Choosing a home care provider comes down to three questions: is the agency actually licensed to do what it says it does, does its non-medical care match what your family member needs, and what will Medicaid or private pay actually cover where you live. Cottage Home Care is a non-medical home care and HHA/PCA staffing agency, serving families in Michigan, Maryland, Connecticut, and New Jersey since 2019. This guide walks through the programs available in each state, what to look for in a provider, and the questions worth asking before you sign anything.
Our Care Is Non-Medical
Cottage HomeCare Services solely provides nonmedical care. Our Home Health Aides (HHAs) and Personal Care Aides (PCAs) help with bathing, dressing, meal preparation, mobility, and medication reminders. They do not administer medication, provide wound care, or deliver skilled nursing, therapy, or hospice services.
Connecticut: registered Homemaker Companion Agency, HCA.0002734. Maryland: licensed as a residential service agency by the Maryland Department of Health, Office of Health Care Quality, RSA License #02496.
Key Overview
- Check the license first. A legitimate agency will tell you exactly which license it holds and what that license does and doesn't cover.
- Match the program to your state. Michigan, Maryland, and Connecticut each run separate Medicaid pathways, and the rules for paid family caregivers differ by state.
- Understand what "non-medical" means. Personal care aides can help with daily activities and medication reminders, not medication administration or nursing tasks.
- Ask about the real hourly cost. Private pay generally runs $40 to $48 an hour depending on your location and the level of care needed.
- Let the state decide eligibility. No agency, including ours, can tell you that you qualify for Medicaid coverage. The state makes that determination after its own assessment.
Quick Facts
| Founded | 2019, Freeport, New York |
| States covered here | Michigan, Maryland, Connecticut, New Jersey |
| Services | Non-medical personal care, HHA/PCA staffing, companionship |
| Payment options | Medicaid programs where eligible, private pay |
| Michigan / general | 516-367-2266 |
| Maryland | (667) 400-0648 |
| Connecticut | (860) 263-0272 |
What Home Care Is, and Why Families Choose It
Home care is professional support delivered in a person's own home rather than in a facility. It's not limited to medical needs. Companionship, help with daily routines, and a second set of hands after surgery all fall under the same umbrella.
- Many people would rather stay in their own home than move into a nursing facility.
- Recovery from surgery often calls for temporary, short-term support.
- Older adults and people with disabilities sometimes need help over the long term.
- Chronic conditions like diabetes or COPD often benefit from a consistent daily routine and a caregiver who reports changes to the family.
Picture someone recovering from knee surgery who wants to stay in their own apartment instead of going to a nursing facility. A trained caregiver helping with meals, walking, and daily hygiene can make that recovery possible while keeping the person independent. Home care also takes pressure off family members, since knowing a trained caregiver is present gives everyone some breathing room.
Home Care Programs and Support by State
Michigan
Michigan's Home Help Program is a Medicaid program that helps people stay in their own home instead of an adult foster care home or nursing facility. It requires full Medicaid coverage. Under this program, adult children, grandchildren, siblings, other relatives, friends, and neighbors can be paid caregivers; spouses and parents of minor children cannot. Caregivers must be 18 or older, pass a criminal history screen, and enroll in the state's CHAMPS system. An MDHHS worker decides eligibility after an in-home assessment, and some beneficiaries have a monthly spend-down before Medicaid begins paying. Learn more about Michigan Medicaid home care.
Maryland
Maryland runs two main Medicaid pathways for home care: Community First Choice (CFC) and the Community Options Waiver. Both can allow a family member or trusted friend to become a paid, employed caregiver after passing a state criminal background check, though the participant's legal guardian or representative cannot serve as the paid caregiver. The Maryland Department of Health decides eligibility, including whether someone needs an institutional level of care. Community First Choice details and Community Options Waiver details are available on our Maryland pages.
