A Place for Mom Releases 2026 Home Care and Family Caregiving: What Makes Home Care Work Report

New survey of 708 family caregivers finds families increasingly see home care as a long-term solution, while underscoring tension between affordability and value.

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A Place for Mom, the nation’s leading senior care advisory platform that has guided more than 2.3 million families through the aging journey, today released its 2026 Home Care and Family Caregiving: What Makes Home Care Work report. The report, which examines how families search for, adopt, and sustain nonmedical in-home care over time, shows that families increasingly see home care not as a short-term stopgap, but as a practical way to help loved ones remain at home as needs evolve.

Among families considering or choosing home care, 63% say a top reason is that their loved one prefers to receive care at home, and 62% of active searchers expect home care to be a long-term or permanent solution. The findings reflect a larger intention: 70% of active searchers say they expect home care to help their loved one remain living at home, while 64% of families with current home care say it has already done exactly that.

“Families often turn to home care to preserve independence for their loved ones, reduce pressure on family caregivers, and make aging at home more sustainable as needs change,” said Martin Hernandez, General Manager of Family Sales across Senior Living and Home Care at A Place for Mom. “When care is flexible, dependable, and aligned with a family’s changing needs, it can deliver meaningful value for both older adults and the people supporting them during an otherwise uncertain time.”

Why Families Choose Home Care

Home care is often a solution for immediate challenges, but many families are increasingly approaching it with a long-term mindset, driven primarily by their loved one's preferences and supported by its flexibility to adapt as needs evolve.

• 62% of families who recently hired care say services began within two weeks of starting their search, including 26% who began care in less than a week.
• 44% of active searchers expect weekly care hours to increase over the next 12 months.

Home Care Changes the Caregiver’s Role, But Rarely Replaces It

Hiring professional care does not remove the family caregiver from the equation. Instead, it changes the nature of their role. Family caregivers may spend less time handling every hands-on task themselves, but they continue to serve as advocates, coordinators, and decision-makers throughout the care journey.

• Family caregivers still manage roughly five to six responsibilities on average, even after professional care begins. Most common responsibilities include emotional support or companionship, scheduling and/or attending medical appointments, household tasks, transportation, and meal preparation.
• Caregivers who are actively searching or have used care for more than a year spend a mean of 12 to 13 hours per week coordinating or overseeing care.
• Among current users, 83% say professional caregivers provide all or most of the support they need.

At the same time, many families report that this support makes a meaningful difference. Among current users, 69% say their relationship with their care recipient has improved after hiring home care, demonstrating home care’s value in helping families shift away from constant task management and creating more space for connection.

Flexibility and Trust Shape Long-Term Success

As care needs evolve, families want support that can change with them, along with caregivers and agencies they trust to provide consistent help.

• 72% of families who have used home care for more than a year say it has been easy to adjust schedules, services, or caregivers over time.
• 86% of active searchers say they are confident home care will meet their loved one’s needs, rising to 92% among current users.
• 93% of current users say they would recommend home care to others in a similar situation.

Cost Remains the Biggest Pressure Point

According to A Place for Mom’s 2026 cost data, the national median cost of home care is $34 per hour, or roughly $35,457 annually for an average 20-hour-per-week schedule, rising to $78,006 annually for a 44-hour-per-week schedule. Home care can be financially difficult to sustain over time, making it essential for families to discuss the cost and how they plan to pay for care early and often.

• 45% of families who discontinued home care say it became too expensive to continue.
• 85% of long-term users still say home care delivers good or very good value for the cost.

According to Hernandez, the value of home care extends beyond practical assistance. “Home care provides support while preserving independence for aging loved ones,” he said. “It not only preserves their independence, but also routines and dignity. Home care is an excellent early solution, and as care needs increase, senior living is an important next step in the aging journey.”

To view the full report, visit aplaceformom.com/senior-living-data/what-makes-home-care-work.

Methodology

This report is based on the results of an online quantitative survey commissioned by A Place for Mom and conducted by Morning Light Strategy in April 2026. The study included 708 U.S. adults ages 40-85 who are nonprofessional caregivers providing care to at least one adult age 55 or older. All respondents had experience with nonmedical in-home care in one of four stages of the home care journey:

• Actively searching: Currently searching for nonmedical home care and planning to hire within the next six months
• Recently hired: Hired nonmedical home care within the past 12 months
• Hired more than 12 months ago: Hired nonmedical home care more than 12 months ago and continue to use care
• Recently discontinued: Previously used nonmedical home care but discontinued services within the past 12 months

The survey was designed to better understand how families evaluate, adopt, experience, and adapt to home care over time. Findings explore motivations for choosing home care, expectations versus reality, family caregiver involvement, care continuity, evolving care needs, and long-term confidence in home care as a care solution. Throughout this report, findings are compared across different stages of the home care journey to identify how perceptions, challenges, and outcomes change over time.

About A Place for Mom

A Place for Mom is the leading platform that guides families through every stage of the aging journey. We simplify the search for senior care by offering free, personalized support—and when families are ready, we refer them to partners from our network of over 15,000 senior living communities and home care agencies. Our mission is to guide caregivers and their loved ones to a confident place, so families can focus on what matters most: their love for each other. A Place for Mom: Where love finds its place. For more information, please visit aplaceformom.com.