Cleaning Services for Senior Citizens: Free and Low-Cost Help With Housework

Why housework gets harder with age

Vacuuming, changing bed sheets, scrubbing a tub, and carrying laundry up stairs all take bending, reaching, and balance. Arthritis, heart or lung conditions, vision changes, and recovery from surgery can turn these routine jobs into real fall risks. A cluttered floor or a slippery bathroom is one of the most common hazards in an older person's home.

Help with housework is often what lets someone keep living at home. It also gives family caregivers a break. Aging services call this kind of support "homemaker" help when it covers light tasks like dusting, laundry, and meal preparation, and "chore" help when it covers heavier jobs like deep cleaning, yard work, or clearing a sidewalk.

If a home also needs repairs, such as grab bars or a ramp, that is a separate kind of program. Our guide to government assistance for home repairs for seniors covers it.

Programs that pay for cleaning services for senior citizens

Each program has its own rules, and in many places more than one could apply. This table gives a quick comparison so you know which ones to ask about.

Area Agencies on Aging and the Older Americans Act

Every part of the country is served by an Area Agency on Aging (AAA). These local agencies use Older Americans Act funds, along with state and local money, to pay for in-home help. Title III-B of the Act funds supportive services, which include homemaker, chore, and personal care help for people 60 and older.

According to the Administration for Community Living (ACL), the Act requires agencies to target help to people with the greatest need, but it does not allow means testing. That means you will not be turned away because of income alone. Agencies may ask for a voluntary contribution, and they cannot pressure you to give. Some states also use a sliding-scale cost share for certain in-home services. ACL reports that Older Americans Act programs provided tens of millions of hours of personal care, homemaker, and chore help in a single year.

How to get started:

1. Call the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116, or use its website, to find your local AAA.
2. Ask for an in-home services assessment. A case worker usually asks about daily tasks, health, and who helps now.
3. Ask about waiting lists and whether you can be placed on more than one program at once.
4. Ask about related help, such as home-delivered meals, caregiver respite, and transportation.

AAAs also run or refer to meal programs. If cooking is part of the struggle, see our guide to Meals on Wheels.

Medicaid home care waivers

Medicaid is the largest public payer of long-term care at home. Most states run home and community-based services (HCBS) waivers that pay for care so people who would otherwise need a nursing home can stay at home. Homemaker services are one of the service types states can include, alongside personal care, adult day care, and respite. The details are set by each state, and Medicaid.gov explains how these programs fit together.

What to know before you apply:

• You usually must qualify for Medicaid and meet your state's nursing-home level of care, judged by a needs assessment.
• Waivers often have caps on enrollment, so waiting lists are common.
• Some states let you direct your own care, which can include hiring a relative or friend as your paid helper. Rules vary.
• Cleaning is usually part of a care plan, not a stand-alone maid service. Expect a set number of hours.

If you are not yet on Medicaid, our guide on how to apply for Medicaid explains the process. Your AAA or state Medicaid office can tell you which waivers exist where you live.

Help for veterans through the VA

The VA's Homemaker and Home Health Aide program sends a trained aide to the home to help with daily activities. Aides work for agencies that contract with the VA, and a registered nurse oversees the care. The VA says all enrolled veterans can qualify if they meet the clinical need for the service, qualify for community care, and the service is available where they live. A copay may apply depending on service-connected disability status.

Other VA options to ask about:

• Veteran-Directed Care, which gives eligible veterans a budget to hire their own helpers, sometimes including family.
• Aid and Attendance or Housebound benefits, which add money to a VA pension for veterans and survivors who need help at home.

Start with a VA social worker at your VA medical center. They can arrange an assessment and explain which programs fit.

PACE for people who need more care

The Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) combines medical care, home care, and social services in one plan. According to Medicare.gov, you must be at least 55, live in a PACE organization's service area, need a nursing-home level of care as certified by your state, and be able to live safely in the community with PACE support.

PACE covers all Medicare and Medicaid services plus anything the care team decides you need, which can include home care. People with Medicaid pay no monthly premium. People with Medicare only pay a monthly premium for the long-term care part. PACE is not offered everywhere, so ask your AAA whether there is a program near you.

What Medicare does and does not cover

Many families assume Medicare will pay for help around the house. It generally does not. Medicare.gov lists homemaker services, like shopping and cleaning, as not covered when they are unrelated to your care plan. It also does not cover 24-hour care at home, or personal care when that is the only care you need.

Medicare's home health benefit can cover part-time skilled nursing and therapy for people who are homebound, and a home health aide may help with personal care during that period. Some Medicare Advantage plans offer extra in-home support benefits. Call your plan and ask exactly what is included and for how many hours.

Tax rules are similar. IRS Publication 502 says the cost of household help is a personal expense and is not a deductible medical expense, even when a doctor recommends it. Certain nursing-type care and qualified long-term care services are treated differently, so ask a tax preparer if a paid helper does both care and housework.

Volunteer and charity cleaning help

When public programs have waiting lists, volunteers can fill gaps. These options are usually free, but they are often occasional rather than weekly.

• Faith communities. Many churches, synagogues, and mosques run care teams that help members and neighbors with light cleaning and errands.
• Senior centers and volunteer programs. Some run friendly-visitor or chore volunteer programs. AmeriCorps Seniors programs, such as Senior Companions, place volunteers with older adults in some areas.
• Cleaning for a Reason. This nonprofit arranges free home cleaning from partner companies for people in cancer treatment. Apply through its website.
• Youth and service groups. Scout troops, high school service clubs, and college volunteer offices sometimes take on yard and cleanup days.
• 211. Dial 211 to ask about local chore or volunteer programs near you.

For a wider list of support aimed at older adults, see our guide to grants to help the elderly.

Paying privately and typical costs

If you pay for help yourself, prices depend on your area, the size of the home, and how often someone comes. The 2025 CareScout Cost of Care Survey put the national median at $35 an hour for a non-medical caregiver, a category that now combines homemaker and home health aide services. Agencies in high-cost areas often charge more, and many set a minimum visit length.

Standard house cleaning companies price differently, usually per visit or by home size. No official source publishes national rates for them, so get at least two written quotes. A few ways to keep costs down:

• Focus visits on the hardest tasks, like bathrooms, floors, and changing beds.
• Book every two weeks instead of weekly, with family handling light tidying in between.
• Ask about senior discounts. Some local companies offer them; ask before booking.
• Check for benefits you may be missing. Free screening tools like NCOA's BenefitsCheckUp can show programs that free up money in your budget.

Hiring a cleaner safely

Letting someone into the home takes trust. A few checks protect both the older adult and the family.

1. Ask about insurance and bonding. A company should carry liability insurance. Bonding helps if something is lost or damaged.
2. Ask how workers are screened. Agencies should do background checks and be willing to tell you how.
3. Put the job in writing. List tasks, visit length, price, and how to cancel.
4. Do not pay far in advance, and avoid cash-only arrangements with no receipt.
5. Secure valuables and papers. Lock away checkbooks, cards, and medications.
6. Stay in touch. A family member should check in after early visits and watch for any signs of financial exploitation.

If you hire an individual directly, you may become a household employer with tax duties once wages pass the IRS threshold for that year. Agencies handle this for you, which is one reason they cost more.

Related guides

• Meals on Wheels
• Government assistance for home repairs for seniors
• Low-income assisted living for seniors
• Medicaid

Frequently asked questions

This guide is general information. Program rules, waiting lists, and costs vary by state and local agency. National Relief Program is an independent website and is not affiliated with any government agency, the VA, or any cleaning company.