Discover Home Care in Connecticut

Senior home care in Connecticut is provided by registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, home health aides, home attendants, social workers, and therapists. Generally speaking, this care type contains a wide range of services with the intention to keep seniors in their homes living as independently as possible. Connecticut has about 364 home care agencies with average monthly costs of care around $4,195.

Find HOME CARE Facilities In CONNECTICUT

Find Senior Caring Options by County

Home Care in Connecticut - Cost Comparison

Connecticut home care allows you or your loved one to receive care in a familiar setting tailored to one’s individual needs. Licensed medical professionals or non-medical paraprofessionals are the main classifications of caregivers in the home health care field, with many overlapping roles and duties. Typically, nurses, physician’s assistants, physical and occupational therapists among others are able to administer medical attention and services. Health aides, personal care attendants, homemakers, or companions provide more general caregiving services like hygiene assistance, general shopping, medication management, and transportation. Location, license type, and the amount of time required of your caregiver will affect the price of home care.

There are a number of cities throughout Connecticut that have senior home care agencies but the median monthly costs range from:

  • Highest cost: Bridgeport Area $4,553
  • Lowest cost: Hartford Area $4,147

CityHomemaker Services Monthly CostsHome Health Aide Monthly Costs
Bridgeport$4,195$4,195
Hartford $3,670$4,195
New Haven$3,718$4,195
Norwich$3,829$4,767
Rest of State$3,146$3,337

Recreation & Attractions in Connecticut

Mystic Seaport is a village that was recreated to envision how the seaport used to look like in the past, complete with a museum and quaint New England shops making it a must see destination. Other attractions include the home of American writer Mark Twain, the home of Harriet Beecher Stowe, and the Gillette Castle State Park which resembles a medieval fortress complete with ornate decorations inside.  

Depending on your mobility, there are still numerous places to go and things to see in Connecticut. There are senior centers throughout the state that provide senior-oriented activities such as book groups, movie nights, game tournaments, art classes, and exercise classes. Specialized trips are also a great option if you'd like a day at the theater or senior favorites like the Long Island Sound Lighthouse Cruise.

Connecticut's Climate, Geography & Culture

The climate in Connecticut mainly consists of a warm season from April to October and then cooler temperatures from November to March. During the summer, average high temperatures typically reach 83 degrees with low averages 18 degrees in the winter. Connecticut summer seasons often involve quick thunderstorms, sometimes catching the end of hurricanes.

There is also a significant amount precipitation that occurs during the colder months. It usually comes as rain along the coast and snow farther inland resulting in 47 inches of rain and 31 inches of snow annually. Lightweight clothing and a light jacket are recommended for the summer and then heavy, layered clothing is best for the winter.

The appeal of Connecticut’s culture is that there are no large metropolitan areas like most other states. Many of the state's historic colonial towns have been refurbished by wealthy newcomers, artists, and other craftspeople. The state is pretty conservative, leading to wholesome city centers and entertainment, in addition to the opportunity to see how people lived many decades ago. It is a great tourist destination especially for those that want a less populated experience.

Crime & Safety in Connecticut

Sperling’s Best Places ranked Connecticut 41 on a scale of 100 (1 being the lowest crime) for violent crime and 37 for property crime; the United States overall ranked 41 for violent crime and 44 for property crime. There are programs and groups helping to lower the crime rates such as the Crime Prevention Unit, which is located in the city of Milford. It's important to you or your loved one's wellbeing to receive care in a safe environment.

Here are some of the safest cities found throughout Connecticut:

LocationViolent Crimes Per 1,000 ResidentsProperty Crimes Per 1,000 Residents
Ridgefield0.042.57
Wilton0.053.24
Weston0.003.17
Easton0.003.92

(source: safewise.com)

Connecticut's Home Care Regulations & Laws

Each state-approved training and evaluation program has federal oversight in order to ensure the quality of each license issued and the individual’s level of competency. Home health agencies that are Medicare-certified are required to employ health aides who have undergone the approved training and evaluative measures according to federal legislation (42 CFR 484.36).

A standard 75 hours of training, along with 16 hours of supervised clinical training and an additional 12 hours of continuing education every 12 months is needed to maintain a home care certification. 

Payment Options for Connecticut Home Care

Paying for home care in Connecticut can be achieved in several ways, each based on what can work the best for your unique situation. 

First off, seniors may look to Medicare to receive coverage for their copayment and deductibles for medical home care through the Medicare Supplemental Insurances program. However, keep in mind that Medicare does not cover non-medical home care whatsoever. If this is an issue, it may be necessary to look to the other remaining methods of payment. 

For Veterans of the U.S., the Improved Pension and Homebound and Aid & Attendance Pension may be used to help pay for or cover the entire costs of home care. To learn whether you or a loved one qualifies for these benefits, contact your local Veterans’ Association or Area Agency on Aging. 

Most of the time, seniors will choose to pay for their home care privately using their own savings, assets, or pensions. If these options are unavailable to you, it may be reasonable to consider paying through a reverse mortgage, by opening a home equity line of credit, or by converting your life insurance policy to cash. 

Finally, Medicaid is a joint federal and state insurance program for low-income seniors and their families that in most cases can be used to cover the costs of home care if it is deemed medically necessary. Each state has its own rules, requirements for eligibility, and specific benefits that will vary depending on where you go in the United States. Medicaid refers to these services as Home and Community Based Services (HCBS). For information on Connecticut’s home care Medicaid benefits, check out this list

Senior & Elderly Rights for Home Care in Connecticut 

Seniors receiving home care from a Medicare-approved home health agency in Connecticut retain a series of guaranteed rights and protections with the intention of keeping your needs met. Before receiving home care in any form, it is required that the home health care agency provides you with information detailing your rights. You’ll be informed that you reserve the right to choose your own home care agency (pending a managed care plan if applicable), and to decide what services (medical or non-medical) you want to participate in. Your personal privacy and property are to be respected at all times in circumstances that it does not interfere with necessary medical attention. 

Before receiving home care in any form, it is required that the home health care agency provides you with information detailing your rights. You’ll be informed that you reserve the right to choose your own home care agency and to decide what services (medical or non-medical) you want to participate in. Your personal privacy and property are to be respected at all times in circumstances that it does not interfere with necessary medical attention. 

The possibility may arise that you will lack the ability to make reasonable or informed decisions about your home health care, although you can appoint a family member or legal guardian to act on your behalf. Remember, you still retain your rights as a United States citizen, afforded to you by the Constitution and Bill of Rights. If these rights are violated, contact an elder law professional to help you and your family understand the proper legal actions to take. 

Connecticut Home Care: Medical Records Rules & Regulations

As a senior receiving home care in Connecticut, you have the right to obtain copies of your medical records by submitting a request to your healthcare provider. Although health care workers may argue that your records cannot be released due to privacy laws, this is a common misconception. The fact is that you can submit a written request to your health care provider and actually receive copies or digital versions of this information for a small fee.

This protected health information will detail information relating to your physical and mental health, including medical records, billing records, claims adjudication records, and other documents used in making decisions about your health care. In some cases, your information can take up to 30 days to be fully processed and available to you, with healthcare providers allowed one extension of an additional 30 days. If this limit is exceeded, you must be provided with a written statement as to why the delay occurred.

Finding the perfect senior care community is only part of making your loved one’s senior living transition smooth. At SeniorCaring, we know that it is also equally important to be aware of what other community services and resources are available to your family’s senior. Choose your location and find local resources for your senior.