How to choose a home care agency in New Jersey

Bringing a stranger into a parent's home is a big step. The right aide can mean Mom keeps living in the house she loves. The wrong one can mean missed shifts, a sloppy bath or worse. The difference often comes down to a few checks most families skip.

This guide explains what New Jersey law requires of home care companies, how to look up a license in a few minutes, what care costs here, who pays for what, and the questions and warning signs that matter most.

What kind of help does your parent need?

Start here, because the answer decides what kind of company you call. Home care falls into three broad levels.

• Companion and homemaker help. Company, light housekeeping, meals, errands, reminders and rides. No hands-on body care.
• Personal care. Hands-on help with bathing, dressing, toileting, moving from bed to chair and eating. In New Jersey, an agency that sends someone to do this work must send a Certified Homemaker-Home Health Aide (CHHA).
• Skilled care. Nursing and therapy ordered by a doctor, such as wound care, injections, or physical, occupational and speech therapy. This comes from a licensed home health agency, often after a hospital stay.

Many families need a mix. A father recovering from a hip replacement might get skilled therapy visits from a home health agency and a few hours a day of personal care from a separate home care company. Write down the tasks, the hours and the days before you start calling. Agencies quote faster and more honestly when you can be specific.

What licenses should a New Jersey home care company have?

New Jersey regulates home care more tightly than many states. There are three things to check.

Health care service firm registration

Most private-pay home care companies are what state law calls a health care service firm. The NJ Division of Consumer Affairs defines this as an agency that places or arranges for the placement of people who provide health or personal care in clients' homes. Every such firm must register with the Division and renew. Firms are also required to be accredited by an approved accrediting body, and the Division posts the list of approved accreditors on its health care service firm page.

Home health agency license

Agencies that send nurses and therapists for skilled care, and bill Medicare for it, are licensed by the NJ Department of Health. Your parent's doctor or hospital discharge planner will usually arrange this kind of agency.

CHHA certification for the aide

The aide is licensed separately from the company. Certified Homemaker-Home Health Aides are certified by the New Jersey Board of Nursing. The Division of Consumer Affairs has warned that a firm must verify an aide's certification before placing that aide, and may only send a certified aide to a client who needs CHHA services. Firms have faced penalties for sending uncertified workers.

Agency, registry or private hire: which is right?

There are three common ways to find an aide. Each trades cost against protection and convenience.

Option	Who is the employer?	What to know
Home care agency	The agency	It screens, trains, supervises, pays payroll taxes and finds a fill-in when an aide is sick. You pay more per hour for that.
Registry or referral service	Varies, so ask	It matches you with an aide, and in some setups your family becomes the employer. Ask whether it is registered with Consumer Affairs and who handles taxes, insurance and backup.
Private hire	Your family	Often cheaper per hour, and you choose the person. You also handle background checks, payroll, taxes, insurance and coverage when the aide is out.

If you hire privately, you may be a household employer. The IRS explains the rules in Publication 926, Household Employer's Tax Guide. Talk with an accountant, and ask your insurance agent whether your parent's policy covers an injury to a household worker. Families sometimes start with private hire to save money and switch to an agency after the first missed weekend.

How much does home care cost in New Jersey?

Rates vary by county, by agency and by the hours you need. Nights, weekends, holidays and short shifts often cost more. For a benchmark, CareScout (the long-term care company connected with Genworth) publishes an annual Cost of Care survey. Its 2025 figures for New Jersey, released in March 2026, include:

Type of care (NJ, 2025)	Annual cost
Home care, non-medical caregiver (44 hours a week)	$86,944
Adult day health care (5 days a week)	$26,000
Assisted living, private one-bedroom	$101,550
Nursing home, semi-private room	$153,300

The home care figure works out to roughly $38 an hour. Treat it as a reference point. Your quotes may be higher or lower. Ask every agency for its hourly rate in writing, along with any minimum shift length and the rate for live-in care.

Will Medicare or NJ FamilyCare pay for it?

This is where many families get a surprise.

Medicare

Medicare covers home health care only when your parent is homebound, needs part-time or intermittent skilled nursing or therapy, and a doctor orders it. A Medicare-certified agency must provide it. In that case Medicare can also pay for some aide visits while the skilled care continues. Medicare does not cover 24-hour care at home, meal delivery, homemaker services, or personal care such as bathing and dressing when that is the only help your parent needs. Most ongoing aide care is paid privately.

