I. What You Should Know About Home Care in Boca Raton, FL
Boca Raton is a sunny beachside community in southeastern Florida that is known for its outstanding public golf courses, museums and parks. Located about halfway between Miami and West Palm Beach, Boca Raton is a magnet for seniors looking for warm summers and some of the mildest winters in the country. Nearly 28% of Boca Raton’s 100,000 full-time residents are seniors aged 65 and over, and older adults make up a disproportionate share of the city’s annual inflow of 8 million tourists.
Seniors who choose to make their home in Boca Raton have a wealth of options for how to occupy themselves in retirement. Not only are one in three of their neighbors close in age to themselves, but countless senior organizations and community groups also operate nearby to help keep the city’s large senior population connected. The city occupies substantial beach frontage, almost all of which is open to the public at no cost to visit, and the local parks are carefully maintained as safe, family-friendly sanctuaries for seniors and their families to spend time visiting.
Seniors who don’t mind paying admission to have a good time can visit the Gumbo Limbo Nature Center and sea turtle sanctuary at Red Reef Park, close to the oceanfront. The Boca Raton Museum of Art keeps a large permanent collection of American and European masters, while the excitement and nightlife of urban Miami is no more than a short bus trip away.
II. What You Should Expect to Pay for Home Care in Boca Raton, FL
Home care and home health care in Boca Raton are close in price, at average costs of $3,623 and $3,813 a month, respectively, according to the Genworth 2020 Cost of Care Survey. These rates are the average throughout the Boca Raton area, and they can change a bit with the location and extent of the services offered.
The figures in Genworth’s survey are based on the assumption of beneficiaries getting 44 hours of care in a week. This means that your own cost of care can vary by a wide margin depending on how many hours’ worth of care you get in a typical week. Home care in Boca Raton costs an average of $19 an hour, while home health services run to an average of $20.
The Cost of Home Care & Home Health Care in Nearby Cities
Home care and home health care costs in Boca Raton are both lower than the average for Florida $3,623 and $3,813 compared to $4,195 and $4,290. Other Florida cities are also generally more expensive than Boca Raton. Tampa rates run $4,195 and $4,576, while seniors pay an average of $4,277 and $4,324 a month in Pensacola. Home care in Tampa costs an average of $4,195 a month, while home health care costs $4,576. Orlando averages run $3,813 for both.
The Cost of Home Care Compared to Other Senior Living Options
Both home care and home health services fall in the middle range of costs for senior living options in Boca Raton. The least expensive option in the area is adult day health care, which averages $1,300 a month. Assisted living costs an average of $3,500 a month. Nursing home care is one of the more expensive senior living options in Boca Raton. A semiprivate room in a nursing home in Boca Raton costs an average of $9,095 a month.
III. How to Find Home Care in Boca Raton, FL
Finding a home care provider for yourself or a loved one can be a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. Below, we explain the process of how to find a home care provider in 5 simple steps. Use the infographic below to help guide your search for in-home care in Boca Raton, FL.
Remember that there’s not necessarily a right or wrong choice – it comes down to choosing a provider that you feel comfortable with and who’s capable of meeting your specific needs. No matter which provider you choose, you should always have a formal arrangement with your expectations and the payment rate in writing. Doing so will prevent confusion or potential disagreements down the line so that the focus remains on helping the person receiving care.
IV. Home Care Resources for Seniors in Boca Raton, FL
Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE)
What You Should Know
The PACE program operated in a nondenominational manner by the Miami Jewish Health in Florida helps seniors coordinate their care and get comprehensive customized living assistance they need to continue living independently in their own homes. Seniors in Boca Raton participating in PACE can connect with medical services, such as specialist and nursing care, help paying for prescription drugs and durable medical equipment such as wheelchairs and walkers. PACE also refers seniors to physical, occupational and mental health therapeutic services. Assistance from skilled caregivers is also available through the program.
You can enroll in PACE by contacting an enrollment worker who can visit you at home and evaluate your eligibility for the program. You may have to provide proof of age, residence and income. After the initial intake process, a team of program workers can take on your case to find benefits you may be eligible to receive.
Who Is Eligible?
You may be eligible for PACE if you’re aged 55 and older, live within the designated radius of the Boca Raton service area and meet the program’s financial limitations. The state of Florida also sets a minimum level of care you must meet to be eligible for PACE assistance.
How to Get Started
You can learn more about PACE or start the enrollment process by calling (305) 751-7223 to speak with an intake specialist with the program.
Aging and Disability Resource Center of Broward County
What You Should Know
The Florida Department of Elder Affairs operates a number of programs aimed at helping seniors in the state live safely and independently in their homes and to avoid the isolation that sometimes comes with living alone. Through local Area Agencies on Aging, the department offers food assistance, vaccine services at home and Medicare counseling for eligible participants. The program also assists with home modification and improvements for seniors with limited mobility, as well as arranging transportation services within a reasonable radius of home.
Who Is Eligible?
To be eligible for enrollment with the Area Agency on Aging of Broward County, you must be a resident of Broward County aged 60 and over, or be an adult aged 18 to 59 with a qualifying disability or dementia.
How to Get Started
To learn more about the services available through the program and to apply for assistance, call the District 10 service office at (954) 745-9567 and speak with an intake worker.
Transportation OPtionS (TOPS!)
What You Should Know
Broward County Transit (BCT) operates the Transportation OPtionS (TOPS!) program to help seniors and adults with limited mobility make it to locations around Broward County that they might otherwise have trouble reaching. Paratransit and mobility van services are available to locations such as senior centers, nutrition assistance sites and congregate meal centers, medical and dental appointments and other needed trips. Curb-to-curb and door-to-door attendant services are available if needed.
Who Is Eligible?
To participate in TOPS!, you must be a resident of Broward County, meet the income guidelines to get a rider ID card and need mobility assistance for local trips.
How to Get Started
You can call (954) 357-8400 to schedule a ride or to sign up for no-cost enrollment.
Home Delivered Meals
What You Should Know
Home Delivered Meals is a Broward County program that delivers meals to Boca Raton seniors who need nutritional assistance. Meals are delivered in weekly batches from a variety of local partner restaurants. Puree, kosher and gluten-free meal options are available, as are other specialty menus for those who need them. The program also operates congregate meal sites in several locations in and around Boca Raton.
Who Is Eligible?
You may be eligible to participate in Home Delivered Meals if you live in Boca Raton, are aged 60 or over and need help getting the meals you need. The program does require enrollment screening, but no income limitation is imposed.
How to Get Started
Sign up for meal service by calling (954) 745-9779 and speaking with an intake worker.
Long-Term Care (LTC) Program
What You Should Know
The Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) administers the Statewide Medicaid Managed Care (SMMC) Long-Term Care program, which provides hands-off financial assistance for seniors who need in-home caregiver services and other senior support programs. Caregivers assist seniors with activities of daily living, such as personal care, cooking meals and some transportation.
Who Is Eligible?
You may be eligible for assistance through the LTC program if you qualify for Medical Assistance, Florida’s Medicaid program, and need assistance in your own home or residential care community from a personal caregiver. There is no age requirement; however, priority is given to seniors who need immediate in-home caregiver services.
How to Get Started
To get started on an application for LTC, contact the Agency for Health Care Administration by calling (850) 488-1429, and begin the screening and intake process. Due to high demand for services, you may be placed on a waitlist, though expedited service is available with a waiver.