The main options at a glance

Pennsylvania classifies senior care into several distinct categories. Understanding the legal definitions helps you know exactly what services your loved one will receive.

Non-medical home care agencies supply employees to provide personal care, companionship, and respite care in the consumer’s residence. Personal care includes assistance with self-administered medications, feeding, bathing, transferring, and toileting. These are non-skilled services. Agencies do not provide wound care, injections, or nursing assessments.

Medicare home health is a separate medical service. According to Medicare guidelines, it covers part-time or intermittent skilled nursing, physical therapy, and occupational therapy for homebound individuals. It does not pay for 24-hour care or personal care when that is the only care needed.

Facility-based care includes personal care homes (PCH) and assisted living residences (ALR). The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services licenses these separately. A personal care home may have bedrooms shared by up to four people and is not required to have medical staff. Under Pennsylvania law, only a licensed assisted living residence may use the term “assisted living.” These residences provide private units similar to a studio apartment and are designed so residents can age in place.

Nursing homes provide high-level medical care and supervision. The LIFE program serves adults 55 and older who need a nursing facility level of care but can live safely in the community.

How to decide

Choosing the right care setting requires evaluating your loved one’s physical needs, cognitive health, and financial resources.

• Level of help with ADLs: Assess how much hands-on assistance your loved one requires for activities of daily living like bathing, dressing, eating, and toileting. Home care aides can manage these tasks, but heavy medical needs require a nursing facility.
• Safety and supervision: Consider the risk of falls and wandering. More than one out of four older people falls each year. Individuals with Parkinson’s disease face a high fall risk due to freezing and postural instability. Six in 10 people living with dementia will wander at least once. If your loved one cannot safely be left alone, they need either a dedicated home care aide or a secure facility.
• Wish to stay home: If staying home matters to your loved one, in-home care and the CHC waiver are built for that.
• Budget and payer: Compare the costs. Based on the CareScout Cost of Care Survey, a year of assisted living in Pennsylvania costs $77,760, while a semi-private nursing home room costs $143,445. Determine if you will pay privately, use long-term care insurance, or apply for Medicaid.
• Family availability: Caregiving can wear family members down. Evaluate how many hours unpaid relatives can realistically provide before needing professional respite care or a permanent care solution.

If you need help at home in Philadelphia or the surrounding counties, New Century Home Care can help. Call 215-974-0000 or fill out our contact form and choose “I am a client” then “I need services.” Our office staff speaks English, Russian, and Ukrainian.

Paying for care

You have several options to fund senior care services. Read our complete guide on how to pay for senior care for detailed strategies.

Community HealthChoices (CHC) Waiver

Community HealthChoices is Pennsylvania’s Medicaid managed care program for adults 21 and older who need long-term services and supports. The CHC waiver covers Personal Assistance Services, adult day health, and respite care. Participants in the Southeast zone, including Philadelphia, choose between three plans: AmeriHealth Caritas CHC (Keystone First CHC), Pennsylvania Health & Wellness, and UPMC Community HealthChoices. New Century Home Care works with Keystone First and AmeriHealth Caritas.

To qualify for the CHC waiver, applicants must meet functional and financial rules. The application process starts by calling the Independent Enrollment Broker (IEB) at 1-877-550-4227. The IEB sends a Physician Certification form to your loved one’s doctor, who should return it within five business days marking the patient as Nursing Facility Clinically Eligible (NFCE), NFI, or ICF/ORC. Next, an assessor from the Area Agency on Aging completes the functional eligibility determination during a home visit. For Philadelphia residents, this assessment is handled by the Philadelphia Corporation for Aging (PCA).

If approved, a CHC plan service coordinator sets the approved home care hours in a person-centered service plan. The PCA assessor determines waiver eligibility, not the specific number of hours. Financially, the 2026 income limit is $2,982 per month. The resource limit is $8,000 for an unmarried applicant. The County Assistance Office (CAO) reviews income, resources, and a five-year look-back period for any asset transfers. Learn more about the rules for PA Medicaid for home care.

Long-Term Care Insurance

Private long-term care insurance can cover home care aides, assisted living, or nursing homes. Pennsylvania residents with a qualifying Pennsylvania Long-Term Care Partnership policy receive special Medicaid protections. For every dollar the policy pays in benefits, the policyholder can keep a dollar of assets that would otherwise have to be spent down to qualify for Medicaid. Read more about long-term care insurance.

Veterans Benefits

Veterans in Philadelphia can explore benefits through the Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center. The VA Homemaker and Home Health Aide Care program provides trained aides to help veterans with daily activities and personal care. The VA also offers Veteran-Directed Care, which gives veterans a service budget to hire their own workers.

Additionally, the VA pension program provides financial assistance. The Maximum Annual Pension Rate for a veteran with no dependents who qualifies for Aid and Attendance is $29,093. This pension helps offset the cost of home care or facility fees.

Guide index

Use the topics below to explore specific senior care options:

• Home Care vs Nursing Home
• Home Care vs Home Health
• Home Care vs Assisted Living
• Senior Living Options in PA
• Cost of Home Care in Philadelphia
• Cost of 24/7 Home Care
• How to Pay for Senior Care in PA
• Long-Term Care Insurance
• PA Medicaid for Home Care
• LIFE Program

When you are ready to start services, contact New Century Home Care. Call 215-974-0000 or submit our online form, selecting “I am a client” and “I need services.”