The short answer
The cost of in-home help in St. Petersburg depends mostly on how many hours you need and what kind of help it is: practical errands, hands-on personal care, or medical care. At Anchor Concierge, non-medical concierge help costs $120 for a two-hour visit and $60 for each additional hour, or $460 to $1,050 a month on a membership that includes 8 to 20 hours.
Hands-on personal care from a home care agency and medical care from a home health agency are priced differently, and what you pay for those depends on the agency, the hours and whether insurance is involved.
Anchor Concierge’s rates, in plain numbers
These are the only prices Anchor Concierge charges. The hourly figure for each membership is simple division, shown so you can compare.
- Occasional support: $120 for a two-hour minimum, then $60 per additional hour. A three-hour visit comes to $180.
- Anchor Essentials: $460 a month for 8 hours, which works out to $57.50 an hour.
- Anchor Plus: $660 a month for 12 hours, or $55 an hour. This is the most popular plan.
- Anchor Premier: $1,050 a month for 20 hours, or $52.50 an hour.
Memberships also come with priority scheduling and consistent monthly support. There is no long-term contract. Full details are on the pricing page.
What changes the cost
How many hours, and how often
This is the biggest factor by far. A parent who needs one grocery and pharmacy run a week needs far fewer hours than someone who needs company every afternoon. Start by writing down which tasks actually need doing in a typical week, and how long each takes.
Minimums
Most providers set a minimum per visit. Anchor Concierge’s is two hours. Home care agencies often set longer minimum shifts, which can make a short task cost more than expected. Always ask what the minimum is before you compare hourly rates.
Pay as you go or a membership
Paying per visit suits families who need help now and then, around a surgery, a trip or a busy month. A membership suits families who want the same help every week, because the hourly rate drops and scheduling comes first.
Medical, hands-on or practical
Medical care at home, such as nursing and therapy, comes from licensed home health agencies and is often billed to Medicare or other insurance when a doctor orders it. Hands-on personal care, such as help with bathing and dressing, usually comes from a home care agency at its own rates. Practical help like errands, appointments and check-ins is the least intensive of the three, and it is what Anchor Concierge provides. The guide to senior concierge vs home care covers the difference in more detail.
Combining tasks
Bundling several errands into one visit is the easiest way to keep costs down. Within a two-hour visit, Gina can often fit the grocery shop, a prescription pickup and a post office stop, instead of booking three separate trips.
Purchases
The hourly rate covers time, not the things bought on your parent’s behalf. Groceries, prescriptions and postage are paid for separately.
What insurance and Medicare cover
Concierge help is private pay. Medicare’s own coverage page says it does not pay for homemaker services, such as shopping and cleaning, that are unrelated to a care plan, or for personal care when that is the only care someone needs (Medicare home health services). Some long-term care insurance policies reimburse non-medical help, so read your parent’s policy or call the insurer before you assume either way.
Four example budgets
These examples use only Anchor Concierge’s published prices. Your own plan will depend on what your parent needs.
- A weekly errand run. Two hours every week for groceries and the pharmacy is about 8 hours a month. Anchor Essentials covers that for $460.
- One longer weekly visit. About three hours each week for a check-in and an errand run, roughly 12 hours a month, lines up with Anchor Plus at $660.
- Two visits a week. Two-hour visits twice a week come to about 17 hours a month, which fits Anchor Premier at $1,050 for 20 hours.
- A few weeks after surgery. A parent who needs help for a short stretch may do better with occasional visits at $120 each for two hours, with no monthly commitment.
Questions to ask any provider about cost
- What is the minimum visit length, and what does each extra hour cost?
- Is there a monthly plan, and what does it include?
- What happens to unused hours at the end of the month?
- How much notice do you need to cancel, and is there a fee?
- How are purchases like groceries and prescriptions paid for?
Getting a clear number
The fastest way to know what help would cost for your family is a short conversation. Gina offers a free 20-minute consultation by phone or in person, talks through what your parent needs, and suggests either occasional visits or the membership that fits. You can compare that against any other option with real numbers in hand. Ongoing support for an older parent is covered on the page about help for aging parents.