In-home care in Florida

What kinds of in-home care are there in Florida?

Home health agencies licensed by AHCA provide skilled nursing, therapy and aide visits, often covered by Medicare; private-duty and companion care provide hourly help with daily activities, paid privately, by long-term care insurance or by Medicaid plans.

AHCA's locator shows 139 licensed home health agencies with offices in Sarasota and Manatee counties (86 in Sarasota, 53 in Manatee); agencies serve clients well beyond their office address.

What does in-home care cost in Florida?

CareScout's 2025 Florida median for a non-medical home care worker is about $32 an hour, $73,216 a year at 44 hours a week.

See the hours math against assisted living.

How do I choose a home care agency?

Check the agency's AHCA license on FloridaHealthFinder, ask how caregivers are screened and supervised, who covers missed shifts, and whether the agency or a nurse registry is the employer.

Nurse registries refer independent contractors; home health agencies employ their staff.

How many hours of home care does a parent actually need?

Count the hours when your parent cannot be safely alone: medication times, bathing, meal preparation and the night; many families start with 12 to 20 hours a week and add adult day care.

At about $32 an hour, 20 hours a week costs roughly $2,770 a month at Florida's 2025 median.

What is a nurse registry in Florida?

A nurse registry is an AHCA-licensed business that refers independent contractor nurses, aides and companions to clients, who then direct and pay them; unlike a home health agency, the registry does not employ the caregiver.

Ask who is responsible for taxes, insurance and backup coverage under each arrangement.

Who pays for in-home care in Sarasota and Manatee?

Medicare pays for skilled home health visits for homebound patients; Florida Medicaid long-term care plans and PACE pay for personal care for those who qualify; long-term care insurance often pays licensed agencies; and VA pension can count home care costs as unreimbursed medical expenses.

The Area Agencies on Aging also fund limited homemaker, personal care and respite services through state programs such as Community Care for the Elderly, usually with a wait list and a co-payment based on income.

Where is in-home care licensed in Sarasota and Manatee?

Here is how AHCA's records distribute in-home care licenses between the two counties; agencies have no bed count.