Home Care in South Carolina

The average starting cost of home care in South Carolina is $29 per hour, according to A Place for Mom’s proprietary data. Based on our ranking methodology, the top-rated home care agencies in South Carolina are Trinity Home Care LLC, Home Instead - Myrtle Beach, SC or Aura Home Care and Concierge, LLC. Home care can help older adults remain in familiar surroundings while receiving support with personal care, meals, companionship, and everyday routines.

From Charleston, Columbia, and Greenville to Myrtle Beach, Spartanburg, Rock Hill, and smaller communities, provider availability can differ across the state. Families often compare caregiver reliability, scheduling flexibility, communication, and whether services can adjust as their loved one’s needs change.

Home care provides nonmedical support with activities such as bathing, dressing, meal preparation, light housekeeping, errands, and companionship. Home health care is different because it includes medical services delivered by licensed health professionals. Some companies provide both, but A Place for Mom’s network consists of nonmedical home care providers. A Place for Mom partners with 224 home care agencies in South Carolina to help families compare local options.

Home care in South Carolina costs $29 per hour, compared with the national average rate of $32 per hour. Rates can differ by community based on caregiver availability, travel distance, and local demand.^[01] What a family pays will also depend on the agency, the services provided, and how often care is scheduled.

Monthly expenses depend largely on the number and length of caregiver visits. A lighter schedule may provide enough time for companionship, meal preparation, errands, or help around the house. Someone who needs regular assistance with bathing, dressing, mobility, or other personal care may need more frequent visits.

• Part-time care (20 hours/week): $2,496 per month
• Full-time care (44 hours/week): $5,491 per month

Home care rates in South Carolina may also be affected by:

• The type and amount of help your loved one needs
• Specialized support, such as dementia care
• The number and length of visits
• Evening, overnight, weekend, or holiday schedules
• 24-hour or live-in care
• Caregiver experience and training
• The availability of caregivers in the local area
• Agency minimum-hour requirements

South Carolina families may use private funds, public benefits, or a combination to pay for nonmedical home care. Depending on eligibility, VA benefits or Healthy Connections Medicaid long-term services and supports may help cover some support delivered at home.

Private pay options

Private pay can give families more control over the agency, schedule, and type of assistance their loved one receives. Common private payment sources include:

• Social Security benefits
• Savings, investments, or pensions
• Long-term care insurance
• Life insurance conversion
• Reverse mortgages

Families may rely on one payment source or combine several.

VA benefits

Eligible veterans and surviving spouses in South Carolina may qualify for benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that help with care at home. Depending on the program, this support may include help with daily activities, temporary relief for family caregivers, or additional pension payments that can be used toward care.

Veterans enrolled in VA health care may qualify for home- and community-based services, including:^[02,03,04]

• Homemaker and Home Health Aide Care, which may provide help with bathing, dressing, eating, mobility, and other daily activities
• Respite Care, which provides short-term support while giving family caregivers time away from caregiving responsibilities

Eligibility and availability can vary based on the veteran’s needs and local VA resources. Some veterans may also have a copay.

VA Aid and Attendance provides additional monthly pension payments to eligible veterans and survivors who need help with daily activities or are largely confined to their homes. Families may be able to use these funds toward the cost of nonmedical home care.^[05]

The South Carolina Department of Veterans’ Affairs and county Veterans Affairs Officers can help veterans and their families file claims, review available benefits, and connect with accredited assistance.^[06]

Read more: Home Care Options for Veterans: Eligibility and Services

South Carolina Medicaid

Medicaid is a joint federal and state program that helps eligible people pay for health care and long-term services. Healthy Connections is South Carolina’s Medicaid program. Its Community Choices waiver offers home- and community-based services as an alternative to nursing home care for adults 65 and older and adults ages 18 to 64 with physical disabilities who meet nursing facility level-of-care criteria.^[07,08]

Depending on the person’s assessed needs and approved service plan, covered support may include:^[08]

• Personal care and help with daily activities
• Attendant care
• Agency or individual companion care
• Home-delivered meals
• Adult day health care
• In-home respite care
• Personal emergency response systems and telemonitoring
• Home accessibility modifications and specialized equipment
• Case management

Attendant Care and Companion Care provided by an individual can be self-directed. The participant or an authorized representative chooses the worker, helps set the weekly schedule, and can end the arrangement if the care is not a good fit. Contracted support and financial management services help with enrollment, training, billing, payroll, and other employer responsibilities.^[08]

