Staying Home: The Comfort and Advantages of Receiving Care at Home

The U.S. is experiencing an unprecedented surge in home-based elder care, driven by an aging Baby Boomer population and a strong preference for “aging in place.” According to the Population Reference Bureau, in just over a decade, the number of family caregivers regularly assisting older adults with daily activities at home grew by 32 percent. Unpaid family caregivers assisting older adults increased to 24 million, while home health spending and job demands continue to soar. What is causing this unprecedented increase in home-based care? What are the advantages of aging at home? And what type of at-home caregiving arrangement offers the best solution for your family?

This article answers those questions and more, by reviewing:

• Trends in home care
• The increase in aging in place
• The benefits of home care
• Different types of home care
• Adult foster care

Trends in Home Care

Demographic shifts, advancing technology and staffing shortages are among the trends shaping home-based care. Global research company Battelle identities six trends shaping the future of at-home care:

An aging population:

In 2025, the number of seniors in the United States exceeded the number of children aged 13 and under for the first time. “In the history of the human species, there’s never been a time like [this],” explains Dr. Richard Hodes, director of the National Institute on Aging. As more people live longer, more families are caring for loved ones with ongoing health conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease. Most older adults now live with at least one chronic condition, and many have several. Because of this, many people want to remain in the comfort and familiarity of their own homes as they age, rather than move into a care facility or spend long periods in the hospital.

Staff shortages:

At the same time, hospitals and healthcare providers are under a lot of pressure. Staffing shortages and growing patient needs make it difficult for healthcare systems to keep up. Providing care at home can help reduce the strain on hospitals while still allowing patients to receive the support they need.

More non-medical caregivers:

As the demand for care grows, more responsibility is being placed on unpaid family caregivers, home health aides, and even patients themselves. Many families are now helping with medications, appointments, monitoring symptoms, and daily care tasks. Because of this, medical devices and treatment plans are becoming easier to understand and safer for non-medical caregivers to use at home.

New technology:

Technology is also making home care more manageable than ever before. Telehealth visits, remote monitoring tools, and connected medical devices allow doctors and nurses to check in with patients without requiring them to travel to a clinic or hospital. This helps caregivers get support more quickly and can make it easier to catch problems early.

Reduced cost:

Insurance companies and healthcare providers are also recognizing that home-based care can lower costs, reduce hospital visits, and improve quality of life for patients. When done well, caring for someone at home can help them stay healthier, more comfortable, and more independent.

User-friendly equipment:

Today’s medical equipment is also becoming more user-friendly. Devices that once required trained medical staff are now designed so caregivers and patients can use them safely at home. This is helping more families feel confident managing care in a home setting.

Aging in Place

Aging in place, the decision to live safely and independently in your own home as you get older, rather than moving to assisted living or nursing facilities, has seen a massive surge. Driven by an aging Baby Boomer demographic and a strong desire to avoid assisted living, surveys show up to 75 percent to 94 percent of older adults now prefer to stay in their current homes. Skyrocketing facility costs, the desire to maintain independence, and the expansion of in-home healthcare technologies and services have also contributed to this shift in care.

The key factors driving this trend include:

• High Cost of Institutional Care: Senior housing and nursing homes are increasingly expensive. “The cost of long-term care [help in the home or care in assisted-living facilities or nursing homes] is unaffordable for most families,” explains Jean Accius, senior vice president of thought leadership at AARP. With median costs for assisted living often exceeding $5,000 per month, many families cannot afford long-term residential care and must find ways to manage care at home.
• Desire for Independence and Comfort: Surveys consistently show that roughly 85 percent of older adults prefer to stay in their own homes. Aging in a familiar environment preserves autonomy, ties to the community, and personal routines.
• Expansion of Home Health Care: An increase in public funding and the availability of remote monitoring tools (like medical alerts, telehealth, and smart-home automation) make it easier to manage chronic conditions from home. In 1999, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Americans with Disabilities Act allows individuals with disabilities to live in their local communities rather than in institutions whenever possible. This ruling created more support from Medicaid for home health care.
• Shift in Family Dynamics: A higher proportion of married seniors enables informal, spousal caregiving, which often delays or prevents the need for institutionalization since when one spouse acquires functional limitations, the other often becomes the primary caregiver. 

