Home Care for Chronic Illness in Philadelphia
Chronic Disease Support · New Century Home Care
Everyday help for living with a chronic condition
Licensed non-medical home care for Philadelphia, Bucks, Montgomery, Delaware and Chester counties. Medicaid CHC or private pay. Our office speaks English, Russian and Ukrainian.
- Licensed by the PA Department of Health
- Keystone First & AmeriHealth Caritas CHC
- Relatives can be paid caregivers
- English · Русский · Українська
At a glance: When your loved one lives with chronic conditions like heart disease or diabetes, daily routines can become difficult. New Century Home Care provides non-medical assistance in Philadelphia to help them stay safe and comfortable at home.
- Three in four American adults live with at least one chronic condition.
- Home care aides provide non-medical support like help with bathing, dressing, and meal preparation.
- Aides do not perform skilled nursing tasks, such as administering injections or adjusting oxygen.
- Community HealthChoices (CHC) waiver participants can receive Personal Assistance Services at home.
- Family members can sometimes be paid to provide this care through the CHC waiver.
Living with more than one condition
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), three in four American adults have at least one chronic condition. Over half have two or more.
Heart disease, cancer, and diabetes are leading causes of death and disability in the United States. Managing these conditions often requires daily effort and changes to a person’s lifestyle.
When an older adult faces multiple health challenges, everyday tasks become harder. Chronic illness can lead to weakness or balance issues. More than one out of four older people falls each year. A home care aide provides the hands-on help and supervision needed to maintain a daily routine.
What non-medical support looks like
Under Pennsylvania law, specialized care involves non-skilled services unique to the consumer’s needs. These services facilitate health, safety, and independence.
Our aides provide specialized support to complement the medical care your loved one receives. Personal care includes assistance with ambulation, bathing, hair care, grooming, dressing, toileting, and transfer activities.
| Daily Challenge | Aide’s Role |
|---|---|
| Dietary restrictions | Meal planning and preparation consistent with the doctor’s diet instructions. |
| Taking multiple prescriptions | Medication reminders for self-administered medications. |
| Attending doctor visits | Accompanying the person into the community for medical appointments. |
| Changes in condition | Recognizing changes in the consumer and reporting them to the agency and family. |
| Fatigue or weakness | Personal care assistance with bathing, dressing, toileting, and transferring. |
| Keeping the home safe | Incidental homemaker tasks like washing dishes from meal prep or doing laundry. |
| Isolation | Companionship services to offer socialization and encouragement. |
What aides don’t do
Home care agencies supply employees to provide non-medical services in the consumer’s home. Aides do not perform skilled nursing tasks.
An aide cannot give insulin injections, manage IVs, or perform wound care. They cannot adjust oxygen levels or make clinical monitoring decisions.
If your loved one needs these services, they must come from a licensed nurse or therapist through a home health agency.
Working with the medical team and when to call
Our caregivers follow a person-centered service plan based on daily support needs. They do not replace your loved one’s medical team.
You should contact your loved one’s doctor for any questions about symptoms, disease progression, or treatment changes. If a medical emergency occurs, call 911 immediately.
If your family needs daily help at home, call us at 215-974-0000 or fill out our online form. Choose “I am a client” and then “I need services” to get started. Our office staff speak English, Russian, and Ukrainian.
How it’s paid for in Philadelphia
Families use several different methods to pay for home care in Pennsylvania. To get waiver services, the person must be 21 or older, financially eligible, and functionally eligible.
Financial eligibility requires meeting the income limit, which is $2,982 per month in 2026 for a single applicant. The County Assistance Office (CAO) reviews income, resources, and a five-year look-back on transfers.
| Payer | Covers this? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Community HealthChoices (CHC) waiver | Yes | Covers Personal Assistance Services and respite care if the applicant is waiver-approved. Hours are set in the person-centered service plan by the CHC service coordinator. |
| Medicare | No | Medicare home health coverage is for part-time skilled nursing or therapy for homebound people. It does not cover 24-hour care or personal care when that is the only care needed. |
| Private pay | Yes | Families pay directly for scheduled hours. We discuss rates during your initial call. |
| Veterans Affairs (VA) | Yes | Eligible veterans may access Homemaker and Home Health Aide Care or Veteran-Directed Care. Ask your VA social worker if these are available locally. |
| Long-term care insurance | Depends | Coverage depends entirely on the specific policy terms. |
Can a family member be the paid caregiver?
Yes, family members can be paid to provide Personal Assistance Services through the CHC waiver. You can work through a licensed agency like New Century Home Care or use the participant-directed Services My Way option.
The CHC waiver will not pay for services furnished by the participant’s spouse, legal guardian, representative payee, or power of attorney.
Learn more about how to get paid to care for a family member.
How to start with New Century
Getting started with New Century Home Care involves a few clear steps.
- Contact us by calling 215-974-0000 or using our website form. We will ask about your loved one’s daily needs, preferred schedule, and payment method.
- If you need to apply for the CHC waiver, you will call the Independent Enrollment Broker at 1-877-550-4227. The Philadelphia Corporation for Aging (PCA) will conduct an in-person assessment to determine functional eligibility.
- If you are already a CHC participant, tell your service coordinator that you choose New Century Home Care as your provider. We work with Keystone First CHC (AmeriHealth Caritas); on another plan, call us first.
- If you are paying privately, we will agree on a schedule that fits your family’s routine.
- We match you with a caregiver who has passed all Pennsylvania background checks, tuberculosis screening, and competency requirements.
Ready to arrange non-medical support for your loved one? Call 215-974-0000 or submit our contact form by selecting “I am a client” and “I need services”.
How to get started
- Call or send the formCall 215-974-0000 or use the form and choose “I am a client”.
- Talk through needs and paymentWe go over the help your loved one needs and how it can be paid for: Medicaid CHC, private pay, or a relative as the paid caregiver.
- Care starts at homeYour caregiver follows the schedule you agree on. For Medicaid, hours come from the CHC service plan.
Ways to pay for home care
Related home care services
Frequently asked questions
What is chronic disease management?
Chronic disease management refers to clinical care directed by a doctor or medical team. Home care aides do not manage diseases. Our role is to provide daily non-medical support, such as meal preparation and personal care, to help the person live safely at home.
What are some examples of chronic illnesses?
The CDC notes that heart disease, cancer, and diabetes are leading causes of death and disability in the United States. The CDC also lists chronic lung disease (COPD) among conditions linked to smoking.
Can an aide check blood sugar?
No. Checking blood sugar is a skilled nursing task or something the person manages themselves. A home care aide can provide reminders for self-administered medications and testing, but they cannot perform the test or administer insulin.
Is chronic illness related to depression?
Living with multiple chronic conditions can affect a person’s mood and well-being. If you notice changes in your loved one’s mental health, talk to their doctor about the symptoms and available support options.
Talk to a Philadelphia home care coordinator
Tell us what your loved one needs. We will explain the options, including Medicaid CHC and paid family caregiving.
