I. What You Should Know About Home Care in Delray Beach, FL

Located in Palm Beach County along the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, Delray Beach is a compact beachfront city that’s known for its vibrant main street, active arts scene and year-round sunshine. The city is popular with older adults, and of Delray Beach’s 69,451 residents, approximately one in four are seniors aged 65 and older.

The overall cost of living in Delray Beach is close to Florida’s state median, and local home care rates are among the lowest in the state, making this beachfront city a great option if you’re looking for an affordable place to spend your retirement years. There’s also lots to do, whether you enjoy strolling through the city’s pedestrian-friendly downtown district, relaxing on the boardwalk or shopping for farm-fresh fruits and vegetables at the year-round Saturday Green Market.

You’ll also be happy to know that medical services are readily available at the Delray Medical Center, a general medical and surgical facility equipped with a 24-hour emergency department. Specialized cardiovascular, cancer and orthopedic care is offered at the Bethesda Hospital East in neighboring Boynton Beach. When you consider Delray Beach’s beachfront location, the abundance of services for seniors and the relatively low local home care rates, it’s easy to see why this city is so popular with retirees.

II. What You Should Expect to Pay for Home Care in Delray Beach, FL

Genworth Financial’s 2020 Cost of Care Survey shows that, on average, home care in Delray Beach costs $3,623 per month, and home health care costs $3,813. The higher cost for home health care reflects the fact that this type of in-home care includes some skilled nursing care, such as medication management and vital sign monitoring.

The figures listed by Genworth are based on 44 hours of care per week, which works out to a weekly rate of $836.07 and an hourly rate of $19. You can estimate your actual home care costs by multiplying the number of hours of care you expect to need by this rate.

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

With a monthly average of $3,623 for home care and $3,813 for home health care, in-home senior care rates in Delray Beach are quite affordable compared to many other areas. In nearby Port St. Lucie, home care costs around $4,147 per month, and home health care services cost an average of $4,242. Further up the Atlantic coast in Sebastian, both types of in-home care run around $4,338, while west of Delray Beach in Naples, seniors pay an average of $4,767 for home care and $4,957 for home health care.

The Cost of Home Care Compared to Other Senior Living Options

Home care services in Delray Beach cost an average of $3,623 per month, which is just above the average area rates for assisted living ($3,500) and below the local average home health care rate of $3,813 per month. The lowest-priced senior care service is adult day care at $1,300 per month, while a semiprivate room in a nursing home costs about $9,095.

Note: Data for Delray Beach was unavailable, so data for the nearest city, Miami, was used instead.

III. How to Find Home Care in Delray Beach, FL

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 Delray Beach, FL.

An infographic giving steps to finding a home care provider

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 Delray Beach, FL

PALM TRAN

What You Should Know
Palm Tran is the regional public transit provider for Palm Beach County with routes servicing Delray Beach. All Palm Tran buses are equipped with an accessibility ramp that can be deployed for wheelchair users and to make loading and unloading easier for riders who have difficulty stepping on and off the bus.

In addition to providing regular fixed-route bus service, Palm Tran operates a local paratransit service. Known as Palm Tran Connection, this ADA-compliant, door-to-door transit service is available to riders who have a disability that prevents them from using the regular bus service. Paratransit can be used to travel anywhere in Palm Beach County, and the service is available daily.

Who Is Eligible?
As a senior aged 65 and older, you qualify for half-price fares on all Palm Tran routes. To qualify for Palm Tran Connection, the paratransit service, you must have a medically verified disability that meets program criteria. Alternatively, if you’re a senior aged 60 and older traveling to the senior center on a weekday, you can use the Palm Tran Connection between your home and the senior center.

How to Get Started
To learn more about Palm Tran, including the Palm Tran Connection paratransit service, call (561) 841-4287.

Meals on Wheels

What You Should Know
Meals on Wheels is a private nonprofit organization that provides fresh home-delivered meals to homebound seniors. Volunteer drivers deliver hot meals each weekday around lunchtime, and each meal includes an entree, starch, vegetable, fruit or dessert, beverage and bread. Clients who need extra help can request frozen heat-and-serve meals to sustain them over the weekends between regular meal deliveries.

The organization also runs Palm County AniMeals, a program that provides housebound pet owners with free home-delivered pet food. AniMeals is designed to help older adults care for their companion animals.

Who Is Eligible?
If you’re a senior who has difficulty shopping for groceries and preparing your own healthy homemade meals because you are largely housebound, you’re eligible for Meals on Wheels. There’s no financial qualification requirements, but you’ll be asked to pay $7 per meal towards program costs. If you’re unable to pay for your meals, you can request assistance through the subsidy program for low-income seniors.

How to Get Started
To learn more about low-cost home meal delivery in Delray Beach, call Meals on Wheels of the Palm Beaches at (561) 802-6979.

Palm Beach County Veteran Services

What You Should Know
Veterans and their family members qualify for a number of government-sponsored programs and services, and Palm Beach County Veterans Services helps to ensure that local veterans, survivors and dependents receive their maximum entitlements through these programs.

The county-operated Veterans Services office provides up-to-date information on county, state and federal benefits for vets. Staff at the office can help vets apply for the VA Aid and Attendance and Housebound benefits, two VA enhanced pension programs that can be used to offset home care costs.

Who Is Eligible?
If you are a veteran, survivor or dependent living in Delray Beach, you can receive free information and assistance through Palm Beach County Veterans Services.

How to Get Started
To schedule an appointment with a service officer, call Palm Beach County Veteran Services at (561) 355-4761.

Your Aging and Disability Resource Center

What You Should Know
Your Aging and Disability Resource Center is the federally mandated Area Agency on Aging for Palm Beach County and eight neighboring counties. The center is responsible for planning and delivering a number of free and low-cost services for seniors, including health insurance counseling, home care services and help finding affordable housing.

Seniors can contact the center for information about regional resources to help seniors age in place, including home care services, health insurance counseling, nutritional support programs and housing assistance.

Who Is Eligible?
Anyone, including seniors, family members and caregivers, can contact the Area Agency on Aging of Palm Beach/Treasure Coast.

How to Get Started
To learn more about the programs and services offered through your local Area Agency on Aging, call the helpline at (866) 684-5885.

Palm Beach County Senior Centers 

What You Should Know
Palm Beach County operates three senior centers that provide area seniors with a wide range of social, recreational and educational opportunities. Programming varies between the centers and can include arts and crafts workshops, wood carving clubs, quilting and knitting classes and organized games.

The centers also host a number of free health screening clinics where seniors can have their blood pressure checked, get their annual flu shot and learn fall prevention techniques.

Who Is Eligible?
As a senior in Delray Beach, you’re eligible to visit any of the county-owned senior centers in Palm Beach County.

How to Get Started
For up-to-date programming information and center hours, call the county’s Division of Senior Services at (561) 355-4746.