How Much Does Companion Care Cost in Idaho? Real Numbers.

When families call me, the first question is usually not "what do you do." It's "what does it cost." And it's a fair question that almost nobody answers online.

I went looking. Of the home care agencies serving Pocatello and Chubbuck, only one posts a price. The rest say "call for a free consultation." I understand why. But if you're trying to figure out whether you can afford help for your mom before you pick up the phone, that's not much use to you.

So here are the numbers, mine included.

What companion care costs in Idaho

Idaho's going rate for companion care is about $31 to $32 an hour. The most recent Genworth and CareScout Cost of Care Survey put Idaho's median for homemaker and companion services at $31 an hour in 2024, and prices have been rising about 3 percent a year since.

Local agencies in the Pocatello area quote $31 to $36 an hour. The one agency that publishes a range lists $30 to $36. National listing sites put the Pocatello average at about $35. Most agencies also require a minimum visit of 3 or 4 hours, so the smallest visit you can book costs $100 to $140.

Hands-on personal care costs more. If your parent needs help with bathing, dressing, or getting in and out of a chair, that's personal care, not companion care. Idaho's median for that is about $34 an hour and climbs from there. Here's the difference between the two, because it matters for both the price and the kind of help you're actually getting.

What I charge

$30 an hour, with a 2 hour minimum. When I drive you somewhere, mileage is $0.725 a mile, which is the standard federal rate. That's it. No sign-up fee, no contract, no notice period, no weekend or holiday surcharge.

I set the minimum at 2 hours instead of 3 or 4 because a lot of what people need is a 2 hour job. A ride to the doctor and back. Groceries put away and a meal made. A visit, a load of laundry, and the mail sorted. Making someone pay for 4 hours to get 2 hours of help never sat right with me.

I publish my rate because I'd want to know it if I were you. The full rate details are on the services page.

What a month actually adds up to

This is the part families really want, so here are three real-world patterns. All at $30 an hour, not counting mileage.

Once or twice a week, 2 hours. A check-in visit, a ride to an appointment, some groceries and a meal. About 4 hours a week. Roughly $520 a month.

Three visits a week, 3 hours each. Enough to keep the house in order, meals in the fridge, and someone stopping in most days. About 9 hours a week. Roughly $1,170 a month.

Every weekday, 4 hours. A real daily presence: lunch, errands, company, housework, appointments. About 20 hours a week. Roughly $2,600 a month.

For comparison, assisted living in Idaho runs $4,000 to $5,500 a month before care add-ons. For a lot of people, a few hours of help at home is what makes staying in the house possible for another year or two.

Mileage is small in practice. A round trip to Portneuf Medical Center from most of Pocatello is under 10 miles, so about $7.

What changes the price

A few things move the number, at any provider:

• Minimum visit length. This is the big one. A $28 rate with a 4 hour minimum costs more per visit than a $30 rate with a 2 hour minimum.
• Hands-on care. Bathing, toileting, and transfers cost more and require a different kind of caregiver. I don't provide them, and I'll tell you if your parent needs someone who does.
• Respite is priced the same. If you're the family caregiver and what you need is a standing block of hours so you can get a break, respite care is billed exactly like any other visit. No special rate.
• Nights, weekends, and holidays. Many agencies add a surcharge. I don't, but my hours are weekdays 8 to 6, so if you need overnight or weekend coverage you'll be looking at an agency.
• Agency versus one person. An agency's rate covers their office, their scheduler, and backup coverage when a caregiver calls in. That's genuinely worth something if you need many hours a week or round-the-clock care. What you give up is consistency. You may see a different caregiver each week.

Who pays for it

The honest answer is that most companion care is paid for privately, by the family or the senior. But not all of it.

I'm private pay only. I'm not enrolled as a Medicaid provider or with the VA, so those programs can't pay me directly. I list them because they may pay for other help, or free up money for this kind of help.

Medicare does not pay for companion care. Not the rides, not the meals, not the housekeeping. It covers skilled home health ordered by a doctor, which is a different thing.

Long-term care insurance often does. If your parent bought a policy years ago, pull it out. Many cover "homemaker" or "companion" services once the person needs help with a certain number of daily activities. Call the insurer and ask exactly what documentation they want.

Idaho Medicaid may cover personal care services for people who qualify financially, through providers enrolled with the state. That's its own program with its own application, and the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare is where it starts.

Veterans and surviving spouses may qualify for VA benefits that help pay for care at home. One benefit worth asking about is the Aid and Attendance pension add-on, which is paid to the veteran rather than to a provider. It's worth a call to the Bannock County Veteran Services office. The local directory has the number.

The question behind the question

When someone asks what it costs, what they usually mean is: "Is this going to work, or am I going to have to move Dad?"

I can't answer that without knowing Dad. If you're not even sure it's time yet, here's what I'd actually look at. But I can tell you that a few hours a week of the right help, started early, is the cheapest thing on this whole page. It's the crisis that gets expensive.

If you want to talk it through, call or text me. The conversation is free, and I'll tell you plainly whether I'm the right fit or whether you need something I don't offer.