Senior Care and Housing Costs

In-Home Care

In-home care costs vary by category. Your state of residence, the number of hours your aide works, and the agency you choose will also impact cost. According to Genworth's 2026 Cost of Care Survey, estimated monthly median costs are around $6,677 for a home health aide and $6,878 for homemaker services.

In-home care enables many older adults to age in place safely. If you or your loved one needs support with activities of daily living (ADLs), hiring a home health aide or an aide who offers homemaker services may provide enough support to stay in your home. In-home care duties vary but typically include help with ADLs such as bathing, cooking, home maintenance, and medication management.

In-home care duties vary but typically include help with ADLs such as bathing, cooking, home maintenance, and medication management.

» Related Reading: Help paying for home care

The tasks you need support with will determine the type of worker you need. To find help, you may find a private home health agency on your own. If you or your loved one needs care after a hospital stay, you may also be assigned to a case management agency that will help you find the right type of care.

Home Health Aides

The requirements to be a home health aide vary by state. Home health workers are usually unlicensed. Many undergo training and are required to complete a competency evaluation.3 Home health aides provide help with personal ADLs like bathing, dressing, and appointment planning. They may also shop for groceries and cook meals. In addition to these tasks, home health aides also provide typical health services as needed. These often include medication management, checking vital signs, and wound care. They may also help with mobility-assisting products, such as wheelchairs and artificial limbs.

Medicare covers part-time or intermittent home health services that are considered medically necessary. This typically requires a medical diagnosis indicating you’re homebound or need mobility and transportation support.4 Medicare won’t cover around-the-clock medical care in your home. They also don’t cover home care needed solely for personal ADLs like grooming.

Private insurance often provides some coverage for home health support. Check with your plan to determine what it will cover and your potential out-of-pocket costs. Medicaid coverage varies from state to state, but it often covers home health and personal care services. Medicaid coverage varies from state to state, but it often covers home health and personal care services.5

Homemaker Services

If you or your loved one doesn't need health-related support, a better option may be an aide who provides less expensive homemaker services. Homemaker assistance for older adults includes tasks such as laundry, vacuuming, and running errands. Personal care, such as bathing, shaving, and brushing hair, isn't included with homemaker services. Medicare doesn't cover homemaker services because they are not considered to be medically necessary. Medicaid may cover housekeeping services in some instances.

Assisted Living

Assisted living costs vary between facilities, and prices are based on a wide range of factors. These include location, the types of amenities provided, and whether or not you share a space or have your own apartment. In 2026, the estimated national median cost of assisted living in the U.S. is expected to be $6,259 per month. 2

If you or your loved one needs more care than you can get at home, an assisted living community may make sense. Here, you'll find support 24/7 with personalized ADLs like bathing and grooming. Assisted living also provides access to health-related care, like medication management. Assisted living facilities offer a home-like atmosphere as well as social activities, including scheduled events and communal dining. Whether you’re single or considering this move with your spouse, assisted living can reduce the isolation many seniors experience. Pets are also often welcomed into assisted living facilities, so don’t let leaving your furry friend be a roadblock to considering this option.

» Further Reading: A guide to assisted living communities

If you have a long-term care insurance policy, it may cover all or part of your assisted living expenses. Remember to review your policy to see what it’ll cover and what you may need to pay out of pocket. 8

Medicare doesn’t cover assisted living costs such as rent or ADL support. It does cover medical expenses you incur while residing at the facility. These include doctors' appointments, skilled nursing care, and emergency medical care. Medicaid coverage for assisted living varies from state to state. You may get more financial support for assisted living from Medicaid than from Medicare. However, your choice of facility may be limited.

Nursing Home

Nursing home costs can be considerable. Your state of residence, the chosen facility, and the type of room (private or semiprivate) will all impact costs. The estimated national median monthly cost for a semiprivate room in a nursing home is $9,842, while a private room averages $11,294.

Nursing homes are designed to provide more medical support and care than assisted living facilities can. Life here frequently feels less independent, which could make some patients feel coddled. However, skilled nurses and nursing aides are available 24/7, ensuring medical support is always close by.

» Dive Deeper: A 2026 guide to nursing homes

Long-term care insurance policies often cover all or most nursing home expenses. Medicare covers the first 100 days of your stay in a skilled nursing care facility, per benefit period. Medicare doesn't cover long-term custodial care stays in nursing homes, but it will cover the medical bill you'll incur while you're in residence.

Medicaid covers the cost of nursing homes, provided you qualify. In some instances, you’ll need to “pay down” your assets before Medicaid will provide coverage. Not every nursing home accepts Medicaid, so this will be an important question if you want to apply for this coverage.

Memory Care

According to the National Council on Aging (NCOA), memory care in an assisted living community costs an average of $6,160 per month. This fee is likely to be in conjunction with other costs. Personal care support and help with ADLs might not be part of your monthly memory care community fee. Ask the facility what is and isn’t included when you plan your budget.

In a nursing home setting, memory care costs are typically all-inclusive. Based on current industry data, memory care in a nursing home environment generally runs higher than standard assisted living memory care, with costs varying significantly by location and the level of specialized services provided. Remember, prices will vary by your location and chosen facility.

