My mother is at the point where she needs full time care and I want to keep her in the house. Are there home care options where I can pay someone by the hour to watch my mother?

Definitely check with your state and city agencies, they may have subsidies. If they don't, contact your state and federal legislators and tell them that you need help and would appreciate their support.
Some home health agencies have 24 hour rates which are less than their hourly rate for 24 hours. Also, finding someone who works as a health aide independently and not associated with a home health agency may be much less expensive. Also, Adult daycare is another less expensive option too.

In Arizona we have the Pima Council for the Aging -- they are a wonderful source of information as to what services are available, etc. Look for something similar where you live.

To provide for elderly care, some church affiliated homes for the aged have non-profit foundations and skilled trade and skilled healthcare guilds that help offset the cost of skilled healthcare associated with the elderly. The non-profit foundations and skilled trade guilds accept charitable contributions to provide healthcare in skilled care homes for the aged at a more manageable fixed fee for a resident. Because the church affiliated homes for the aged have a limited number of rooms for occupancy of skilled healthcare, a large percentage of the elderly who are affiliated with a church are provided skilled healthcare by way of community caring outreach provided at an elderly person's residence without having the elderly needing to move to a home for the aged. One example of this is The Wesley, Incorporated which manages the Wesley Home for the Aged in Baltimore, Maryland. The Wesley, Incorporated is a non-profit skilled healthcare facility which is affiliated with The Wesley Guild and The Wesley Foundation. Community outreach of The Wesley is provided through individual churches affiliated with a local church district or regional area of churches (church conference) by way of community caring outreach of the United Methodist Church. The Wesley Home for the Aged is a state licensed, skilled healthcare facility.

To provide for elderly care, some church affiliated homes for the aged have non-profit foundations and skilled trade and skilled healthcare guilds that help to offset the cost of skilled healthcare associated with the elderly.

The best place to start is an assessment by a professional. Your Mother may or may not need 24 hr care. Talk to her Dr. or the Dr's nurse. Tell them what concerns you have the Dr. can then request a skilled nurse assessment from a local Home Health Agency. This may provide short term, limited care for your Mother that Medicare would pay for with a Dr's order. The next step is to contact the local Area Agency on Aging or Senior Services in her area. They have information on local services in her area that may be able to suppliment care. Another is to contact via Internet the Disease specific sites, for example, Cancer Society, American Heart Association, Alzheimer's Association. They have information, education and resources that may be able to help. One more suggestion: A nurse care manager to help you to evaluate, plan and start the process in meeting your Mom's needs. Hope this gives some guidance. Linda

Depending on level of in home care, there are several options. One option is to check with the local county department of aging services and local county department of health to see if the county offers county residents in home care which are staffed by county public health nurses. Some counties will adjust the fee for providing care as a percentage of a person's personal annual income (rather than a fixed fee for providing care). Meals for the Elderly can be provided by non-profit organizations such as Meals on Wheels. Yard work can also be maintained by non-profit community service organizations such as 4-H, Young Men's Christian Association, the Junior Chamber of Commerce groups, or the Boy Scouts of America and the Girl Scouts of America. Some church affiliated homes for the aged sometimes help with an elderly person living and maintaining their independence in their own home such as homes for the aged cared for by the Lutheran Church local district or homes for the aged cared for by the United Methodist Church local district. There are private, for profit home care services where a fixed fee is levied for 24 hour care; however, the private for-profit home care can be quite expensive and may or may not be accepted under the Medicare and Medicaid Disbursement Payments for Elderly Care.

There are probably a lot of agencies depending where you live what we did in the beginning hire aides that worked in the nursing home where my husband was in rehab for a few hrs. behore or after their shifts it was the cheapist way to go but later on we used agencies and they varied in price and some were well trained and others not- the better agencies will meet with you and the person they are going to take care of and see how your house is set up-another thing see if you can get a retired nurse or a college student. Where we live if the person has been in a hospital or nursing home medicare will provide aides but it depends where you live in my county the available staff is scarce and we got very little help as time went by even though my husband's health was declining and that is only for a few weeks at most. Some aides do not work out for you so if there are problems do not be afraid to get someone else and it helps if you go over what you expect them to do right at the beginning.