In-Home Aide

What are in-home aide services?

In-home aide services help individuals who have functional, physical or mental impairments accomplish their daily activities. Individuals may require both personal care (e.g. bathing, dressing, feeding) and home management (e.g. cooking, cleaning) assistance to be able to remain safely in their home settings

Who qualifies for in-home aide services?

Individuals who are 60 years of age or older, live at home, and have home management and/or personal care needs. Individuals must need the service for the following reasons:

Individuals are unable to carry out one or more tasks essential to the activities of daily living (e.g. toileting, ambulation) or instrumental activities of daily living (e.g. laundry, shopping) and need help with these tasks to remain in their own home.

And if a responsible person is not available to perform these tasks or the primary caregiver needs relief.

How do I access the service?

In-home aide services are offered by local service providers supported by the Home and Community Care Block Grant. 

  • Level I – Home Management provides assistance with basic home management tasks, such as housekeeping, cooking, shopping, and bill paying. Individuals are self-directing and medically stable.
  • Level II – Home Management/Personal Care provides assistance with basic activities of daily living (eating, dressing, bathing, etc.) and home management tasks. Individuals are medically stable and partially dependent in activities of daily living (ADL) functioning.
  • Level III – Home Management provides intensive education and support to clients/families with home management tasks and improving family functioning skills. Focus is on teaching and demonstrating skills and tasks and reinforcing improved client/family accomplishments. Those served have moderate to severe limitations in cognitive and/or psycho-social functioning.
  • Level III – Personal Care provides substantial ADL support with health/personal care tasks. Involves extensive “hands on” care and assistance with a wide range of health-related conditions. Individuals are medically stable with significant ADL impairments (3 or more) resulting from a chronic condition.
  • Respite Care provides respite for a primary caregiver. For this purpose, In-Home Aide Services may be provided to an individual in his/her own home or in the home of his/her primary caregiver. Respite Care consists of any level of home management or personal care tasks.

Click on the links below to find a program in your area.

Level I Home Management Provider Directory 
Level II Home Management Provider Directory 
Level III Home Management Provider Directory 
Level II Personal Care Provider Directory 
Level III Personal Care Provider Directory 
Level I Respite Care Provider Directory 
Level II Respite Care Provider Directory 
Level III Respite Care Provider Directory

How do I get more information about In Home Aide Services and eligibility?

For more information email NC Division of Aging In-home aide program consultant 

Important Considerations

This service is appropriate for individuals whose needs can be met safely in the home by family members and other informal caregivers, with support by scheduled visits from specially trained in-home aides.

This service does not provide enough assistance to replace facility-based services for individuals who require ongoing care, supervision, or monitoring by a nurse or other health care professional.

Personal Care Services are provided for Medicaid beneficiaries who have a medical condition, cognitive impairment or disability and demonstrate unmet needs for hands-on assistance with qualifying activities of daily living (ADLs). If you have Medicaid refer to: Personal Care Services (PCS) | NC Medicaid (ncdhhs.gov)