Assisted Living vs In-Home Care in Garden Grove: Comparing the Costs
Most older adults in Garden Grove would rather stay in their own homes, and with the right help many can do so for a long time. But in-home care in Orange County is expensive, and as needs grow, families often wonder whether a residential care home or assisted living community would cost less. The answer depends mainly on how many hours of help are needed. This guide uses 2025 survey data to show where the costs cross over.
The 2025 figures
CareScout's 2025 Cost of Care Survey reports these medians for the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim metro area, which includes Garden Grove (CareScout Cost of Care tool):
| Type of care (metro, 2025) | Median cost |
|---|---|
| Home health aide, hourly | $38 an hour |
| Home health aide, 44 hours a week | $7,245 a month |
| Assisted living, private one-bedroom | $6,600 a month |
California's 2025 statewide medians were $40 an hour for a home health aide ($7,627 a month at 44 hours a week) and $7,000 a month for assisted living (Genworth and CareScout 2025 Cost of Care Survey summary).
At 44 hours a week, about six hours a day, home care in the metro area already costs more than the median for assisted living, before counting the cost of the home itself.
How hours change the picture
Here is what home care would cost at the metro median of $38 an hour, using 4.33 weeks a month. These are simple calculations to show scale, not quotes. Agencies often have minimum shifts and higher rates for nights, weekends, and holidays.
| Hours of home care per week | Approximate monthly cost at $38/hour |
|---|---|
| 10 hours | about $1,650 |
| 20 hours | about $3,290 |
| 44 hours (survey basis) | $7,245 (survey median) |
| 84 hours (12 hours a day) | about $13,820 |
| 168 hours (around the clock) | about $27,640 |
For a few hours of help a week, staying home is far less expensive, and for many families that is exactly the right arrangement in the early stages of needing help. The question becomes harder as hours grow. Somewhere under 40 hours a week, in-home care in the Garden Grove area reaches the cost of the median assisted living rate. Around-the-clock home care would cost roughly four times as much as the assisted living median.
The other costs of staying home
The home care bill is only part of the cost of living at home in Orange County. Remember to count:
- Mortgage or rent, property taxes, and insurance
- Utilities, including air conditioning in hot months
- Home maintenance, yard care, and repairs
- Groceries and meal preparation
- Safety modifications, such as grab bars, ramps, or a walk-in shower
- Transportation to appointments
- Medical alert systems and supplies
- Hours of unpaid help from family
A residential care home or assisted living community usually includes housing, utilities, meals, housekeeping, laundry, and personal care in its rate, though what is included varies. Gather a year of household bills, divide by twelve, and add the result to the home care estimate before you compare. In Orange County, where property and living costs are high, that monthly figure can be larger than families expect, and it continues no matter how many hours of care are needed.
Public programs that help
In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS)
California's IHSS program provides in-home assistance to eligible aged, blind, and disabled people as an alternative to out-of-home care. Applicants must be California residents with a Medi-Cal eligibility determination who live in their own home, and a county social worker assesses the services and hours needed (CDSS, In-Home Supportive Services). In Orange County, applications go to the county IHSS office.
Medi-Cal Assisted Living Waiver
For people who move, Orange County participates in the Medi-Cal Assisted Living Waiver, which can cover care services in participating residential care facilities for eligible people (California Health Care Foundation, Assisted Living Waiver explainer, PDF). Our guide to paying for assisted living in Orange County has the details.
Medicare
Medicare can cover part-time skilled home health care for homebound people who qualify, but not ongoing personal care alone, and it does not pay for assisted living (Medicare.gov, home health services).
When staying home makes sense
The right choice depends on more than money. Consider these questions alongside the numbers.
- Help is needed for a limited number of hours each day
- Nights are uneventful and safe
- Family lives close and can step in
- The home is safe or can be adapted affordably
- Your parent has regular company and wants to stay
When a move makes sense
- Help is needed at many points in the day and at night
- Falls, wandering, or medication errors are a concern
- Your parent is isolated or no longer drives
- Family caregivers are exhausted
- Home care hours keep increasing
Supervision and companionship
A cost table cannot show two important differences. With home care, help is present only during scheduled hours. In a residential care home, someone is there around the clock and will notice if your parent does not get up in the morning. And shared meals and daily contact with others can ease the loneliness many older adults feel when they spend most of the day alone.
A small home as a middle path
Some Garden Grove families find that a small residential care home offers much of what they valued about home care, such as a quiet house, the same few caregivers, and home-cooked meals, with the added security of 24-hour staff. Our article comparing board and care homes and larger assisted living explains how these settings differ.
Make your own comparison
- Estimate how many hours of help your parent needs now, and in a year.
- Get quotes from two home care agencies, including night and weekend rates.
- Get written quotes from two or three residential care homes or communities.
- Add up all current household costs.
- Compare totals, then weigh safety, companionship, and family strain.
Talk with Maureen Guest Home
Maureen Guest Home #2, at 9362 Maureen Drive in Garden Grove, provides assisted living support in a residential house. Call (714) 539-0391 for current rates, or contact us with questions. Visiting hours are from 9 to 5. We're open 24 hours.
Frequently asked questions
Is in-home care cheaper than assisted living in Garden Grove?
For part-time help, yes. At about 44 hours a week, CareScout's 2025 metro data puts home care at $7,245 a month, compared with $6,600 for assisted living.
How much does a home health aide cost in Orange County?
CareScout's 2025 median for the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim metro area is $38 an hour.
Does Medi-Cal pay for in-home care in California?
California's In-Home Supportive Services program provides in-home help for eligible people with Medi-Cal. A county social worker assesses needs and authorizes hours.
What does 24-hour home care cost in Garden Grove?
At the 2025 metro median of $38 an hour, round-the-clock care would cost roughly $27,600 a month before any premiums for nights or weekends.