When a parent needs more help, most Florida families weigh two options: bringing care into the home, or moving to an assisted living community. Both can work well. The right choice depends on how much help is needed, when, and what matters most to the person receiving it.
The short answer
- Home care suits people who want to stay at home. Help can be a few hours a week or around the clock, always one to one.
- Assisted living suits people ready to move to a community, with staff on site, meals and activities included, and no household to run.
What each costs in Florida
Florida medians from the CareScout Cost of Care Survey 2025:
| Type of care | Florida median |
|---|---|
| In-home care (non-medical caregiver) | $32 an hour |
| In-home care, 44 hours a week | $6,101 a month |
| Assisted living (private one-bedroom) | $5,610 a month |
| Adult day health care, 5 days a week | $1,625 a month |
| Nursing home (semi-private room) | $10,342 a month |
The bills are built differently. Assisted living is a monthly rate for housing, meals and shared staff. Home care is billed by the hour, so you pay only for the help that’s used, and your loved one stays in a home they may already own.
At the Florida median, 20 hours of home care a week comes to about $2,770 a month. Round-the-clock care at home costs more than assisted living, so families who need 24-hour help should compare both side by side.
What daily life looks like
At home
- One-to-one attention for every hour of care
- Familiar rooms, neighbors, routines and pets
- Hours that can grow as needs change
- Family stays in charge of the household
In assisted living
- Staff on site day and night, shared among residents
- Meals, housekeeping and activities included
- A built-in social life
- A move, usually to a smaller space
Florida’s Agency for Health Care Administration licenses assisted living facilities. You can check any community’s license and inspection reports on FloridaHealthFinder.gov.
Questions that help you decide
- How many hours a day does your loved one need help, and at what times?
- Do they want to stay at home, and can the home be made safe?
- Are they lonely or isolated where they live now?
- Does family live close enough to help between visits?
- How will care be paid for: savings, long-term care insurance, VA benefits or Medicaid?
If help is needed for a few hours a day, home care is usually the more affordable and less disruptive choice. If someone needs supervision day and night and would enjoy more company, weigh 24-hour home care against assisted living.
Paying for either option
Long-term care insurance, VA Aid and Attendance and Florida Medicaid’s Long-Term Care program can help with home care or assisted living. Medicare doesn’t pay for ongoing non-medical care in either setting.
Sandcastle accepts long-term care insurance, VA Aid and Attendance, Medicaid LTC and Veteran’s Administration authorizations, as well as private pay. See how paying for care works.
Try home care first
Home care doesn’t have to be a permanent decision. With Sandcastle:
- There’s no minimum: two hours a week or around-the-clock care.
- There’s no long-term contract. With 24 hours’ notice, you can cancel anytime.
- Care can typically begin within 24 hours.
- A free in-home assessment comes first, and you get an exact rate there.
Call Toll Free (800) 572-0135 or send us a message to talk it through.
Sources: CareScout Cost of Care Survey 2025, Florida medians, survey fielded July to November 2025; Florida Agency for Health Care Administration, FloridaHealthFinder.gov. Figures checked October 2026.