Home Care in New York, NY

New York is home to 8,336,817 residents, making it the most populous city in the United States. Adults aged 65 and older account for 14.5% of the city’s population, so as a senior, you’ll find there are plenty of services and amenities that can help you remain in your own home as you age.

The NYC Department for the Aging operates close to 250 senior centers citywide that offer a wide range of free activities, educational programs and support services, and as a senior, you’re free to join whichever senior center you like. There’s also dozens of world-class museums and theaters that offer discounts for seniors, and those discounts can help you stretch your retirement budget. If you’re age 65 or older, you also qualify for half-price fares on all MTA buses, subways and trains.

And if your native language isn’t English, you’re not alone. Over 600 languages are spoken throughout the city’s thriving ethic neighborhoods, which include Little Poland, Chinatown, Koreatown and Little Italy. No matter where you’re from, New York can feel like home.

According to Genworth Financial’s 2020 Cost of Care Survey, you should expect to pay an average of $4,957 for nonmedical home care. This rate is based on 44 hours of service per week, making the average hourly cost for home care $28.16. If you’re like many seniors, you may only need assistance a few hours each day or a couple of days a week, making hiring a part-time homemaker relatively affordable when compared to other senior care options.

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

New York City’s home care and home health care rates are identical to those in nearby Poughkeepsie. In Bridgeport, CT, you’ll find that home care rates are slightly lower at $4,767 per month, while home health care rates are more expensive at $5,148. Rates in Trenton, NJ are also similar at $4,910 for home care and $4,957 for home health care.

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.

Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE)

What You Should Know
As a New York city resident, you have access to nine PACE program sites. These innovative programs provide you with all the community-based health care services you need to safely remain in your own home as you age. Once you’re enrolled in PACE, you’ll receive all your health care services through designated PACE providers and affiliates.

Your PACE services are customized to your specific needs, and these services may include home-delivered meals, home care, transportation and intermittent skilled nursing care. As a PACE participant, you’ll also have access to your designated PACE center, where you can enjoy communal meals, socialize with peers and participate in a variety of recreational programs.

Who Is Eligible?
To qualify for participation in a PACE program, you must be aged 55 or older, meet the criteria for admission to a nursing home and reside within a designated PACE service area. You also need to have Medicaid and/or Medicare benefits or be able to pay out-of-pocket for program costs, and be able to safely reside in the community with the support provided by the PACE program.

How to Get Started
To connect with the nearest PACE program, call the NY Medicaid Helpline at 1-800-541-2831.

NYC Department for the Aging Senior Centers

What You Should Know
The NYC Department for the Aging finances approximately 250 senior centers open to members aged 60 and older. As a senior, you can join any senior center at no cost, and participate in multiple free and low-cost recreational programs, educational classes and social events. Programming varies by center, but often includes walking clubs, daily fitness classes, arts and crafts groups, and daily lunch service.

Many centers host preventative health workshops, such as blood pressure screening and flu shot clinics. There are also courses for those living with chronic diseases like diabetes and arthritis. Some centers offer mental health services, and a number of locations are geared towards specific populations, such as the LGBTQ community and ethnic groups.

Who Is Eligible?
If you’re a New York senior, you can join a DFTA-funded senior center at no cost.

How to Get Started
You can locate your nearest senior center by calling Aging Connect at (212) 244-6469 or using the online service finder.

Citymeals on Wheels

What You Should Know
Citymeals delivers prepared, balanced meals to vulnerable seniors in every NYC borough. The nonprofit organization partners with other organizations and programs to prevent hunger among older, non-institutionalized adults who experience food insecurity due to one or more chronic health conditions.

Who Is Eligible?
To qualify to receive Citymeals home-delivered meals, you need to be aged 60 or older and live in New York City. You must also have a chronic health condition, which may be a mental illness or cognitive impairment, that prevents you from accessing sufficient food and preparing healthy, balanced meals. You can be a SNAP benefit recipient as well as a Citymeals on Wheels client, and you can enroll in Citymeals without providing any financial information or disclosing your legal status in the United States.

How to Get Started
To learn more about Citymeals, call (212) 687-1234.

Access-A-Ride Paratransit Service

What You Should Know
Access-A-Ride is a citywide ADA-compliant paratransit service operated by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. You may be able to use this service to schedule shared rides if you’re unable to use the regular fixed-route transit system due to disability, which can include age-related physical and/or cognitive limitations.

The service operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year throughout New York’s five boroughs and along the border of neighboring Nassau and Westchester counties.

Who Is Eligible?
If you are a resident of New York City who cannot ride the regular MTA system due to an acute or chronic disability, you’re eligible to apply for Access-A-Ride service, as are visitors to the city who meet ridership criteria.

You can also apply to become an Access-A-Ride user on a temporary basis if you need wheelchair-accessible transportation following an illness or injury.

How to Get Started
To become an Access-A-Ride customer, call (877) 337-2017 to request an AAR application form.

Pets Are Wonderful Support NY

What You Should Know
Pets Are Wonderful Support NY is a nonprofit organization that works to help vulnerable people keep their companion animals. PAWS strives to preserve the human-animal bond among seniors and people living with disabilities who struggle to provide day-to-day care to their pets.

If you need help caring for your cat or dog, PAWS volunteers are available to change litter boxes, walk your dogs, deliver food and water, and administer vet-prescribed medications to your pets at no charge. The organization also works in conjunction with home care providers and other senior service agencies to keep you and your fur-babies together as you age.

Who Is Eligible?
To qualify for PAWS services, you should:

• Be aged 60 or older, or an adult living with a temporary or permanent disability that restricts your ability to care for your pets
• Have a gross monthly income no greater than $1,850
• Own a maximum of four pets

How to Get Started
To request PAWS services, start by calling (212) 203-4720, ext. 302.