I. What You Should Know About Home Care in Centennial, CO
Centennial is a sprawling residential community located in the south Denver metro area. More than 15% of Centennial’s 111,000 residents are seniors aged 65 and over. Your neighborhood in Centennial gets as much sunshine as Southern California, but with cool snowy winters and mild summers. Consistently rated as one of the safest and most livable large urban areas in the United States, Centennial is also one of the best places to live if you’re a veteran.
You have a lot of opportunities for outdoor recreational activities in Centennial. Biking, hiking and senior-friendly walking trails, such as Cherry Creek Valley and Willow Creek Trail, surround the city and offer ADA-accessible facilities for visitors. You can get around the trails or visit the shopping and dining establishments downtown on an electric bike from one of the local shops that offers hourly rentals.
Shopping in Centennial runs the gamut from small, family-owned boutiques to large, high-traffic shopping malls. For less commercial fun, you have the option to stroll the grounds and swim at the Copperleaf Arboretum, which combines outdoor green spaces with a public pool and community center.
II. What You Should Expect to Pay for Home Care in Centennial, CO
You should expect to pay an average of $5,720 a month for both home care and home health services in Centennial, according to Genworth Financial’s 2020 Cost of Care Survey. Costs for these services can vary according to location and whatever extra services, such as medication management, you need.
Genworth’s monthly average numbers assume seniors are paying for a 44-hour week. Your costs are likely to vary based on the number of hours of care you need in a typical week. On an hourly basis, you can expect to pay an average of $30 an hour for both home care and home health services.
The Cost of Home Care & Home Health Care in Nearby Cities
Home care and home health costs in Centennial are near the high end of prices for the state. Average costs for similar care in Colorado Springs run to $4,862 and $4,957, respectively, while home care in Pueblo costs $4,376 and home health care averages $4,757. Expect to pay somewhat higher prices in Boulder, where home care and home health care cost an average of $5,625 and $5,720. Colorado’s state average is $5,339 for both types of care, while the U.S. average is $4,481 for home care and $4,576 for home health services.
The Cost of Home Care Compared to Other Senior Living Options
Home care services are not the most expensive care option you have in Centennial. A semiprivate room at a Centennial-area nursing care home is likely to cost you around $9,064 a month, which includes around-the-clock nursing care and supervised rehab services. If you don’t need that level of supervision, assisted living in Centennial costs an average of $4,850 a month, while adult day care costs an average of 1,625, which makes this the least expensive option for you to get the assistance you need to stay independent.
III. How to Find Home Care in Centennial, CO
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 Centennial, CO.
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.
IV. Home Care Resources for Seniors in Centennial, CO
Arapahoe County Veteran Services Office
What You Should Know
The Arapahoe County Veteran Services Office helps honorably discharged veterans and their spouses find and obtain all of the benefits they may be eligible for. Case manager services are provided to help you or your spouse locate and sign up for medical help, cash aid and insurance benefits. Referrals are available for veterans who need caregiver, counseling or residential placement assistance. The VA also directly administers eligible spouse and survivor benefits, as well as burial and bereavement services.
Veterans can access VA services in Arapahoe County by appointment only. After initial consultation, an intake worker can assess your needs and help you with signup for benefits. Support is also available for appeal of adverse benefits decisions.
Who Is Eligible?
All honorably discharged veterans who served in any U.S. armed services branch are eligible for assistance from the VA. In addition, veterans’ qualifying spouses and dependents can access VA benefits and services. The Arapahoe County VA serves veterans anywhere in the South Metro area.
How to Get Started
To learn more about VA benefits and the intake process for Arapahoe County, call (303) 738-8045 and set an appointment with a benefits counselor.
Arapahoe County Senior Resources Division
What You Should Know
The Arapahoe County Senior Resources Division offers a number of services to help you remain independent. Programs include no-cost and discount transportation services and in-home chore assistance. The county office can also help you with referrals to the VA, Adult Protective Services and free nutrition support programs, including Meals on Wheels and community dining at the senior center.
You can access the division’s services by calling to make an appointment with a program worker. Intake and counseling appointments are conducted by phone, as are eligibility assessments. You may be asked to provide documentation of your age, proof of residence and financial information.
Who Is Eligible?
All Arapahoe County seniors aged 60 and over are eligible. While some benefits, such as VA or low-income health services, may have restricted eligibility criteria, any senior in the area can enroll with the division and participate in its general senior benefits and public community events.
How to Get Started
To learn more about benefits the division offers or to get referrals to resources that partner with the county office, call (303) 738-8080 and speak with a benefits worker.
Project Lifesaver
What You Should Know
The Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Department participates in Project Lifesaver, an international search-and-rescue program for wandering and at-risk seniors. Using wearable wireless GPS trackers, Project Lifesaver can report your current location to participating search-and-rescue teams in the event you ever get lost or stranded.
Tracking devices can be worn as a bracelet or as a pendant. They are water- and shock-resistant and work over long ranges. You can ask for a Lifesaver tracker online through the national organization or through the Sheriff’s Department. Project coordinators take your information and assess eligibility before issuing a tracker.
Who Is Eligible?
Project Lifesaver trackers are available on request from the Sheriff’s Department. Seniors, children and adults with disabilities are eligible, and requests for equipment can be made by family members and caregivers.
How to Get Started
Applications for Project Lifesaver equipment can be submitted over the phone by calling the national program at (877) 580-5433, or through the Sheriff’s Department at (720) 874-3804.
South Metro Medical Equipment Loan Closet
What You Should Know
The South Metro Medical Equipment Loan Closet can help you with a temporary loan of durable medical equipment. Items available at no cost include shower chairs, bedside commodes and mobility aids, such as walkers and wheelchairs. Electric scooters, bed trays and transfer equipment are also usually available, though you should call ahead to see what’s in stock.
The loan closet serves the entire South Metro Denver area, and all adults aged 18 and over with a medical need are eligible to borrow the equipment they need. Walk-ins are welcome during operating hours, and phone appointments are available, as is limited delivery service.
Who Is Eligible?
Any adult with a medical need can access the loan closet and borrow any equipment they need, if it’s available. The loan closet is open to residents of the South Metro region, including Arapahoe County and the city of Centennial.
How to Get Started
Call the closet’s main office at (720) 443-2013 to set an appointment.
Senior Health Care & Medicare Assistance (Colorado SHIP & SMP)
What You Should Know
The state of Colorado operates two programs, SHIP and SMP, to help you connect with low-cost health services and manage Medicare benefits. SHIP runs 17 locations around the state, including one in Arapahoe County. The program helps you with case manager assistance with locating and signing up for Medicare, Medicare Advantage and other related programs. SMP, which is also offered through the Colorado Division of Insurance, provides ombudsman and reporting service for you to report suspected fraud, waste and abuse.
You can access SHIP and SMP services through an intake worker who will assess your needs and assign you a caseworker. SMP reports can be submitted by any concerned party.
Who Is Eligible?
Any Medicare-eligible senior in Colorado can ask for help from SHIP, and the SMP reporting hotline is open to all residents of the state.
How to Get Started
To learn more about SHIP or to apply for aid, call (888) 696-7213 and speak to an intake specialist. SMP can be reached at (800) 503-5190.