Home Care in Connecticut

According to the 2021 Genworth Cost of Care Survey, Connecticut’s home care cost averages $5,243 per month, while home health care costs are about $5,339. While in-home care provides personal care services, including help with activities of daily living (ADLs), home health care includes the extra benefit of medical supervision for those who need it. Depending on a senior’s needs, that might include physical therapy, wound care, monitoring of vital signs or post-surgical care.

Home care and home health care costs in Connecticut are both above the national median, which sits at $4,957 and $5,148, respectively. When compared with nearby states, Connecticut’s costs are among the lowest. In New York, seniors pay an average of $5,339 per month for home care and $5,529 for home health care, while those in New Jersey pay $5,529 for home care and $5,710 for home health care. Costs are even higher in Rhode Island at $5,720 for home care and $5,958 for home health care, and in Massachusetts, both types of care cost $5,911 monthly.

Seniors who prefer residential care over aging in place at home may consider options such as assisted living, which costs an average of $5,129 per month in Connecticut, or nursing home care, which is far more expensive at $13,764 per month. Those who only require supervision and assistance from a professional caregiver for part of the day may save money with adult day health care, which costs an average of $1,842 per month in Connecticut.

Connecticut’s Medicaid system is known as HUSKY Health. It administers several programs to help seniors access vital care and support while living independently at home. That includes the Connecticut Home Care Program for Elders, Community First Choice and the Money Follows the Person Program.

Connecticut’s three waiver programs operate as part of the HUSKY Health system. These waivers are designed to help seniors avoid institutionalization by providing them with necessary personal care, home health care and other services.

Those who want to obtain HUSKY Health coverage in Connecticut need to meet specific income guidelines. For single seniors living alone, the maximum annual income is $12,624, while spouses living together can only earn an annual household income of $19,620. For countable assets, a single senior can only possess up to $1,600, while couples are limited to $2,400.

To apply for HUSKY Health, seniors can log onto ConneCT to complete an application online. Those who prefer can contact 2-1-1 to initiate the application process over the phone.

What Information You Will Need

When applying for HUSKY Health, seniors should be prepared to provide:

• Proof of income, including Social Security statements and tax returns
• Policy numbers for any other health insurance policies
• Proof of age, address and residency

How to Get Help Applying for Medicaid

Connecticut has several programs available for seniors who are seeking assistance with their Medicaid applications or struggling to understand their eligibility.

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.

Seniors living at home often need additional support to make life affordable and comfortable. In Connecticut, there are a variety of resources available that help to reduce living costs and offer protection for older adults.

The state of Connecticut and the federal government require that all in-home care providers are vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2, or COVID-19. This rule is current as of April 2022, but it’s important to stay up to date on current legislation by checking with local health authorities, such as the Connecticut Department of Public Health.

Home care agencies may also have additional COVID-19 regulations in place, which may include further rules regarding vaccinations, as well as guidelines surrounding the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), such as face masks, gloves and sanitization procedures. These rules can be obtained by contacting individual health care agencies directly.

The Connecticut Department of Public Health requires all agencies that provide in-home care to register with the Department of Consumer Protection, which ensures that all agencies maintain an active license and abide by the state’s home care regulations.

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 Connecticut’s Top Cities

• Danbury
• Hartford
• Milford
• Stamford