligible?
If you’re aged 55 or older and live in the community, you can use the senior center’s facilities and programs. However, you must be able to eat a congregate meal by yourself and use the washroom independently to visit the facility.

How to Get Started
The center is located at 14900 Health Center in Bowie. It’s open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturday mornings from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. For more details on the facility or the programs offered to seniors, call (301) 809-2300.

Project Home

What You Should Know
This program, known as the Certified Adult Residential Environmental Program or CARE, helps seniors who have a disability or a mental illness, cannot care for themselves and have no caregiver to assist them. By creating an adult foster care family model, seniors who require a stable living environment can remain in the community.

Who Is Eligible?
Seniors who have a physical or mental disability but can still function in a family setting can apply for Project Home. They must present documentation that outlines their disability and functional capabilities and their current income. If these seniors require some form of medication, they must take it on their own.

How to Get Started
Seniors or their caregivers should contact the Maryland Department of Human Services, Office of Adult Services at (800) 735-2258 to learn more about Project Home or to apply.

Office of Home Energy Programs (OHEP)

What You Should Know
OHEP helps seniors from low-income households in Maryland pay for energy. Its programs are designed to prevent seniors or other low-income families from having their power cut off and then paying to restore it. OHEP also offers a weatherization service that can help lower your energy costs and make your home more comfortable. Receiving energy assistance from OHEP does not affect any other public benefits that you may receive from the state.

Who Is Eligible?
OHEP’s services are available year-round but can only be applied for once a year, and you must reapply each year. Eligibility for all programs is based on income. You do not need to receive a notice that your power will be turned off before you apply.

How to Get Started
You can get more information about OHEP, including how to apply, by calling (855) 583-8976.

Transportation for Seniors in Bowie

What You Should Know
The city’s Transportation Services offers curb-to-curb rides for senior citizens and adults with disabilities. Rides must take place within the city limits of Bowie. Rides can be used for medical appointments, senior citizens activities and shopping. The service handles other trips but on a priority basis. A lift-equipped bus is available for those in need. When making a transportation appointment, please inform staff of the need for a lift-equipped vehicle. There is a $1 fee for rides each way.

Who Is Eligible?
Senior citizens aged 55 and older and disabled adults can use Bowie Transportation Services.

How to Get Started
If you want to make an appointment for a ride, call (301) 809-2324 between 7:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Monday to Friday.