Memory care is a specialized type of care for people with dementia and illnesses that cause memory impairment. If your loved one has Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, or other conditions that cause cognitive impairment, they may be best cared for in a memory care facility.

Memory care facilities are designed to provide comfort, safety, mental stimulation, and ease of use for individuals with memory issues. Some assisted living facilities have memory care community wings. Many nursing homes have floors or wards dedicated to memory care patients. There are also private facilities that exclusively offer this level of care.

Memory care facilities feature highly trained personnel and facilities geared toward preventing wandering. These additional expenses typically increase memory care costs over those associated with nursing homes or assisted living.

Medicare covers some costs associated with dementia care, including cognitive assessments and certain medical services. Medicaid covers memory care in nursing homes if you qualify.11 Long-term care insurance is another option for paying for memory care.

Adult Day Care

Adult day care costs depend on your geographic location and the number of hours you or your loved one spends there each day. Transportation may also cost extra. The 2026 median cost for adult day care is $106 per day. Medicare doesn't cover adult day care costs, but Medicaid typically does.

Seniors who live at home may benefit significantly from going to adult day care centers. These centers offer different levels of services. Some are geared primarily toward socialization, exercise, and fun activities. Others offer health, therapeutic, or memory care. The type you choose will determine your costs.

Respite Care

Respite care can be provided within or outside the home at an adult day care or a senior living facility. Respite care costs vary significantly, depending on the type of respite care and location chosen.

At home, you'll pay the average hourly or daily rate for home health aides. Overnight stays may be more expensive. The 2026 estimated median cost for a home health aide is $36.07 per hour in the U.S. These rates vary by state or even by neighborhood.

» Take Care of Yourself: Signs you’re experiencing caregiver burnout

Being a caregiver can be exhausting and frustrating. Everyone suffers when the primary caregiver is at the end of their rope. Short-term respite care is designed to provide relief to caregivers who simply need a short-term break. Respite care enables you to “pass the reins” to someone else for several hours a day or even weeks.

Short-term respite care stays for seniors are available at many assisted living facilities. If you’re thinking your loved one may be best served in a facility, this gives you a chance to see how they adapt and thrive in the location you’re considering.

Hospice Care

Hospice care is end-of-life care for people with an expected life expectancy of six months or less. Hospice care may be provided within the home or at a facility. Making your loved one feel safe and comfortable is the primary goal of hospice care. Pain management and other types of support, such as bereavement counseling for the family, are part of hospice care. Unlike other forms of palliative care, cure-based therapies are not included in hospice care.

Hospice care costs are often partially covered by private insurance plans. You may have copays and a deductible that you'll be responsible for. Medicare covers 100 percent of hospice care costs when you use a Medicare-approved hospice provider, though you may pay up to $5 per prescription for outpatient drugs for pain relief and symptom control, and a 5 percent coinsurance for inpatient respite care. Medicaid also covers hospice services in all states, though specific coverage details may vary by state.

» Learn About: Medicare and Medicaid coverage for hospice care

Continuing Care Retirement Communities

CCRCs charge monthly and entry fees, which can be staggering. These vary by state and by facility. In New York, entry fees range from $200,000 to $1 million. Monthly fees range from $2,000 to $5,000, and they are not covered by any private insurance or public assistance programs. However, the medical costs you incur while in residence are usually covered by insurance plans, including Medicare.

Life plan communities are also called continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs). They’re geared toward highly independent seniors who want a rich menu of living options and services. Often, couples move to CCRCs together, even if they have differing medical needs. CCRCs are designed to provide care at varying levels, so you can change the type of services you need if your medical needs change. Memory care and skilled nursing care are typically available.

CCRCs charge monthly and also require entry fees, which can be substantial. These vary widely by state and facility. Entry fees typically range from $100,000 to over $1 million, with monthly fees generally ranging from $3,000 to $7,000 or more, depending on the level of care, contract type, and location. These fees are generally not covered by private insurance or public assistance programs. However, the medical costs you incur while in residence are usually covered by insurance plans, including Medicare.

How to Pay for Senior Care

As we mentioned in the sections above, Medicare, Medicaid, and long-term care insurance are common ways you may be able to pay for some types of senior care.

In addition to these options, veterans and their spouses may be able to use veterans' benefits to pay for medical and memory care at home and in nursing homes. Housebound veterans may also be eligible for Aid and Attendance benefits, which provide additional monthly payments to help cover the cost of care. As of 2025, these benefits can provide up to $2,727 per month for a veteran with one dependent, which can be used to cover uncovered services, such as rent at an assisted living facility. 14

Many people also use their assets to pay for senior care. You could use your life insurance policy, savings, or a reverse mortgage to pay for care. No matter how you decide to cover these expenses, planning for housing in retirement in your later years is an essential step to confidently achieving these goals.

Comparing Your Senior Care Options and Costs

This bubble graph is designed to display all of your options for senior housing and their costs. We’ve gone from least expensive to most expensive. You can zero in on the best care option for your budget.