What do you do when caregiving becomes more than you can handle?
When your loved one first got sick, you probably thought you’d help out until they were back on their feet. It wasn’t easy, but it felt doable.
Over time, though, their needs have grown. Helping them is more complex, more time-consuming, and often requires more specialized knowledge than you have or ever expected. You may not be ready to move your loved one into a full-time care facility, and they may not be ready either. Still, it’s clear they need more support than they once did. And now, it’s more than you can manage alone.
The good news? You don’t have to. Private care can help.
What Is Private Care?
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the stress of caregiving, it may be time to consider private care services. Private care is an umbrella term for services that both support caregivers and help aging adults stay safely at home. You pay for it out of pocket or with long-term care insurance, which means you select the services you want. You aren’t limited by what insurance will cover.
Most commonly, people turn to private care for home health aide support. Aides provide:
- Personal care, such as bathing, going to the bathroom, and feeding
- Practical help, such as preparing meals, light cleaning, or transportation to and from medical appointments
- Companionship
Private care also includes other support services, from experts such as geriatric care managers and nurses.
- Geriatric care managers are nurses or social workers who coordinate and oversee your loved one’s care team. They can take on as much (or as little) responsibility as you need them to.
- Nurses handle medically complex tasks like injections and infusions. They are the only private care team members who can dispense medicine to your loved one. (Aides can provide reminders to take medicine.)
What Are the Benefits of Private Home Care?
When caring for a loved one becomes overwhelming — or when you simply want to make their life more comfortable at home — private care can be a meaningful solution. It gives you and your family the right help at the right time, in a way that fits your life.
Here’s how private care can make a difference.
- Customized to your family’s needs: No two families are alike. Whether you’re looking for a home health aide or a private duty nurse, VNS Health can build a private care plan around your specific circumstances. And you’re always in control: You can choose what will work based on your needs and budget, both now and in the future.
- Care on your schedule: You decide when and how often care happens — from a few hours a week to 24/7 support. We build services around your routine, not the other way around.
- Freedom from insurance restrictions: You’re not limited by what private insurance, Medicaid, or Medicare will approve, since you pay for private care out of pocket or through a long-term care policy. That means more flexibility and faster access to care.
- Relief with medical tasks: You don’t have to handle it all. Private care teams can take on medical responsibilities that require skill, giving you peace of mind and protecting your loved one’s health.
- Time to be present: Private care can give you breathing room — time to attend your child’s game, grab coffee with a friend, or simply take a walk. You’re still a caregiver, just not in every role, every moment.
- Space to reconnect: When someone else is there to help with the physical demands of care like feeding, bathing, and toileting, you’re free to be just a daughter, a son, a partner. You can sit and talk — and not worry.
- Protection from burnout: Caregiving takes a toll, especially when it stretches for months or years. Private care can lift some of the weight so you can keep showing up without losing yourself.
Types of Private Pay Services
When your loved one needs more care than you can provide — but you still want them to feel safe, supported, and at home — private care can fill in the gaps. Whether you need occasional help or round-the-clock support, private pay services are flexible, customizable, and built around your family’s needs.
Private care providers offer a range of services.
- Dementia support: VNS Health offers a specialized dementia care program that helps patients stay safe and engaged at home while giving families peace of mind.
- Complementary care for covered services: Private care can complement your loved one’s covered home care and hospice care services, allowing you to add hours for home health aide or nursing care.
- Health care escort services: When you can’t accompany your loved one to a social or cultural event or need someone by their side after a procedure, VNS Health’s certified health care escorts can step in. They’ll ensure safe, on-time travel to and from appointments and errands and provide steady support.
- Geriatric care management: A geriatric care manager can oversee every aspect of care, from communicating with your loved one’s medical care team to supervising home safety modifications. This service is ideal for long-distance caregivers and those juggling multiple responsibilities.
- Companionship: Loneliness is a serious health risk, especially for older adults. A dedicated companion can provide meaningful social connection, emotional support, and help with day-to-day routines.
- In-home nursing care: Private-duty nurses can take over skilled care like infusions, ostomies, wound care, or medication management.
- Respite home care: When caregivers need a break for a day or more, respite home care ensures your loved one continues to receive attentive, compassionate support.
- 24/7 care: You might need overnight help for someone prone to wandering. Or you may want a full-time nurse for complex needs, including at the end of life. Round-the-clock care provides continuous safety, comfort, and reassurance.
When to Consider Private Care Services
Caring for a loved one dealing with illness or aging-related issues is one of life’s most significant challenges. It’s physically and emotionally demanding work. And the toll becomes greater the longer the caregiving continues. When you add the demands of your job and family, the pressure can feel suffocating.
In one study, 49% of caregivers said they assisted their loved one with most aspects of daily living. They also said the average need for long-term care is 3.5 years.
It’s natural to reach a point where you feel overwhelmed. You might even feel guilty for needing help. But the truth is, no one can do this alone, and you don’t have to. Be kind to yourself. You deserve a break to care for yourself, too. No one can serve in a caregiving role 24/7 without a respite.
VNS Health is here to support you. With private care services tailored to your needs, you can rest easier, confident that your loved one is in compassionate, expert hands. Whether you need a few hours of help or a full-time care team, we’ll work with you to find a solution that brings comfort, relief, and peace of mind — so you can keep showing up with love.
How Expensive Is Private Care?
If you’re just starting to research care for yourself or a loved one, you may find the cost of private care daunting. But it’s far more affordable than an assisted living or skilled nursing facility — and you can stay in your home.
Average Monthly Cost for Care
This chart compares monthly costs in New York City for 2024 and what they’re projected to be in 2030.* The costs are based on 44 hours per week for home health aide services. Assisted living and nursing home facilities include room, board, supervision, recreation, and personal care; skilled nursing also includes medication and 24/7 nursing care.
| 2024 average monthly costs | Anticipated average monthly costs by 2030 |
|---|---|
| In-home health aide: $6,864 | In-home health aide: $8,196 |
| Assisted living facility: $8,975 | Assisted living facility: $10,717 |
| Semi-private room skilled nursing facility: $14,296 | Semi-private room skilled nursing facility: $17,070 |
| Private room skilled nursing facility: $15,056 | Private room skilled nursing facility: $17,978 |
Private Care from VNS Health
VNS Health offers private care in New York City, Long Island, and Westchester and Rockland counties through our Personal Care team.
