# Home care or assisted living? Choosing care for a parent > Start with what help your parent needs: daily tasks like bathing and dressing, medicines, safety and loneliness, and ask their doctor for an assessment. Options range from aides at home and adult day programs to assisted living (help with daily living) and nursing homes (24-hour nursing care). Medicare covers some short-term skilled home health care, not ongoing daily help. Tour places, check inspection reports and Medicare’s Care Compare, compare costs in writing, and include your parent. - URL: https://explained.page/home-care-or-assisted-living - Language: en - Last checked: 2026-10-29 - Watch the 1-minute animated guide: https://explained.page/watch?start=home-care-or-assisted-living ## Step by step 1. **Is Mom or Dad needing more help?** There’s a range of options between doing it all yourself and a nursing home. Here’s how to figure out what fits. 2. **Start with what help is needed.** Daily tasks like bathing and dressing, medicines, safety risks like falls or wandering, and loneliness. Ask their doctor for an assessment. 3. **Care at home.** Aides can help with chores, meals and personal care, for a few hours or more. Medicare covers some short-term skilled home health care, but not ongoing daily help. 4. **Adult day programs.** Daytime programs offer meals, activities and supervision, giving family caregivers a break while your parent stays at home at night. 5. **Assisted living or a nursing home.** Assisted living helps with daily tasks, meals and medicines in a home-like setting. Nursing homes provide 24-hour nursing care. Memory care serves people with dementia. 6. **Visit, check reports, and compare costs.** Tour at different times, check state inspection reports and Medicare’s Care Compare, and ask for all fees in writing. 7. **Include your parent, and get support.** Ask what matters most to them. Your local Area Agency on Aging can explain options and costs, often for free. ## Checklist - List what help is needed - Consider home care and day programs - Know assisted living vs a nursing home - Tour and check inspection reports - Compare costs in writing - Include your parent; ask the Area Agency on Aging ## Start with needs What does your parent need help with? Bathing, dressing, eating and toileting; medicines and appointments; safety (falls, wandering, driving); meals; loneliness. Their doctor can do an assessment, and a geriatric care manager can help plan. ## Options - **Help at home:** family plus paid aides for chores, meals, personal care or companionship. **Home health care** (skilled nursing or therapy) is different and may be covered by Medicare for a limited time when ordered by a doctor for someone homebound. - **Adult day programs:** daytime meals, activities and supervision; a break for caregivers. - **Assisted living:** a private apartment or room with help with daily tasks, meals and medicines. - **Memory care:** secure settings for people with dementia. - **Nursing homes:** 24-hour nursing care for complex medical needs. ## Paying Medicare doesn’t pay for ongoing personal care or assisted living. Options include savings, long-term care insurance, VA benefits, and Medicaid (nursing homes, and in many states home- and community-based care). ## Checking quality Tour more than once at different times. Check state inspection reports and Medicare’s Care Compare for nursing homes and home health agencies. Ask about staff, turnover and all fees in writing. ## Include your parent Ask what matters most to them. Your Area Agency on Aging offers free information. Caregivers need support too; ask about respite care. ## Common questions ### How much does assisted living cost? It varies widely by location and care level, often several thousand dollars a month. Ask for a full fee list. Source page: https://explained.page/home-care-or-assisted-living/questions/how-much-does-assisted-living-cost ### Are senior placement services really free? Many are paid by facilities when you choose one of their partners. They can help, but you may not see all options. Source page: https://explained.page/home-care-or-assisted-living/questions/are-senior-placement-services-really-free ### What is the difference between assisted living and a nursing home? Assisted living helps with daily tasks, meals and medicines in a home-like setting. Nursing homes provide 24-hour nursing care for people with complex medical needs. Source page: https://explained.page/home-care-or-assisted-living/questions/what-is-the-difference-between-assisted-living-and-a-nursing-home ### Does Medicare pay for home care? Medicare covers limited home health care, like skilled nursing or therapy, for people who are homebound with a doctor’s order. It doesn’t pay for ongoing personal care or homemaker help. Source page: https://explained.page/home-care-or-assisted-living/questions/does-medicare-pay-for-home-care ### How do I know when a parent needs more care? Signs include falls, missed medicines, weight loss, unpaid bills, getting lost, poor hygiene, or a caregiver who’s overwhelmed. Ask their doctor for an assessment. Source page: https://explained.page/home-care-or-assisted-living/questions/how-do-i-know-when-a-parent-needs-more-care ### What is an adult day program? A daytime program with meals, activities and supervision for older adults, giving family caregivers time to work or rest. Source page: https://explained.page/home-care-or-assisted-living/questions/what-is-an-adult-day-program ### How do I check a nursing home’s quality? Use Medicare’s Care Compare, check state inspection reports, and visit at different times. Ask about staffing and turnover. Source page: https://explained.page/home-care-or-assisted-living/questions/how-do-i-check-a-nursing-homes-quality ### What is respite care? Short-term care that gives family caregivers a break, from a few hours to a few weeks, at home or in a facility. Source page: https://explained.page/home-care-or-assisted-living/questions/what-is-respite-care ## Official sources - [Medicare.gov: Care Compare](https://www.medicare.gov/care-compare/) - [Eldercare Locator](https://eldercare.acl.gov/) - [Medicaid.gov: home and community-based services](https://www.medicaid.gov/) To find your local office, search for: - "[your county] Area Agency on Aging" - "[your state] assisted living inspection reports" --- General information, not legal or professional advice. Rules differ by state. From explained.page (www.explained.page). Life’s stuff, explained simply.