I. What You Should Know About Home Care in Livonia, MI
Livonia is conveniently situated between two of Michigan’s biggest cities, with Detroit roughly 20 miles to the east and Ann Arbor roughly 25 miles to the west. According to data from the 2020 U.S. Census, 95,535 people live in Livonia, with approximately a fifth of the population aged 65 or older. Those older adults see a range of financial benefits, including below-average costs for health care and housing, property tax breaks for senior residents, and income and sales tax rates that are both below U.S. averages.
A variety of social and environmental factors further support the lives of Livonia seniors. The city is warmer than most Michigan areas, allowing for comfortable summers where temperatures hover in the mid-70s and mid-80s. The region’s air quality is also slightly better than the U.S. average, and its crime rate is appreciably lower.
Livonia’s proximity to Ann Arbor and Detroit means residents are within a 30-minute drive of two of Michigan’s top 10 hospitals, as ranked by U.S. News and World Report. Ann Arbor hosts the state’s top-ranked hospital, University of Michigan Health, which is also ranked #11 in the nation. Detroit’s Henry Ford Hospital is ranked ninth in the state.
II. What You Should Expect to Pay for Home Care in Livonia, MI
The average monthly cost of home care in Livonia is $6,101. This assumes full-time help at 44 hours a week. For around-the-clock live-in help or occasional help, you’ll pay more or less. Home care costs an average of $32 an hour.
In Livonia, homemaker care averages the same as home health care, but they’re not the same level of care. Homemakers provide services like cleaning, cooking and running errands. Home health care can include bathing, toileting, dressing and grooming, and skilled nursing services like medication management, injections and wound care, as well as physical, occupational and speech therapy. Home health care is usually more expensive.
The Cost of Home Care & Home Health Care in Nearby Cities
Throughout Michigan, both types of in-home care average $5,529 a month. Those state average costs are slightly higher than the national rate, which averages $4,957 a month for home care and $5,148 a month for home health care. In Muskegon, seniors pay $6,340 for either type of in-home care. Costs for in-home care fall a bit in Detroit, which averages $5,720 monthly, and drop significantly in Saginaw, where seniors pay $4,195.
The Cost of Home Care Compared to Other Senior Living Options
Note: Data for Livonia was unavailable, so data for the nearest city, Ann Arbor, was used instead.
III. How to Find Home Care in Livonia, MI
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 Livonia, MI.
IV. Home Care Resources for Seniors in Livonia, MI
The Senior Alliance
What You Should Know
This nonprofit organization is the Area Agency on Aging for the Livonia area. Through the SA, you can access case management services that can help you find financial and respite support for in-home care. Staff members can also lead you through some of your options under Medicaid and help you with transitions from community care to in-home care, or vice versa.
Operators from the SA’s Information and Assistance Call Center can also help you find low-cost, senior-friendly transportation options in the area and connect you with nutrition programs such as food pantries and meal delivery services.
Who Is Eligible?
In general, The Senior Alliance is charged with supporting the needs of area residents 60 years of age and up. Some of its programs are specific to low-income or at-risk seniors.
How to Get Started
Call The Senior Alliance at (800) 815-1112, email [email protected] or visit the main office, located at 5454 Venoy Road in Wayne, MI.
Focus: HOPE
What You Should Know
This nonprofit helps fight food insecurity for the area’s older population by delivering boxes of donated food directly to seniors’ doorsteps. Deliveries are made monthly and organized in conjunction with the Livonia Senior Center.
Who Is Eligible?
As long as one member of your household is at least 60 years of age and your household is under the income limit, you qualify. Income limits are based on the size of your household. If you are your household’s only member, the income limit is $16,588. The limit increases by $5,824 for each additional member of the household.
How to Get Started
Sign up for the program by calling (313) 494-4600 or emailing [email protected]. You can also use the Livonia Senior Center as a point of contact by calling (734) 466-2557 for questions specific to Focus: HOPE.
Weatherization Assistance Program
What You Should Know
This program helps low-income residents lower their energy bills. Workers can install wall and attic insulation to reduce heat leakage, improve venting for better air circulation and even add safety features such as smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. The entire process generally takes approximately six months to a year to complete.
Who Is Eligible?
There aren’t any age restrictions for program eligibility. Income restrictions are based on the number of members of your household and current federal poverty guidelines. As of 2022, a single-person household would need a monthly income no greater than $2,265, or $27,180 yearly, to qualify. A five-person household would need a monthly income no greater than $5,412, or $64,940 yearly, to qualify.
In terms of home eligibility, you’re only eligible for the program if your house has not been weatherized in the previous 15 years. There are also a few structural issues that must be resolved before any weatherization work can be authorized; for example, the roof must not be significantly damaged, and there must not be visible areas of mold or standing water.
How to Get Started
Contact the Wayne Metropolitan Community Action Agency at (313) 388-9799 or apply via its online portal.
Elder Law and Advocacy Center
What You Should Know
The ELAC is part of Neighborhood Legal Services Michigan. Its long-running First Tuesdays program presents free legal aid workshops aimed at seniors and their caregivers. Participants can get professional assistance with legal questions pertaining to drawing up wills and trusts, resolving claims for government benefits, dealing with housing issues such as foreclosure and more.
Who Is Eligible?
The ELAC works with Wayne County seniors who are at least 60 years of age.
How to Get Started
You can call the Elder Law and Advocacy Center at (313) 937-8291 or visit Neighborhood Legal Services Michigan’s Detroit office at 7310 Woodward Avenue, Suite 301.
Home Heating Credit
What You Should Know
This program uses funds from the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program to help Michigan residents pay their winter heating bills. While this is considered a tax credit, you don’t actually need to file a Michigan tax return to take advantage of it; the state pays the utility company directly on your behalf.
Who Is Eligible?
Any Michigan resident who owns or rents their home and has an income under the program limit qualifies. Income limits are updated with federal poverty guidelines.
As of 2021, you’ll need to have a household income of no more than $14,186 to claim the credit if your household has one or zero exemptions. That limit goes progressively higher based on the number of exemptions your household has. If your household has four exemptions, for example, the limit is $29,156.
To claim the HHC for a given year, you’ll need to file before September 30.
How to Get Started
Apply online via the state’s MI Bridges portal, call the Michigan Department of Treasury at (517) 636-4486 or get in touch with your utility provider. The Michigan Public Service Commission may be able to assist you with claiming the HHC through your provider; call the MPSC at (800) 292-9555.