One of the initial barriers to starting home care for your loved one is the associated costs that come with employing help. Although home care may become a part of your care plan for your loved one, it need not create a big financial burden for you. There are a few easy strategies to make sure that you are minimizing the cost of home care.

Determine the actual needs and avoid overlap. By only employing a home care agency for time that you or another family member is not available to take care of a loved one, you can avoid paying for more than you need. Don’t be afraid to ask local family members for help in caring for your loved one.

Consult with your accountant or tax preparer to find out if home care expenses are tax deductible. A tax deduction could help offset the overall costs of care.

Consider filling your loved one’s time with activities at an adult day program. If you encourage your elderly family members to become active at your local senior center, it can be time where you know that they are being active while avoiding the costs of a caregiver. Adult Day Health Programs are also excellent resources for supervised time at lower costs than a caregiver.

Remember to research the rates that your chosen home care agency is offering. It is usually the case that, once your loved one requires a larger quantity of care, it may be less costly to hire a 24-hour (“live-in”) caregiver than to hire an hourly caregiver. Be sure to ask these questions when you consult the home care agency.

A common suggestion for minimizing home care costs is to employ a private caregiver instead of an agency. It’s important to note that even though this technique may save you money in the short term, it can also take up more of your time and energy. Consider the added stress of setting up employment costs such as insurance and payroll taxes, and finding replacement caregivers when your employee is sick. Seeking the help of a home care agency will allow you to step away from this management role and continue to enjoy your role as a loved one.

Remember, even though taking on the cost of home care may be intimidating, you will inevitably feel more at ease knowing that your loved one is being taken care of by professional hands. Never hesitate to talk about your concerns with a home care agency, as they will most likely be able to offer suggestions on how to further offset the costs of home care.

Remember to research the rates that your chosen home care agency is offering. It is usually the case that, once your loved one requires a larger quantity of care, it may be less costly to hire a 24-hour (“live-in”) caregiver than to hire an hourly caregiver.