Home Care in Utah

According to the Genworth 2021 Cost of Care Survey, seniors who receive in-home care in Utah pay an average of $5,625 per month. Those who require home health care typically spend about $5,720.

While in-home care helps seniors with daily tasks and may offer assistance around the house, home health care is more medically focused and offers more than just personal care. Services may include post-operative care, medication administration and rehabilitative therapies such as speech and occupational therapy.

Utah seniors pay well above the U.S. average for home care costs. When compared with nearby states, seniors in Nevada pay $5,148 per month for both care types, which is considerably less than those in Utah. Arizona is less expensive, too, with average rates of $5,339 for in-home care and $5,434 for home health care. Wyoming’s costs of $5,529 for both care types are almost on par with Utah’s rates, and it’s the same for Idaho, where seniors pay an average of $5,434 for both care types. In Colorado, seniors spend considerably more for home care — an average of $6,387 per month for both services.

Compared with other types of long-term care, home care is relatively expensive in Utah. While assisted living provides similar services to home care, it also includes room-and-board charges and averages $3,500 per month. However, home care is cheaper than nursing home care, which costs $7,178 per month. Adult day care, which provides out-of-home care in a nonresidential setting, is the most affordable senior care option at $1,939 per month.

While Utah’s Medicaid program covers some home care services, the state also provides several home- and community-based service waivers to help seniors access a more comprehensive list of long-term care and supports in their own homes and residential care settings. These waivers include the Aging Waiver, the New Choices Waiver and the Community Supports Waiver.

Three waiver programs are available to Utah’s aging population, providing financial assistance that enables them to access home care services so that they can live as independently as possible.

Utah Medicaid income guidelines require that seniors living alone have a maximum annual income of $13,596 and no more than $2,000 in countable assets. Those in two-person households are limited to $18,312 in income annually and $3,000 in assets.

You can apply for Medicaid online or in person at a Department of Workforce Services office or by faxing your application to (888) 522-9505.

What Information You Will Need

Before applying, you should prepare documentation, including:

• Social Security number
• Copies of federal tax returns and banking and financial asset information
• Proof of citizenship or immigration status
• Income data for all household members
• Details of any active insurance policies

How to Get Help Applying for Medicaid

Utah provides several resources to help seniors get through the Medicaid application process and its various waivers.

Medicare doesn’t pay for non-medical home care, but it can cover the cost of the medical version of home care, called “Home Healthcare” in some situations. In order to be eligible, you need to be homebound and have a referral from your doctor for the specific type of medical care that is needed. There are also other restrictions that apply.

Below is an overview of some of the services typically covered by Medicare for those who are eligible:

• Physical Therapy: Physical therapy is used to help patients recover from injuries (broken bones, knee injuries, etc.), and to treat ongoing conditions such as arthritis. Additionally, physical therapy is often provided in the home to help seniors recover from surgeries and procedures, such as a knee or hip replacement.
• Nursing Care: Licensed nurses can provide a number of medical services (such as wound care, changing feeding tubes, etc.) for those who need medical care, but don’t need to stay in a hospital full-time.
• Occupational Therapy: Occupational therapy is designed to help seniors regain or maintain the ability to accomplish normal, daily tasks, such as bathing, dressing, eating, etc., and providers can travel to your home if needed.
• Speech Therapy: Seniors can lose the ability to adequately communicate for many reasons, and speech therapists are there to help seniors regain the ability to communicate using a variety of means. Additionally, speech therapists help to keep seniors independent by modifying diets and teaching special techniques to swallow safely.

As mentioned above, home care is distinctly different from home healthcare, but there is some overlap – so while Medicare doesn’t cover non-medical home care, there are personal care services that may be covered in special circumstances – such as an occupational therapist helping with eating or dressing.

Read our guide to Medicare and Home Care Coverage for more information.

While the above programs can be a great way to make home care affordable for many people, they are not the right solution for everyone. Thankfully, there are other ways to make home care more affordable for you and your family. For more information about your other options, read our section on Other Ways to Pay for this guide.

Utah’s seniors can access a variety of free and low-cost resources that help them access more affordable services at home, enhance their quality of life or ensure their safety.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) requires full COVID-19 vaccination for all Utah health care workers and home care workers per its mandate issued January 28, 2022. It required workers to have received two vaccine doses no later than March 15, 2022.

As of April 2022, the rules mentioned above are current. However, the CMS’s recommendations continue to evolve as this pandemic runs its course. That said, it’s best to stay up-to-date with current guidelines by checking with local government health agencies. Additionally, some home care agencies may have their own guidelines in place that go above and beyond government regulations. You can obtain these guidelines by contacting agencies directly.

The Utah Department of Health governs and regulates the state’s home care agencies and home health care agencies.

Whether you are looking for yourself or a loved one, finding a quality home care provider can be a stressful process. To help you overcome this challenge, we’ve created a helpful checklist below that can help guide you through the process of both determining your needs, and finding a home care agency that will be the best fit for you and your family.

Download PDF Here

Learn More About Home Care in Utah’s Top Cities

• Salt Lake City
• St. George