Home Care in North Miami Beach, FL

North Miami Beach is a small city situated halfway between Miami and Fort Lauderdale. The city’s prime location gives senior residents easy access to big city amenities, including shopping and health care services. There are also plenty of world-class hospitals nearby to help with urgent or complex medical needs. This includes Mount Sinai Medical Center, which has a nationally ranked geriatrics department.

While the overall cost of living in North Miami Beach is higher than the national average, health care costs are below average. Seniors in the city also benefit from Florida’s senior-friendly tax system, which has no state income or estate taxes. Sales and property taxes are close to the national averages, leaving more money available for senior budgets. Almost 14% of North Miami Beach’s 42,500 residents are aged 65 and older, and both the city and Miami-Dade County have a wide array of services available to assist senior residents who choose to age in place. This means that with the help of in-home care, you can stay living independently for longer.

Genworth Financial’s 2021 Cost of Care Survey shows that the cost of home care in North Miami Beach averages $4,195 per month. The average cost of home health care is slightly higher, at $4,385 per month, due to the additional medical services offered.

When Genworth calculates its average monthly home care costs, it presumes 44 hours of care is received each week. Your actual monthly cost depends on the number of hours of care you require, so it can be helpful to know hourly costs of care. You can expect to pay $22 per hour for home care in North Miami Beach and $23 for home health care.

Home care costs in North Miami Beach are lower than the Florida averages of $4,767 for both home care and home health care. It’s also more affordable than the U.S. averages of $4,957 for home care and $5,148 for home health care.

The city’s costs are lower than other cities in southern Florida. In Naples, seniors pay $5,720 for home care and $5,577 for home health care, and in Cape Coral, the cost is $5,196 for both types of care. In Port St. Lucie, seniors pay $4,671 for home care and $4,767 for home health care.

Senior Property Tax Exemption 

What You Should Know

The Senior Property Tax Exemption is an additional property tax benefit that reduces city and county taxes for eligible households. It’s a local option, so city and county governments can choose whether to implement it. North Miami Beach has implemented this exemption, so seniors in the city receive tax savings from both the city and Miami-Dade County.

Who Is Eligible? 

The exemption is available for property that qualifies for a homestead exemption. In addition, people applying for this exemption must have at least one homeowner aged 65 or older, and the household income must meet the relevant limits.

How to Get Started 

To apply for the exemption, you must fill out the application form and return it to the Miami-Dade County Property Appraiser Exemptions Division. For more information about this program, contact the office at (305) 375-4712.

Energy Bill Assistance

What You Should Know 

Miami-Dade County has a number of energy bill assistance programs to help low-income households pay their utility and gas bills. The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) provides regular and crisis home energy assistance to pay for heating and cooling the home. The Care to Share Program provides emergency assistance to people in crisis situations. Finally, the Energy Assistance Program helps households with at least one member aged 60 and over with home energy emergencies.

Who Is Eligible? 

Each program has different eligibility criteria, but in each case applicants must meet income limits that differ based on the size of the household. In most cases, applicants must also have a final notice for their energy bill or have a disconnected service. To access the service, you must be a resident of Miami-Dade County and a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident.

How to Get Started 

To apply, contact your nearest Community Resource Center.

Community Action and Human Services

What You Should Know 

Community Action and Human Services is a division of Miami-Dade County that has a wide range of services available to help seniors in need. Elderly Care Planning is available, which includes assessment, counseling and organizing in-home care and regular monitoring. This division also helps provide home-delivered meals, home care, adult day care and volunteering and social opportunities through specialized senior centers. Senior homeowners may be able to access forgivable loans to make repairs to their homes that make them more energy efficient or to eliminate health and safety issues.

Who Is Eligible? 

Each program has different eligibility criteria. Community Action and Human Services has programs available to help all Miami-Dade residents who need assistance. Generally, senior programs are available for people aged 60 and over.

How to Get Started

You can contact the Community Action and Human Services offices at (786) 469-4600 to inquire about services.

Senior Reassurance Program 

What You Should Know 

The Senior Reassurance Program is a service of the North Miami Beach Police Department. It provides a regular check-in for seniors who live independently. Through the program, participants check in with the police department each day. If the department doesn’t hear from a participant, an officer is dispatched for a welfare check. This ensures that seniors who have an incident at home get timely assistance and provides peace of mind.

Who Is Eligible? 

This program is available to any North Miami Beach resident who is elderly or disabled and living independently.

How to Get Started 

Interested residents can contact the police department at (305) 949-5500 to enroll in the program.

Alliance for Aging, Inc. 

What You Should Know 

Alliance for Aging, Inc., is the Area Agency on Aging for Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties. It has an information service that can connect seniors to local resources for legal assistance, meals, transport and recreation. The Alliance for Aging also offers programs such as bill help, home care, health insurance counseling and caregiver support. Its healthy aging programs educate seniors about different conditions and encourage an active lifestyle.

Who Is Eligible? 

Programs provided by the Alliance for Aging have different eligibility criteria. Services are generally available to people aged 60 and over.

How to Get Started 

Seniors can access services from the Alliance for Aging by calling the Elder Helpline at (305) 670-4357.

Meals on Wheels South Florida

What You Should Know 

Meals on Wheels South Florida has programs that help seniors in Broward and Miami-Dade County access healthy meals. Volunteers deliver meals to homebound seniors, which also provides a safety check for participants as well as a friendly visit. In addition to home-delivered meals, Meals on Wheels South Florida has congregate dining programs, grocery shopping assistance and a pet food program.

Who Is Eligible? 

Meals on Wheels programs are available to homebound people aged 60 and over. There are a number of programs available and participants are offered meal service options that meet their needs and circumstances. This can include free meals, private pay options or Medicaid Waiver options.

How to Get Started 

An online application form is available on the Meals on Wheels website. You can also complete an application over the phone by calling (954) 714-6946.