NJ FamilyCare and MLTSS

New Jersey's Medicaid program, NJ FamilyCare, can pay for Personal Care Assistant (PCA) services for members who qualify. Members who need a nursing home level of care may enroll in Managed Long Term Services and Supports (MLTSS), which adds services such as respite, care management, home modifications, meals and an emergency response system. Read our guide to Medicaid and MLTSS for the income and asset rules.

Members approved for PCA services may be able to use the Personal Preference Program, which lets them hire their own workers, including friends, relatives or neighbors, instead of using an agency. The state PPP office is at 609-631-2481.

Other ways to pay

• Long-term care insurance. Find the policy, check the elimination period and ask whether the agency will bill the insurer.
• State programs for people who do not qualify for Medicaid. The Statewide Respite Care Program and Jersey Assistance for Community Caregiving (JACC) can help pay for aides. See our caregiver respite guide.
• Veterans benefits. Veterans and surviving spouses may qualify for help through the VA. Ask a county veterans service officer.

What should I ask before signing with an agency?

Interview at least two or three agencies. Take notes, and notice who answers clearly and who gets vague.

• Are you registered with the NJ Division of Consumer Affairs, and who accredits you?
• Are your aides employees of the agency, or independent contractors?
• Are all aides who give hands-on care certified CHHAs?
• What background checks do you run, and how often do you repeat them?
• Is a registered nurse involved in the care plan? How often does a supervisor visit?
• What happens if the aide calls out sick? How much notice will we get?
• Can we meet the aide first, and can we ask for a different aide?
• What is the hourly rate, the minimum shift, and the rate for nights, weekends and holidays?
• Do you carry liability insurance and workers' compensation coverage?
• How do we cancel, and how much notice do you need?
• Do aides help with medications, or only give reminders?

Read the service agreement before you sign. Look for the cancellation terms, deposit rules, billing cycle and how rate increases are handled.

What are the red flags?

• The company cannot show an active registration, or will not tell you who accredits it.
• They send someone for bathing or toileting who is not a certified CHHA.
• They ask for large payments in cash, or months of fees up front.
• They pressure you to sign the same day.
• No one from the office visits to assess your parent before care starts.
• Aides change constantly and no one explains why.
• Your parent seems afraid of an aide, or money, jewelry or medications go missing.

If something feels wrong, act quickly. Call the agency supervisor. You can file a complaint with the Division of Consumer Affairs. If you suspect abuse, neglect or exploitation, contact Adult Protective Services in your county through the ADRC, or call 911 in an emergency. Our guide to scams in New Jersey covers financial red flags too.

Can a geriatric care manager help?

Yes, especially if you live far away or the situation is complicated. A geriatric care manager, usually a social worker or nurse, can assess your parent, recommend the right level of care, screen agencies, and keep an eye on how the aide is doing. Most charge by the hour, and Medicare does not pay for it. Read our guide on when to call a geriatric care manager.

If you have not yet talked with your parent about getting help, our guide to the first conversation about care can help. For ideas on making the house itself safer, see aging in place in New Jersey.

Common questions

How do I check if a home care agency is licensed in New Jersey?

Use the NJ Division of Consumer Affairs License Verification System at newjersey.mylicense.com and search for the business. Home care companies that place aides are registered as health care service firms. You can also call the Division's Regulated Businesses Section at 973-504-6370.

What is a CHHA in New Jersey?

A CHHA is a Certified Homemaker-Home Health Aide, certified by the New Jersey Board of Nursing. Agencies must send a certified CHHA when a client needs hands-on personal care such as bathing or toileting.

How much does a home health aide cost per hour in New Jersey?

CareScout's 2025 Cost of Care survey put New Jersey non-medical home care at $86,944 a year for 44 hours a week, which works out to roughly $38 an hour. Actual rates vary by county, agency and schedule, so get written quotes.

Does Medicare pay for a home health aide?

Only as part of Medicare home health care, when your parent is homebound and also needs skilled nursing or therapy ordered by a doctor. Medicare does not pay for ongoing help with bathing, dressing or housekeeping when that is the only care needed.

Does NJ Medicaid pay family members to be caregivers?

NJ FamilyCare members approved for Personal Care Assistant services may be able to join the Personal Preference Program and hire their own workers, including relatives. Call the member's health plan or the state PPP office at 609-631-2481.

This guide is for general information. Program rules and income limits change, so confirm with the official source before you apply.