Non-medical home care costs a national median of $35 an hour, per the CareScout Cost of Care Survey 2025 published by Genworth. That's the price of companion homecare — the everyday, non-medical help that lets an aging parent stay in their own home instead of moving. It covers the ordinary things that get harder with age: cooking a real meal, getting to the doctor, keeping the house tidy, and simply having someone to talk to.
If you're reading this because Mom seems lonelier, or Dad forgot to eat again, or the house is slipping, companion care is often the first step families take. It's help before a crisis — not a nursing home, not a hospital, just steady support at home.
What companion homecare actually covers
Companion care is non-medical. A caregiver (sometimes called an aide or companion) comes to the home for a set number of hours and helps with daily life. Aides do not give medications, treat wounds, or perform any nursing task. What they do is keep a person safe, fed, and connected.
- Preparing meals and making sure your parent eats
- Light housekeeping — dishes, laundry, tidying
- Errands and grocery shopping
- Driving to appointments, the pharmacy, or a friend's house
- Reminders to take medication (setting it out, not administering it)
- Company — conversation, cards, a walk, a favorite show together
- A watchful eye that catches changes early, like a new bruise or confusion
Some agencies split this into 'companion care' (mostly company and household help) and 'personal care' (which adds hands-on help with bathing, dressing, and using the bathroom). Ask which one you're getting, because the price and the caregiver's training can differ.
What it costs — and what drives the price
Non-medical home care runs a national median of $35 an hour, up about 3% year over year, per the CareScout Cost of Care Survey 2025 published by Genworth. That's a national middle point — your local cost may be higher or lower. What moves the number:
- Where you live — big cities and high-cost states run well above the median
- Hours per week — many agencies have a minimum shift (often a few hours)
- Personal care (bathing, transfers) costs more than pure companionship
- Overnight, weekend, and holiday hours often carry a premium
- Agency vs. independent caregiver — agencies cost more but handle taxes, backups, and vetting
For scale: a few hours a few days a week is a modest bill; round-the-clock in-home care can rival or exceed the cost of assisted living. Most families start small and scale up as needs change.
Companion care vs. skilled home health
These two get confused constantly, and the difference matters for both cost and coverage. Companion care is help with living. Skilled home health is medical care ordered by a doctor.
Many families use both: a nurse comes twice a week for a health need, while a companion aide covers the daily meals and company in between.
How to choose a good provider
The best safeguard is asking the right questions before anyone starts. A reputable agency will answer all of these without hesitation.
- Are you licensed and insured in this state? (Ask to see proof.)
- Do you run background checks and verify caregiver references?
- Who covers a shift if our regular aide is sick or on vacation?
- Can we meet the caregiver before the first visit?
- How do you handle a caregiver who isn't a good fit?
- Is there a written care plan, and who updates it as needs change?
- What's the minimum number of hours, and how does billing work?
- 1Write down exactly what help your parent needs and when — meals, rides, bathing, company — and estimate the hours.
- 2Get 2-3 quotes from licensed agencies (or vet independent caregivers carefully) and compare rates, minimums, and backup coverage.
- 3Check licensing, insurance, and background-check policies, and ask for references you can actually call.
- 4Meet the caregiver with your parent before the first shift to make sure the personalities click.
- 5Start with a trial period and a written care plan, then adjust hours as you see how it's going.
Common mistakes and warning signs
A few things trip families up. Watch for these.
- Skipping the meet-and-greet — fit matters as much as skill
- Hiring an independent caregiver without a plan for taxes, insurance, or sick-day backup
- Assuming Medicare pays — it generally does not cover non-medical companion care
- Ignoring your parent's resistance instead of easing in slowly with short visits
- No written care plan, so nobody's sure what the aide is actually responsible for
How it fits with keeping a parent safe and connected
Companion homecare is one layer. A medical alert system covers emergencies. Neighbors and family cover the drop-ins. And the quiet stretches in between — the days no aide is scheduled — are where a lot of loneliness lives. That's the gap a daily phone check-in can help fill. Call Mabel is a warm daily call to your parent on their regular phone — a friendly voice that asks how they slept, remembers their stories, and gently flags to you when something sounds off. At $29.97 to $189.97 a month depending on the tier, it's a small complement to hands-on care (which runs $35 an hour nationally), never a replacement for a caregiver and never medical or emergency monitoring.
- ✓Companion homecare is non-medical help that keeps a parent fed, safe, and less alone at home.
- ✓Expect a national median of $35 an hour (CareScout 2025, Genworth); your local rate and hours drive the total.
- ✓Get 2-3 quotes, check licensing and background checks, and always meet the caregiver first.
- ✓Don't confuse it with skilled home health — companion care is rarely covered by Medicare.
- ✓Plan for the hours no one's scheduled; a daily check-in call can ease the quiet time between visits.