The 10 Best Home Care Agencies for Seniors in El Paso, TX for 2024 | Caring.com (2024)

El Paso, Texas, is listed as one of the top places for seniors to retire in Caring’s 2022 Senior Living report. The city combines a generally low cost of living and good transportation with a high quality of medical care and access to lots of senior living amenities. Seniors in El Paso are close to some world class health resources, including University Medical Center of El Paso and The Hospitals of Providence East Campus. According to the 2021 Genworth Cost of Care Survey, home care for seniors costs an average of $3,623 a month for personal care services only. Home health care is a better option for seniors in need of additional light medical services.

Below we’ve compiled a comprehensive directory of every home care provider in the El Paso area – complete with services offered and reviews from families who’ve actually used the service. In addition to our in-depth provider listings, we’ve compiled resources to help seniors and their families to access all the tools they need to age in place safely and gracefully.

According to Genworth Financial’s 2021 Cost of Care Survey, home care costs in El Paso are a full $1,334 a month lower than the national average for similar care, and they’re $953 a month lower than the state average in Texas. El Paso is actually one of the most affordable cities in Texas for home care. At $3,623 a month, El Paso seniors pay significantly less than older adults in Houston ($4,576), Dallas ($4,862) and Austin ($5,196).

Depending on your circ*mstances, other types of care in El Paso could be a better match for your needs than home care, or they might be a better fit for your budget. Home care and home health care in El Paso both average $3,623 a month, even though the latter typically involves registered nurses or therapists. Both are significantly more expensive than adult day health care, which averages $628. Assisted living is close in price to home care, at $3,750 a month, while nursing care in a semiprivate room in El Paso averages $4,882.

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 reimbursem*nt 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.

Seniors in El Paso have several resources available locally to help them age in place. These organizations offer help with transportation, utility bill assistance, home modification and direct assistance to help seniors age in place safely. You can learn more about available services by contacting these agencies.

Aging can be a difficult process, and loved ones may not always ask for help –often times it’s up to their family to evaluate their need for help around the house. While no two situations are exactly alike, this checklist can help you and your loved ones determine when it’s time to start the search for a home care provider.

If you’ve determined that your loved one needs the assistance of a care provider in their home, it may be time for a difficult conversation. Handled correctly, however, this process can bring a family together and ensure that everyone’s concerns are addressed. Use this PDF as a starting point to help the conversation stay as positive and productive as possible.