How to get help at home

Home care can be a less costly alternative to assisted living if family members are available to provide or supplement an aging relative’s care.

If you need outside help, expect to pay an average of $29 an hour for a home health aide, $18 an hour for homemaker services, and $59 a day for care in an adult day-care center, according to 2008 data from the Department of Health and Human Services. To find local agencies that can provide such help, use the elder-care locator on the Web site of the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging, at www.n4a.org.

Medicare may cover some part-time and temporary home health care under certain conditions. Medicaid may pay for some home health care depending on the person’s income and needs. For more information, go to www.medicare.gov/LongTermCare/Static/Home.asp.

This article appeared in Consumer Reports Money Adviser.