The 10 Best Home Care Agencies for Seniors in Jamaica, NY for 2024

Caring.com offers a free service to help families find senior care and authentic reviews to help you in your decision. On average in Jamaica, NY, residents and their loved ones rate In Home Care agencies across the 63 options below.

Due to Jamaica’s proximity to New York City, they share the same costs. Jamaica’s average home care cost is $5,529, which is around $200 more than the state average. Slightly upstate in Poughkeepsie, the average price is equal to the state average. To the west in Buffalo, care costs are somewhat cheaper than in Jamaica, averaging around $4,957 per month. At $6,101 per month, Ithaca is one of the state’s least affordable places for home care. 

Jamaica’s home care costs are typically $200 lower than home health care costs. The services are different in that home health care covers medical services provided by nurses and therapists. For seniors looking for the most affordable care option, adult day health care is probably the best choice at a cost of around $1,950 per month — $3,600 less than home care. For assisted living, Jamaica seniors typically pay around $200 more than home care, and for a semiprivate room in a nursing home, seniors pay the most at an average of $12,471 per month.

Given the high cost of in-home care, many people use one or more forms of financial assistance to cover the expenses. Below, we explain some of the most common sources of financial help for paying for in-home care. If none of these options are available to you, you can reach out to your Area Agency on Aging or Aging and Disability Resource Center to learn about local resources.

• Long-Term Care Insurance: Long-Term Care Insurance covers expenses related to senior care, including in-home care. Depending on the policy type, beneficiaries may receive a cash payment to use towards long-term care or reimbursement for qualifying long-term care expenses. Note that there are limitations- typically a maximum benefit of $150 per day- and exact coverage terms vary depending on the exact policy, so always check the details.
• Medicare: Medicare does not cover in-home care because it is classified as custodial, or non-medical, care. However, some Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement plans, which offer expanded benefits, may cover in-home custodial care.
• Medicaid: Medicaid coverage of in-home care varies between different states because it is not a federally mandated benefit. Currently, all states cover some in-home care either through their standard Medicaid or a waiver program. The specific coverage rules are set individually by each state.
• Veterans’ Benefits: The Aid and Attendance benefit is a monthly cash payment that beneficiaries can use to pay for senior care, including in-home care services. To qualify for A&A, Veterans must already receive the VA pension and meet several additional requirements, including needing assistance with the activities of daily living.Contact the Department of Veterans Affairs to learn more.
• Reverse Mortgages: Home Equity Conversion Mortgages (HECMs) are federally insured loans that are available to homeowners age 62 and over. Reverse mortgages allow you to access a portion of your home’s equity in cash, tax free. Many seniors use reverse mortgages to finance their care expenses, including in-home care. Note that although there are no monthly payments due on reverse mortgage loans, borrowers do have to repay the loan once the last surviving homeowner passes away, moves, or sells the home.