Benefits of Home Care

Receiving care at home provides many advantages over institutionalized and community-based options. Home-based care allows individuals to receive personalized medical or daily living support in the comfort of familiar surroundings. It promotes faster recovery, enhances emotional well-being, and provides a cost-effective alternative to extended hospitalizations or facility placement while lowering the risk of hospital-acquired infections. 

Improved quality of life:

Home care enables individuals to age in place and maintain control over their schedules, privacy, and personal choices, preserving their independence and dignity. Healing in familiar surroundings creates comfort and familiarity, naturally reducing stress, anxiety, and confusion, which is especially beneficial for individuals managing memory challenges. 

Personalized, One-on-One Attention:

Unlike institutional settings where staff juggle multiple residents, in-home caregivers provide tailored support entirely focused on the specific daily routines and medical needs of the person receiving care.

Health Benefits:

According to the National Institutes of Health, “aging in place has been linked to several health benefits, including improved quality of life, reduced healthcare costs and increased social connectedness.” Home care also lowers the risk of infection. By receiving care at home, patients minimize their exposure to antibiotic-resistant bugs and viruses often found in clinical environments like nursing homes and residential facilities.

Family Involvement:

Through home-based care, loved ones can stay connected, actively participating in care planning and enjoying daily time together without rigid visiting hours.

Cost-Effectiveness:

In-home care generally costs a fraction of extended hospital stays or long-term nursing facility confinement, often with coverage options through Medicare and Medicaid.

Types of Home Care

Home health care provides medical and non-medical assistance delivered directly to a patient’s residence. These services are typically designed for individuals recovering from surgery, living with chronic conditions, or aging in place. Care ranges from highly specialized nursing to daily living assistance. The primary types of home health care services include:

1. Skilled Nursing Care

Registered Nurses (RNs) and Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) provide clinical medical treatments and health assessments.

• Services include: Wound care, intravenous (IV) therapy, catheter care, ostomy care, medication administration, and monitoring vital signs. [1, 8]

2. Rehabilitation Therapies

Licensed therapists travel to the home to help patients regain mobility, strength, and independence.

• Physical Therapy (PT): Helps restore mobility, balance, and muscle strength following surgery, stroke, or injury.
• Occupational Therapy (OT): Assists patients in relearning daily activities like dressing, bathing, and eating safely.
• Speech Therapy: Improves communication and treats swallowing disorders. 

3. Medical Social Work

Social workers assist patients and their families in navigating healthcare systems and accessing community resources.

• Services include: Emotional counseling, discharge planning, and connecting patients with financial or long-term care resources. 

4. Home Health Aide Services

Home health aides assist with basic health-related needs and personal care, fulfilling orders set by a patient’s doctor.

• Services include: Help with bathing, grooming, dressing, and basic mobility assistance. 

5. Personal Care and Companionship (Non-Medical)

Also known as custodial care, this provides day-to-day support to ensure the patient’s safety and quality of life.

• Services include: Light housekeeping, meal preparation, medication reminders, and transportation to medical appointments. 

6. Specialty and Long-Term Care

• Chronic Disease Management: Focused education and symptom management for conditions like diabetes, heart failure, or COPD.
• Hospice and Palliative Care: Pain management and emotional/spiritual support for patients with terminal illnesses.
• Private Duty Nursing: Continuous, shift-based nursing for individuals requiring long-term, high-acuity care (e.g., ventilator care or tube feedings). 

Adult Foster Care

Adult home care or adult foster care offers an alternative to residential care for recipients, or members who require supervision or physical help with bathing, hygiene, walking, transferring, eating, or dressing. In this home-based care model, a friend or loved one provides round-the-clock in-home care with support from MassHealth.

For many Massachusetts residents, adult foster care is the best option for aging at home. It combines some of the key benefits of other at-home care options while providing unique advantages as well. 

• Ability to stay at home: Living at home allows members to stick to their routines and participate in their community. 
• Personalized care from a friend or loved one: Personalized care is especially beneficial for those with evolving health conditions such as diabetes or Alzheimer’s disease. 
• Reduces isolation: Adult foster care helps provide a cure for the loneliness epidemic by offering in-home care at lower cost and without relying on a shrinking supply of in-home health aids.
• Cost-effective solution: Adult foster care costs less than nursing homes or assisted living facilities, and is often also less expensive than in-home personal care services. Through adult foster care services like Mass Care Link, care providers receive a monthly payment from MassHealth to help offset the cost of care. 

Are you exploring long-term care options? Learn more about adult foster care in the resources and FAQs at Mass Care Link.