Springfield Illinois Home Care: Common Terms, How to pay for Home Care, Licensing and Questions to ask
Springfield is the state capital of Illinois, but it feels just like a small town. Traffic is not bad, it’s easy to get around, and it’s walkable. You can get from one side of Springfield to the opposite side in 30 mins. Many subdivisions are quiet and the neighborhoods have great ratings with amazing school districts. Springfield is best known for being the home of our 16th President Abraham Lincoln and the place where President Barack Obama spent his early career in politics.
- Springfield Illinois Home Care: Common Terms, How to pay for Home Care, Licensing and Questions to ask
- About In-Home Care in Springfield
- Considerations when looking for care in Springfield
- Cities Near Springfield
- Pricing and How to Pay for Home Care
- Local Hospitals and Healthcare Providers
- What are the different Home care options?
- Questions to Ask
- Resources and Links – Illinois
- Search other areas for Home Care
What are the different Home care options?
The various care services and options
Personal Care Assistant
- Companionship as well as assistance with activities of daily living, (non-medical personal care) toileting, dressing, grooming, and bathing.
- They can help with grocery shopping and meal preparation.
- A personal care assistant can help with family difficulties. If a family caregiver must leave town or be away from the home overnight the caretaker can stay with the individual and monitor and assist as needed.
- If a spouse is too heavy, a personal assistant can be a great asset in helping the individual move without risk of injury.
- These care assistants cannot perform any medical care.
Companion Care
- These companions spend time with older adults. Providing companionship is especially relevant for people who live alone, or do not leave the house due to cognitive impairments or frailty.
- These companions are there to look after the person, keep a watchful eye, act as an extension of the person to help with mobility and general physic functions.
- They may drive the person to appointments, prepare light meals and snacks. They may even play games or read and listen to music together.
- Companion care is a great way to bring social interaction and assistance to a person who may otherwise spend long periods of time alone.
About In-Home Care in Springfield
One of the most desirable aspects of Illinois is the fact that the state has 19 of America’s safest cities. Seniors and retirees, families and young people looking to find a comfortable new home love Illinois. Illinois’ beautiful 26 miles of salt-free coastline invites swimming and quality beach time for families and anyone looking to enjoy some leisure. The growing number of aging adults in Illinois is nearly 16% of the state’s overall population. And as the number of residents aged 65 years and older continues to grow, it is common that some may require care at some point. Most of the time, when people think of senior care the first thing they envision is a nursing home. This couldn’t be further from the truth: There are many different types and levels of care for our population of people 65 and older. Typically, people prefer to age in place as long as possible, rather than move into a senior living community – but the challenges of aging may cause living at home to become increasingly difficult. The focus of Illinois home care is to keep people healthy and safe.
In Illinois, home Care (or In home Care) is suited for seniors who may only require some basic assistance at home. Care plans can be customized for each individual. The home aides may support with the activities of daily living (ADLs), which include medication reminders, assistance with bathing and eating. Home Care may be an excellent care option for family members if they must leave town or just need a break from caring for their loved one. The Home Care aides bring a sense of personalization, providing companionship and socialization, a sense of connection.
All home care agencies serving elderly adults must be licensed by The Health Care Facilities and Programs division of the Illinois Department of Public Health. The department conducts any inspections and investigations to ensure all agencies are in compliance with state regulations.
Considerations when looking for care in Springfield
In Springfield, the summers are long, warm, and humid; the winters are short, freezing, snowy, and windy; and it is partly cloudy year round. Over the course of the year, the temperature typically varies from 21°F to 86°F and is rarely below 3°F or above 93°F.
As the largest city in central Illinois, with a population of 117,000, there are endless opportunities when seeking care and finding comfort in aging.
Home Care Communities near Springfield, Illinois
Cities Near Springfield
- Rochester – 12 miles east of Springfield
- Sherman – 12 miles north of Springfield
- Curran – 10 miles west of Springfield
- Chatham – 10 miles north of Springfield
Pricing and How to Pay for Home Care
The average monthly cost of in-home care in Illinois is above the national average. A month of in-home care in Illinois is $5,350 / month. The cost of non-medical home care in Illinois will vary by city. In Springfield, the average rate for In-Home Care is $5,100 / month.
You want to consider your payment options for assisted living, memory care, and care homes. For these services, Medicare is NOT an option for payment.
The most common payment for these services would be out of pocket Private Pay and assessing a combination of retirement funds, personal savings, and pension payments.
