I. What You Should Know About Home Care in Franklin, TN
Franklin lies approximately 20 miles south of the Tennessee capital of Nashville. According to U.S. Census data, 85,469 people call Franklin home, and 12.7% of them are 65 years of age or older. While Franklin’s overall cost of living is 35% higher than the U.S. average, there are numerous areas of the economy that provide savings for older adults; for example, Tennessee has no state-level income tax and allows senior citizens to freeze property taxes to lower their tax bills. The cost of health care in Franklin is also 4% lower than the national average.
The city is home to Williamson Medical Center, ranked by U.S. News and World Report as high-performing in back and knee replacement surgery. Franklin’s residents are within a half-hour drive of Nashville’s Vanderbilt University Medical Center, ranked by U.S. News & World Report as the top hospital in Tennessee and one of the top 20 hospitals in the U.S.
Franklin’s general climate and environment are also quite appealing to older adults. The city’s residents experience long summers that are warm but not oppressively hot, with average highs in the 70s and 80s from April to October. The city also enjoys above-average air quality and exceptionally good water quality.
II. What You Should Expect to Pay for Home Care in Franklin, TN
Genworth Financial’s annual Cost of Care Survey reports that Franklin seniors pay an average of $4,767 a month for either home care or home health care. Although the average prices are identical in this market, home care is generally less expensive than home health care. The former includes cooking, cleaning and running errands; the latter includes various levels of medical assistance.
That figure of $4,767 per month assumes a 44-hour work week for the caregiver. If you only need to hire support on weekends or at times when family caregivers are unavailable, you can expect the cost to drop accordingly. Reduced to an hourly rate, in-home care in Franklin averages $25 per hour.
The Cost of Home Care & Home Health Care in Nearby Cities
Franklin’s cost of $4,767 for in-home care is slightly higher than the Tennessee average of $4,576, but nationally, average in-home care prices are higher at an average of $4,957 for home care and $5,148 for home health care. All of Tennessee’s reporting cities fall inside the $4,000 to $5,000 range for monthly home care costs. Johnson City, at $4,004, and Memphis, at $4,242, are on the low side of that range; Cleveland, at $4,719, is closer to Franklin’s price level.
The Cost of Home Care Compared to Other Senior Living Options
You have a few other options beyond in-home care in Franklin. Adult day care is easily the least expensive at $1,842 per month, although its operating hours are limited. Assisted living costs $4,100 per month, approximately $650 less than home care, and may be a fitting option if a community experience appeals to you. Nursing home care, which offers the highest level of medical support and supervision, is accordingly the most expensive choice at $7,270 a month.
Note: Data for Franklin was unavailable, so data for the nearest city, Nashville, was used instead.
III. How to Find Home Care in Franklin, TN
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 Franklin, TN.
IV. Home Care Resources for Seniors in Franklin, TN
Fifty Forward
What You Should Know
This nonprofit organization provides an array of services for Franklin-area seniors. Its care management services include an in-home assessment of clients’ needs, assistance with establishing care-giving services, help with managing related finances and ongoing monitoring of care. FiftyForward also offers a meal delivery program and sliding-scale adult day care services that offer respite for primary caregivers.
Who Is Eligible?
FiftyForward makes its care management services available to low-income Williamson County or Davidson County residents who are at least 50 years old, cannot access supportive services without assistance and do not already have an existing care management relationship. Its adult day care services are available for mostly able-bodied seniors who meet the same age and income guidelines.
How to Get Started
Call (615) 743-3400. You can also stop by the main office, located in Nashville at 174 Rains Avenue.
Weatherization Assistance Program
What You Should Know
If you qualify under its income guidelines, this federally funded program can help you pay for energy-efficient home upgrades such as insulating walls and attics, air-sealing drafty doors and windows and ensuring adequate ventilation. In addition to lowering your energy bills, the weatherization process can have a positive effect on your health by improving the air quality in your home and normalizing temperatures throughout.
Who Is Eligible?
There is no age restriction on eligibility for the weatherization program. Income restrictions are based on the number of people in your household and are regularly updated based on federal poverty guidelines. As of 2020, the maximum household income for a single-resident application was $25,520. Maximum income for eligibility increases with each additional resident, reaching $52,400 for a four-person household and $88,240 for an eight-person household.
How to Get Started
Contact the Tennessee Housing Development Agency at (615) 815-2200.
Mid-Cumberland Meals on Wheels
What You Should Know
This program is administered by the Mid-Cumberland Human Resource Agency. Its volunteers prepare and deliver hot, nutritious meals to participating seniors’ doors five times a week. The program also provides pet food for seniors who have animal companions.
Who Is Eligible?
MCHRA serves residents of 13 Tennessee counties, including Williamson County, where Franklin is located. You qualify for the delivery service if you’re at least 60 years of age and homebound.
How to Get Started
Call the Mid-Cumberland Human Resource Agency at (615) 850-3910, email the program director at [email protected] or visit the MCHRA Nashville office, which is located at 1101 Kermit Drive, Suite 100.
Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands
What You Should Know
This nonprofit law firm focuses its pro bono work on low-income Tennessee residents and can be particularly helpful if you’re dealing with legal issues concerning housing. If you own your home, its attorneys may be able to fight foreclosure or help you reduce your mortgage payments; if you rent, you may be able to get help fighting eviction, qualifying for housing and dealing with landlord disputes.
In addition to its housing-related legal assistance, LAS offers help with accessing health care benefits, writing up wills and power of attorney documents, tax questions and civil cases regarding business scams. LAS cannot offer support in criminal cases, though.
Who Is Eligible?
Low-income residents of any age across Williamson County qualify. Income guidelines are related to the federal poverty guidelines, but in some cases you may be able to qualify for help if you exceed those limits. Contact LAS to see if your specific situation applies.
How to Get Started
Call (615) 244-6610 or drop in on one of the organization’s regular free legal help clinics, held in rotating locations in nearby Nashville, Murfreesboro and Gallatin. With an appointment, you can speak to LAS’ experts in person in the Nashville office, located at 1321 Murfreesboro Pike, Suite 400.
Mid-Cumberland Community Action Agency
What You Should Know
This agency’s services for low-income older adults in the area include help paying for rent and water bills, as well as for basic household supplies such as detergent and shampoo. Through its administration of the federally funded Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, it can help you save between $600 to $1,000 on your energy bill.
MCCAA also fights food insecurity in the region through a Garden Grow program that helps seniors learn how to maintain home gardens and a food pantry program that can provide emergency nutrition support. Additionally, the organization’s assistive-device lending closet helps area seniors access safety and mobility equipment such as walkers and shower seats.
Who Is Eligible?
Financial eligibility guidelines vary by exact program. For example, to qualify for energy assistance, you’ll need a household income that’s not higher than 165% of the federal poverty guidelines. To qualify for food assistance, the household income limit is 185% of the federal poverty guidelines.
How to Get Started
Call (615) 742-1113 or fill out the MCCAA contact form on its website.