Home Care in Katy, TX

Located just west of Houston, Katy is a small city that’s centered in Harris, Fort Bend and Waller counties. Katy was first established as a railroad town in the mid-1890s, and today the city largely serves as a residential suburb. Of Katy’s 21,894 residents, just over 14%, or 3,087 people, are aged 65 and older.

Thanks to its proximity to world-class entertainment, shopping and cultural venues, Katy is ideal for seniors who want access to big-city amenities while also enjoying the comfort and quiet of a small suburban area. Katy is also great for seniors who enjoy a hot, snow-free climate, as summer high temperatures are above the nationwide average. During the winter, the mercury rarely falls below 42.5 degrees during the area’s coldest month, January.

Living close to health care services is important to many seniors, so you’ll be happy to know that the 208-bed Memorial Hermann Katy Hospital provides a complete range of emergency and acute care services. In addition to its 24/7 emergency department, the hospital is staffed by board-certified specialists in 38 medical fields, including cardiology, neurology, orthopedics and rehabilitation.

Genworth Financial’s 2020 Cost of Care Survey shows that you can expect to pay around $4,290 per month for 44 hours of weekly home care in Katy. This works out to a weekly cost of $990, and an average rate of $22.50 per hour. You can estimate your care costs by multiplying the number of hours of assistance you expect to need by the hourly rate.

Home health care, a type of in-home care which includes some limited medical services such as foot care, medication monitoring and wound management, also costs an average of $4,290 per month in Katy.

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

The $4,290 average cost of in-home care in Katy is $95 higher than the $4,195 per month that seniors in nearby College Station pay for either home care or home health care services. In Austin, the median monthly home care rate is $4,385, while home health care is $4,576. To the southwest in Victoria, rates are lower for both kinds of in-home care, and seniors there pay about $3,956 for home care or home health care services.

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.

Fussell Senior Citizen Center

What You Should Know
Open Monday through Friday, the Fussell Senior Citizen Center is a multipurpose community center for older adults. Owned and operated by Katy’s Senior Services Department, programming at the center is designed to help local older adults stay active, maintain social connections and lead healthy, balanced lives.

Daily activities include organized pinochle games, senior-friendly fitness classes, arts and crafts workshops, and line dancing groups. There are also a number of escorted day trips offered through the center each month, as well as regular holiday parties and AARP meetings.

Who Is Eligible?
As a senior living in Katy, you’re welcome to take part in any of the programs and activities offered at the Fussell Senior Citizen Center. Many activities are free, while some require a small fee to cover program costs.

How to Get Started
To learn more about the current program schedule at the center, call (281) 391-4837.

Interfaith Ministries’ Meals on Wheels

What You Should Know
Meals on Wheels for Greater Houston and Galveston County provides hot, home-delivered midday meals to homebound seniors who have difficulty getting groceries or preparing healthy meals. Volunteer drivers distribute the meals each weekday, and they also perform an informal wellness check on each program participant. Seniors who are at an especially high risk of institutionalization can also receive home-delivered breakfasts, as well as meals for use on the weekend.

In addition to operating the regional Meals on Wheels service, volunteers run the Animeals program. This program collects donations of cat and dog food, as well as pet supplies such as cat litter, for distribution to Meals on Wheels clients who have companion animals.

Who Is Eligible?
To qualify for Interfaith Ministries’ Meals on Wheels service, you must be aged 60 or older and reside in the area of Katy that’s located within Harris County. You must also be housebound, or care for a family member who’s housebound due to illness or disability.

How to Get Started
To learn more about the Meals on Wheels program, call (713) 533-4978.

Houston-Galveston Area Agency on Aging

What You Should Know
The Houston-Galveston Area Agency on Aging is the federally mandated nonprofit agency that helps older adults in Katy remain as independent as possible. Staff at the H-GAC AAA provide a wide range of free services to seniors, including advocacy for those living in residential care facilities, Medicare counseling and case management services.

Who Is Eligible?
If you live in either Waller or Fort Bend County, you’re eligible for free assistance through the H-GAC Area Agency on Aging. If your home address is in Harris County, you can access similar services through the Harris County Area Agency on Aging.

How to Get Started
To speak with a senior resource specialist at the H-GAC Area Agency on Aging, call (800) 437-7396 or (713) 627-3200. In Harris County, you can call (832) 393-4301 or (800) 213-8471 to connect with the HCAAA.

Fort Bend Habitat for Humanity Home Programs

What You Should Know
Fort Bend Habitat for Humanity is a faith-based nonprofit, volunteer-based organization that works to improve access to safe, affordable housing for people of all ages. The organization offers a number of home repair programs for residents of Fort Bend County that low and moderate-income seniors can access.

Launched in response to Hurricane Harvey, the Disaster Response Program provides low-income homeowners with assistance in repairing damage caused by extreme weather events. FBHFH also operates the Age In Place Program, which helps senior homeowners retain their independence by improving the overall safety and accessibility of their home. Projects that may qualify for the AIP Program  include installation of grab bars, handrails and ramps; fixing damaged flooring that could cause the homeowner to fall; and upgrading exterior and interior lighting.

Who Is Eligible?
If you own and occupy your own home in Fort Bend County, and you’re struggling to afford home repairs and accessibility modifications you need to continue living independently, you can apply for assistance through the AIP or Disaster Response Program.

How to Get Started
For more information on Fort Bend Habitat for Humanity’s Home Programs, call (281) 403-0708, extension 304.

Katy Property Tax Exemption Program

What You Should Know
The City of Katy offers a number of property tax exemptions that can provide tax relief to eligible homeowners. These programs may be combined to provide up to 100% exemption of city-levied property taxes.

Who Is Eligible?
As the owner and occupant of a home in Katy, you qualify for a 20% homestead exemption. Individuals who are disabled, and who qualify for the residential homestead exemption, can apply for an additional exemption.

Disabled veteran homeowners in Katy may be eligible for between $5,000 and $12,000 in exemptions, while full exemptions are available to vets who are 100% disabled.

If you’re a senior aged 65 or older who qualifies for the residence homestead exemption, you can also request an additional age-based exemption. However, you can’t claim both the age-based and disability exemptions.

How to Get Started
To learn more about the various property tax relief programs for Katy homeowners, contact Katy’s Finance Department at (281) 391-4800.