Medicaid can also be an option, be sure to see if you or a loved one qualifies.
Long-Term Care insurance is also a possible option in cases of chronic conditions, be sure to see if you or a loved one qualifies.
For our Veterans and spouses of veterans, be sure to assess Veteran Aid and your eligibility for these benefits.
Medicare – NO:
- Medicare does NOT pay for Assisted Living.
- People 65 years and older and individuals with end stage renal disease are eligible for Medicare benefits, no matter their income.
- Coverage is meant for people in need of short-term care.
Private pay – YES:
- Many families pay for assisted living with private funds.
- Private pay can be a combination of retirement funds, personal savings, and pension payments.
- Family members may contribute funds to pay for assisted living or other senior housing and care.
Medicaid – MAYBE:
- Medicaid provides health coverage to millions of Americans. Eligible participants include: low-income adults, elderly adults and people with disabilities.
- Medicaid is administered by state, according to federal requirements. The program is funded jointly by each state and the federal government.
- Every state has their own individual Medicaid assistance program.
- National guidelines are in place do decipher how states must spend Medicaid money, but with allowances toward the guidelines.
- The state determines what levels of care will be covered by Medicaid, who is eligible, and how much the state will reimburse the care community.
- If you are unsure whether you qualify for Medicaid, you should apply. You may be eligible depending on your household income, family size, age, disability and other factors.
Long-term Care Insurance – MAYBE:
Long term care insurance is a great way to pay for assisted living, and planning ahead is important when considering how to pay for senior housing and care. Nearly 75% of people over the age of 65 will require long-term care and services at some point. Buying into long-term care insurance when a person is in their 50s and 60s is the most common time to do so.
- Long-term care insurance helps cover the costs of chronic medical conditions.
- Individuals and couples with the ability to pay into long-term care insurance have the advantage of a head start in allocating funds for senior care.
Veteran Aid and Assistance – MAYBE:
This benefit is available to some military veterans and surviving spouses who live in an assisted living community and those who have in-home care.
- There are specific guidelines, but a veteran may qualify for as much as $2,050 each month.
- A veteran with a sick spouse may be eligible for $1,600 per month.
- If a veteran has passed, their surviving spouse can qualify for $1,300 per month.
Questions to Ask
Finding a senior living community can be overwhelming. Here are some tips on things to be observant of:
Local Hospitals and Healthcare Providers
HSHS St. John’s Hospital
800 E Carpenter St, Springfield, IL 62769
Baylis Medical Building
747 N Rutledge St, Springfield, IL 62701
Memorial Health System
3132 Old Jacksonville Rd, Springfield, IL 62704
SIU Medicine
315 W Carpenter St, Springfield, IL 62702
Resources and Links – Illinois
Chicago Department of Family and Support Services DFSS Senior Services is designated through the Older Americans Act, and by the Ilinois Department on Aging, as the Area Agency on Aging for the city of Chicago and provides a range of services that allow older adults to remain healthy, safe and independent.
Illinois Department on Aging Area Agencies have the primary task of planning and coordinating services and programs for older people in their respective areas. The Area Agencies receive funding from the Department based on a formula which takes into consideration the number of older citizens and minorities in that area, as well as the number living in poverty, in rural areas, and alone.
AgeOptions As the Area Agency on Aging of suburban Cook County, Illinois, we advocate, plan, coordinate and fund services for older adults. Together with a network of community-based senior service organizations, we connect residents with vital services such as information and assistance, community dining programs and home-delivered meals, housekeeping help, employment services, access to benefits and support for family caregivers.
Adult Protective Services Hotline To report suspected abuse, exploitation or neglect of an older person, age 60 and above or a person aged 18-59 with a disability, call the statewide 24-hour Adult Protective Services Hotline
Eldercare Locator This is a great resource to search for specific care in specific counties and cities. This database is a nationwide resource that connects older Americans and their caregivers with trustworthy local support resources. Connect with services such as meals, home care or transportation, or a caregiver education or respite from caregiving responsibilities. The Eldercare Locator is a public service of the Administration on Aging (AoA), an agency of the U.S. Administration for Community Living.
Medicare provides a search feature to find & compare providers near you, most senior housing and care providers are included on CareAvailability.com. Find & compare plans in your area. Determine if you qualify for premium savings
Medicaid offers information on how to apply for Medicaid, eligibility criteria, links to local state offices, and additional resources
The Alzheimer’s Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer’s care, support, and research. Whether you are living with Alzheimer’s or caring for someone with the disease, information and resources are available.
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