Top Home Care Agencies in Seattle, WA

In Seattle, people commonly look into paying for health-related home care costs using private or public health insurance like Medicare or Medicaid. Keep in mind, however, that health insurance usually only covers medically specialized home health care services. Nonmedical home care services, like personal care and housekeeping offered by the agencies listed here, may not be covered. For nonmedical home care services to be covered, they must be a medically necessary part of a home health care plan.

Many individuals in Seattle also turn to their income and other assets to pay for home care costs. This may include private funds from savings, retirement funds, and health savings accounts (HSAs). Individuals may also be able to use veterans benefits, or free up cash from reverse mortgages, life insurance policies, or long-term care insurance.

Paying for home care
Get an overview of all payment options for home care.

VA home care benefits
See how VA benefits can help veterans and their spouses pay for home care.

Home care and LTC insurance
Learn how to use long-term care insurance to cover home care costs.

Does Medicare pay for home care in Seattle?

Yes, Medicare can pay for some home care services in Seattle if they’re provided as a part of a home health care plan. Home health care is a medical form of home care that’s prescribed by a doctor to treat illness or injury at home.

In order for Medicare to cover home health care, services must be provided by a Medicare-certified home health care provider. Nonmedical home care services without a medical necessity may not be covered.

Does Medicaid pay for home care in Seattle?

Yes, Washington’s Medicaid program, known as Apple Health, does pay for some home care services in Seattle, because it’s categorized as a type of long-term care service. To qualify, individuals must have some difficulty performing daily tasks on their own due to aging or a disability. Qualifying home care services include assistance with the following:^[01]

• Meal preparation
• Assistance with activities of daily living (also called ADLs, which include bathing, dressing, etc.)
• Housekeeping

Apple Health also covers home health care services for individuals who need skilled nursing care in their home. Home health services may include medical monitoring services like wound care and medication administration.^[01]

What other Seattle services help seniors age in place?

In Seattle, seniors can reach out to the following organizations to help them age in place:

• Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (SHIBA) offer free and unbiased benefit counseling to Medicare beneficiaries in Washington. To access benefit counseling services and learn what you qualify for, you can attend a Medicare counseling session online or in person, or find a local SHIBA office near you.
• The Aging and Disability Services (ADS) is Seattle’s local area agency on aging. The ADS helps seniors and individuals with disabilities access their eligible care services. They also offer caregiver support, care coordination, and legal, nutrition, and transportation services to individuals with disabilities and seniors.

On this page, you’ll find both home care and home health care agency listings. However, A Place for Mom only refers to home care agencies, as we can’t refer to any Medicare-certified home health care agency.

Where do I get information about veterans benefits in Seattle?

To get information on potential veterans benefits you can use to pay for home care, use the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs’ (WDVA) King County veterans resources page. This portal helps locate veterans service organizations (VSOs) near you. These VSOs employ benefit counselors who can help veterans and their surviving spouses access their eligible benefits, like potential home care services.

Many of Seattle’s VSOs are located in one convenient location, which can be found at the VA regional office at this address:

Henry M. Jackson Federal Building
915 2nd Ave.
Seattle, WA 98174

Within the VA regional office, veterans can access several VSOs, such as the following:

• American Legion
• Disabled American Veterans (DAV)
• Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)

To help you choose among Seattle home care agencies, we encourage you to consider several factors during your search. Some considerations may include licensing standards, accreditation status, agency hiring practices, fees, and minimum care requirements. Learning about these factors beforehand can help narrow down options based on what matters most to you or your loved one.

You may also want to consider whether medical care is needed within the home. While home care agencies can accommodate many personal care needs, some may not offer medically specialized home health care. Some agencies only offer nonmedical home care.

Home health care is prescribed by a doctor and provided by a licensed nurse or nursing assistant. Some agencies may offer both types of care, but it’s best to reach out to your loved one’s doctor or a social worker if home health care is necessary.

Knowing the type of care needed and information on Washington’s home care agency requirements can help you confidently choose a home care agency in Seattle.

Licensure and accreditation

The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) licenses all home care and home health agencies in Seattle. To obtain a home care license, Seattle home care agencies must submit and receive approval from the health department for the following materials:^[02]

• Completion of an in-home services orientation
• Background checks processed through the Washington State Patrol
• Description of agency’s organizational structure
• Description of management and supervision plans
• Description of home care agency services

Home health agency licensing requirements are similar, but they have more requirements as they also provide medical services.

After initial licensure, the DOH regularly performs unannounced on-site inspections of home care and home health agencies to ensure that they follow health and safety standards. Inspections are performed by registered nurses, who focus on:^[03]

• Delivery of client care
• Interviewing clients about the quality of services they receive
• Interviewing agency employees about training and knowledge of agency policies
• Review of randomly selected client and employee files

Hiring practices

Learning about an agency’s hiring practices can help you see how their home care and home health aides are equipped to care for their clients. In Seattle, the DOH requires a criminal background check for every agency employee. The DOH also requires home care aides to meet at least one of the following requirements:^[03]

• Have an active DOH home care aide certification
• Complete a home care aide certification in their first 200 days since being hired
• Complete a nursing assistant training program in their first 200 days
• Have prior experience as a home care aide in a licensed home care agency in Washington
• Be licensed as a nursing assistant, registered nurse, or licensed practical nurse in the state of Washington

Fees and minimums

Seattle home care agencies vary in their service fees and minimum care requirements. To make an informed decision, be sure to ask whether an agency requires any deposits, a minimum number of hours of care, or any additional charges for care.

For instance, some home care agencies offer a free initial assessment to assess care needs, while others may charge for one. Furthermore, some agencies may require a minimum number of hours per shift or charge extra for care provided overnight or on a holiday or weekend.

You may also want to ask whether a prospective agency has a minimum age requirement for clients, so you can more easily rule out options.

Other questions to ask Seattle home care agencies

Ask these 10 questions to help you find the right home care agency.