Non-medical home care costs a national median of $35 an hour, per the CareScout Cost of Care Survey 2025 published by Genworth — a useful anchor number as you weigh companion care for a parent in their golden years. Companion care is the everyday, non-medical help that lets an older adult keep living in their own home: someone to share a meal, drive to appointments, tidy up, and simply be there so the days aren't spent alone.
If you're researching this because your mom seems lonely, or your dad is forgetting to eat, you're in the right place. This guide walks through what companion care actually covers, what drives the cost, how to pick a good provider, and the warning signs worth watching for.
What companion care actually is
Companion care focuses on quality of life, not medical treatment. A companion caregiver keeps an older adult safe, occupied, and connected. They don't give injections, change wound dressings, or manage complex health conditions — that's skilled home health, which is a different service.
Typical companion care includes:
- Preparing meals and sharing them so eating doesn't feel like a chore
- Light housekeeping — laundry, dishes, tidying, watering plants
- Driving to doctor visits, the pharmacy, church, or the grocery store
- Reminders for medications (not administering them) and appointments
- Conversation, cards, walks, and hobbies — the company that eases isolation
- Personal care in many cases: help with bathing, dressing, and grooming (often called personal care aide work)
The heart of it is presence. For a parent who lives alone, having a familiar face show up a few times a week can change the whole texture of their week.
What it costs and what drives the price
Non-medical home care costs a national median of $35 an hour, per the CareScout Cost of Care Survey 2025 published by Genworth — up about 3% year over year. That's a national midpoint; your local price can run higher or lower. What moves the number:
- Where you live — urban and high-cost regions run well above the median, rural areas often below
- Hours per week — many agencies set a minimum shift (commonly a few hours) per visit
- Level of help — hands-on personal care usually costs more than light companionship
- Overnight, weekend, or holiday hours, which often carry premiums
- Agency vs. independent caregiver — agencies cost more but handle screening, backup, taxes, and insurance
To put it in perspective: a few hours of companion care a week is a very different budget than round-the-clock coverage, which can approach the cost of assisted living. Start with the hours your parent genuinely needs, not the maximum you can imagine.
Companion care vs. skilled home health
Families mix these up constantly, and the difference matters for both cost and what Medicare may cover.
Many families use both: home health for a recovery period after surgery, companion care for the everyday help that keeps going long after the nurse stops coming.
How to choose a provider
A good caregiver becomes part of your parent's life, so take the time to choose well. Here's a practical path.
- 1Make an honest list of what help is needed and how many hours — write down a typical week.
- 2Decide between an agency and an independent caregiver; agencies cost more but handle backup, screening, and payroll.
- 3Get 2-3 quotes and confirm state licensing, liability insurance, and background checks.
- 4Ask how they handle a caregiver calling in sick — you want a backup plan, not a scramble.
- 5Meet the actual caregiver before the first shift and watch how they talk with your parent.
- 6Start small, then adjust. Revisit the hours after the first month.
Questions worth asking any provider:
- Are your caregivers your employees or contractors, and are they bonded and insured?
- What screening and training do caregivers complete?
- Will the same caregiver come each time, or does it rotate?
- What happens if we don't click with the person assigned?
- Is there a care plan, and how often is it reviewed?
- What's your minimum shift, cancellation policy, and how do rates change for nights or holidays?
Warning signs and common mistakes
Most companion care goes well. But watch for these red flags — and these easy mistakes families make.
- A provider who can't produce proof of insurance, licensing, or background checks
- Constant caregiver turnover, so your parent never builds trust with anyone
- Pressure to sign a long contract before you've met the caregiver
- Waving off your questions about backup coverage or supervision
- Choosing on price alone — the cheapest option can mean no screening and no accountability
- Overbuying at the start; it's easier to add hours than to walk them back
How it fits with keeping a parent safe and connected
Companion care is one layer. A medical alert system covers emergencies. Skilled home health covers medical needs. And the in-between hours — when nobody is scheduled to be there — are where isolation quietly grows.
That's the gap a daily check-in call can help fill. Call Mabel is a warm phone companion that calls your parent every day on their regular phone — a real conversation that gently notices when something seems off and keeps you in the loop. It's a complement to a caregiver, not a replacement, and it isn't medical or emergency monitoring. For a parent who has help twice a week but is alone the other five days, a daily call keeps the connection going between visits. Compared with in-home care that starts around a $35 median hourly rate, a check-in call is a modest add-on for the days no caregiver is scheduled.
- ✓Companion care is non-medical help focused on daily life and company — separate from skilled home health.
- ✓Use the CareScout 2025 median of $35 an hour (Genworth) as your anchor, then get local quotes.
- ✓Check licensing, insurance, and background screening before anything else — and meet the caregiver first.
- ✓Start with the hours you truly need; it's easy to add more later.
- ✓Plan for the hours nobody is scheduled — that's where isolation, and a daily check-in call, come in.