Some qualified family members, including adult children, may be paid if they meet program requirements. Spouses and other legally responsible individuals generally cannot be paid caregivers. Access depends on Medicaid financial eligibility, a nursing facility level-of-care determination, an approved person-centered service plan, and available waiver capacity.^[08]

Read more: Medicaid Home Health Care and Nonmedical Home Care: Your Questions, Answered

Medicare

Medicare is a federal health insurance program for adults 65 and older and some younger people with disabilities. It may cover limited help with bathing, dressing, grooming, or toileting when your loved one is also receiving qualifying skilled care through Medicare’s home health benefit. Medicare generally doesn’t pay for ongoing personal care, companionship, meal preparation, or housekeeping when those are the only services needed.^[09]

Read more: Does Medicare Cover Home Health Care?

South Carolina licenses businesses that provide or arrange nonmedical in-home care through employees, agents, independent contractors, or compensated referrals. Home health agencies that furnish skilled medical services follow separate rules. The law also excludes individual caregivers hired directly by the person receiving care or the person’s family. Because A Place for Mom’s network consists of nonmedical home care providers, the information below focuses on licensed in-home care providers.^[10,11,12]

Does South Carolina require home care agencies to have a license?

Yes. A business may not establish, operate, maintain, advertise, or market itself as an in-home care provider in South Carolina without a license from the South Carolina Department of Public Health. Providers must maintain an in-state primary office and renew their license with the department.^[10,11,12]

Does South Carolina conduct inspections of home care agencies?

Yes. The South Carolina Department of Public Health uses inspections and investigations to enforce the licensing rules. Providers are subject to inspection or investigation without prior notice, and an initial license is not issued until the applicant demonstrates substantial compliance. When inspectors find deficiencies, the provider must submit a written plan explaining how it will correct them and prevent recurrence.^[12,13]

How to check licensing and inspection reports for home care agencies in South Carolina

Use the South Carolina Department of Public Health’s Find a Facility tool to confirm a provider’s license number, expiration date, location, and administrator information. Families can also review the department’s monthly Healthcare Quality Enforcement Actions, which summarize administrative or consent orders, inspections, investigations, violations, and penalties. If a specific inspection report is not posted, ask the agency for a copy or contact DPH Healthcare Quality.^[14,15] Licensed providers must meet requirements related to:

• Staff qualifications
• Safety protocols
• Care standards

Some agencies may also seek voluntary accreditation from organizations such as The Joint Commission, which can indicate a commitment to meeting nationally recognized quality standards.^[16]

What are hiring practices for home care agencies in South Carolina?

Before a caregiver begins work, the provider must complete the required criminal background check and pre-employment drug screening. Licensed providers must also maintain a random drug-testing program. Caregivers must be at least 18, able to communicate and perform assigned duties, and free of disqualifying registry findings or criminal convictions.^[12,17]

Training must be completed before client contact and at least annually. Required topics include basic first aid, condition-specific care when applicable, confidentiality, documentation, ethics, lifting and transfers, infection control, and prevention of abuse, neglect, and exploitation. Staff members and caregivers who have client contact must also complete a health self-assessment covering communicable diseases.^[12]

When comparing agencies, ask about background checks, caregiver training, supervision, backup care, and how the agency handles complaints or missed visits.

Choosing a home care agency is easier when you understand how caregivers are selected, how care will be supervised, and what happens when plans change. Look for a provider that communicates clearly, explains its policies, and can offer the services and schedule your family needs. Consider the following as you compare agencies:

• Verify licensing. Confirm that the provider has a current South Carolina in-home care provider license. A Place for Mom verifies the licensing status of agencies in its network twice each year.
• Review caregiver screening. Ask about criminal background checks, drug screening, reference checks, and how the agency handles concerns about a caregiver.
• Ask about training. Find out what caregivers learn before working independently and whether they receive ongoing education.
• Read reviews and testimonials. Look for patterns in feedback about reliability, communication, compassion, and caregiver consistency.
• Request clear pricing information. Ask about hourly rates, minimum service requirements, weekend or holiday rates, overnight care, cancellation fees, and additional charges.
• Confirm available services. Make sure the agency can provide the support your loved one needs, such as companionship, bathing, dressing, meal preparation, light housekeeping, transportation, or dementia care.
• Ask how care is supervised. Find out who manages the care plan, how often supervisors check in, and whom your family should contact if your loved one’s needs change.
• Plan for backup care. Ask what the agency does when a scheduled caregiver is sick, late, or unable to visit.
• Meet potential caregivers. A good personality fit can help your loved one feel more comfortable receiving support at home.

Read more: How to Choose a Home Care Agency