Home Care in Stamford, CT

Located in southern Connecticut along the shores of Long Island Sound, Stamford is a progressive, growing city that offers a number of services and amenities geared towards seniors. One in five Stamford residents are aged 65 and older, and about one-quarter of the city’s 135,470 residents identify as Hispanic or Latino.

As is typical in the region, winters in Stamford tend to be cold and snowy, while during the summer, you can expect daytime high temperatures around the mid-80s. No matter the weather, you’ll have no trouble getting around, thanks to Stamford’s extensive public transit services, and all city buses are wheelchair-accessible.

Stamford’s overall crime rate is relatively low, and the city is statistically safer than 72% of the urban centers in the United States. Stamford is also known for having a higher-than-average number of physicians per capita, which makes it relatively easy to find a primary care provider. You’ll also be happy to know that Stamford’s Bennett Medical Center, a 305-bed non-profit teaching hospital, offers comprehensive emergency and acute care services. The hospital is also home to four specialty centers, including the Bennett Cancer Center and the Heart & Vascular Institute.

In Stamford, on average, home care costs about $4,767 per month, while home health care is slightly more expensive at $5,148 per month. Both types of in-home care include assistance with day-to-day tasks such as light housekeeping and meal prep, companionship and help with personal care. Home health care also includes some limited in-home medical services.

These rates are based on 44 hours of care per week, which may not reflect your personal care needs. You can estimate your home care costs by multiplying Stamford’s average hourly home care rate, $25, by the number of hours of assistance you expect you’ll require to maintain your independence.

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

Stamford’s average home care rates match rates in Norwich and New Haven and are higher than rates in Hartford, where home care costs about $4,528 per month. At $5,148 per month, the average home health care rates in Stamford are high in comparison to New Haven ($4,948), Norwich ($4,767) and Hartford ($4,767).

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.

Elderly Tax Credit

What You Should Know
The City of Stamford’s Elderly Tax Credit program can provide you with a discount on your property tax bill. There’s no cost to apply for this tax credit, but you need to show proof of your income and assets when you submit your application.

The filing period is open each year between February and mid-May, and applications must be filed in person by the homeowner or by a designated agent.

Who Is Eligible?
In order to qualify for Stamford’s Elderly Tax Credit, you must own and occupy your home, own no more than $400,000 in assets (excluding your home) and have no outstanding property or motor vehicle taxes. You must also be at least 65 years old or be classified as permanently disabled by Social Security, and your annual income cannot exceed $85,000 if you live alone, or $100,000 combined with your spouse.

How to Get Started
To learn more about the Elderly Tax Credit, including current filing deadlines and income limits, call the Property Assessment office at (203) 977-5888.

Stamford Senior Center

What You Should Know
The Stamford Senior Center is a wheelchair-accessible, nonprofit community center that offers low-cost social and recreational programs for older adults. Daily activities include chair yoga, fall-prevention workshops, art classes and organized games such as bingo and mahjong. Staff at the center are fluent in English and Spanish, and a number of programs are designed for Spanish-speaking seniors.

A local hairdresser offers low-cost haircuts for seniors at the center twice a month. Members can also take advantage of the free AARP Tax Aide service at the center, book an appointment with a MedAssist Medicare counselor, and participate in regular preventative health screening clinics.

Who Is Eligible?
If you’re at least 60 years old and a resident of Stamford or a nearby town, you’re eligible for membership at the Stamford Senior Center. Annual senior center memberships cost $50 per person, or $80 per married couple.

How to Get Started
To learn more about the services and programs offered at the Stamford Senior Center, call (203) 977-5151.

SilverSource, Inc. 

What You Should Know
SilverSource is a Stamford-based nonprofit organization that offers free services to help seniors retain their independence. If you need help getting to medical appointments, you can use the Ride to Wellness program, which provides free rides in a wheelchair-accessible van.

SilverSource also operates the Aging Resource Center, where you can access information on local programs, resources and services for older adults, people with disabilities and family caregivers.

Who Is Eligible?
As a Stamford senior, you can contact SilverSource to speak with a counselor at the Aging Resource Center about the supports you need to continue living independently. You can also arrange a ride to your doctor’s visits with the Ride to Wellness program.

How to Get Started
To contact SilverSource, call (203) 324-6584.

Meals on Wheels

What You Should Know
Meals on Wheels is a nationwide nutritional support program that helps housebound seniors access low-cost prepared meals. In Stamford, Meals on Wheels is operated by Catholic Charities of Fairfield County.

Meals on Wheels volunteers deliver ready-to-eat meals directly to your door while also conducting a quick wellness check to ensure that you’re safe. If you don’t answer the door to accept your meal delivery, the driver calls your emergency contact or asks the local police to make sure you are okay.

Who Is Eligible?
To qualify for Meals on Wheels service, you must be aged 60 or older and be largely housebound due to your age, a disability or an illness. There’s no income limits on the Meals on Wheels program, but you will be asked to make a modest donation to help cover the cost of each meal. If you can’t afford to contribute, the Meals on Wheels coordinator may be able to enroll you in a special program so you can still receive home meal deliveries.

How to Get Started
To learn more about receiving Meals on Wheels, call (203) 425-2146.

HomeFront

What You Should Know
HomeFront is a volunteer-based home repair program that provides low-income homeowners with free home repairs and upgrades.

You may be able to use this program if you need help making your home safer, more accessible or more energy-efficient. Projects are considered on a case-by-case basis depending on your needs and can include things such as installing a wheelchair ramp, adding safety bars to your bathroom or fixing loose floor boards that pose a tripping hazard.

Who Is Eligible?
To qualify for assistance from HomeFront, you must own and occupy your home in Fairfield County, be up-to-date with your property taxes and have a household income that qualifies as low-income based on the local median income. If your income is above the current limit, but you also have high medical costs or out-of-pocket home care expenses, these factors are considered as well.

How to Get Started
To learn more about HomeFront’s home repair program, call (800) 887-4673 or (203) 658-9681.