Connecticut
Connecticut's Adult Family Living (AFL) program requires the paid caregiver to live in the same home as the client, and spouses cannot be paid caregivers. The Department of Social Services decides eligibility. Cottage also provides Personal Care Assistance (PCA) staffing for Connecticut families. More on Adult Family Living.
New Jersey
In New Jersey, Cottage provides non-medical private pay home care and helps families understand their state Medicaid long-term care options. New Jersey Medicaid home care has more detail on what may be available to you.
Service Types and Coverage at a Glance
| Service Type |
What's Included |
States |
| Personal Care / HHA / PCA | Bathing, dressing, meals, mobility, medication reminders | MI, MD, CT, NJ |
| Michigan Home Help Program | Medicaid-funded personal care; eligible relatives and friends may be paid caregivers | MI |
| Community First Choice / Community Options Waiver | Personal care, with family or friend caregiver options | MD |
| Adult Family Living / PCA | In-home personal care; live-with caregiver arrangement under AFL | CT |
| Private Pay | Personal care, companionship, and homemaking alongside personal care | MI, MD, CT, NJ |
Have questions about which option applies to your family? Request a free consultation and our team will walk through it with you state by state.
How to Choose the Right Home Care Provider
Look at how long the agency has actually been operating and whether its staff are trained and background-checked; Cottage has been serving families since 2019. Ask whether the care plan is built around your family member specifically, rather than a generic template. Confirm the agency's license matches the services it's offering you. Find out how the agency handles schedule changes, since needs shift over time. And ask other families for honest feedback rather than relying only on a website.
Steps to Find Home Care Near You
- Search for licensed home care providers in your city or county.
- Ask your doctor, hospital discharge planner, or trusted friends for recommendations.
- Verify the agency's license and ask which services it's authorized to provide.
- Schedule a consultation and, if possible, meet the caregiver before care starts.
- Compare costs and confirm what Medicaid, if applicable, will and won't cover.
- Start with a trial period to see whether the caregiver is a good fit.
Mistakes to Avoid
- Picking the cheapest option without checking training or licensing.
- Skipping the license verification step entirely.
- Underestimating how much companionship and emotional support matter, not just physical tasks.
- Relying only on star ratings without ever speaking to the agency directly.
Not sure where to start? Call the Cottage team in your state, and we'll help you figure out the next step, whether that's a Medicaid application or setting up private pay care.
What Families Say
Rather than pull quotes we can't verify, here's where you can hear directly from Cottage clients and caregivers: our patient review videos, senior client reviews, and coverage from Caribbean Life and other outlets on our news and press page.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does home care cost?
Private pay typically runs $40 to $48 an hour, depending on your location and the amount of care needed. If you have Medicaid, your actual cost depends on whether you qualify for a program like Michigan's Home Help Program, Maryland's Community First Choice, or Connecticut's Adult Family Living.
Does Medicaid cover home care?
It can, for people who qualify. Eligibility is decided by the state, not by Cottage or any other agency, after its own assessment. We can help you find out whether you may qualify and walk you through the application.
Are caregivers trained and background-checked?
Yes. All caregivers go through training and a background check before placement. Keep in mind that our caregivers provide non-medical support. They don't perform nursing tasks or administer medication.
Can caregivers match my family's language or culture?
In many cases, yes. We try to match caregivers by shared language and cultural background whenever we can, though availability depends on your area.
Which areas do you serve?
Cottage serves families throughout Michigan, Maryland, Connecticut, and New Jersey. See our Michigan, Maryland, Connecticut, and New Jersey pages for county-level coverage.
How do I get started?
Call your state's Cottage team for a free consultation: Michigan and general inquiries at 516-367-2266, Maryland at (667) 400-0648, or Connecticut at (860) 263-0272. You can also request a consultation online.
Getting Started
Picking a home care provider is really about safety, comfort, and keeping as much independence as possible. Cottage Home Care has provided non-medical home care and HHA/PCA staffing since 2019, with caregiver matching by language and culture and flexible scheduling across Michigan, Maryland, Connecticut, and New Jersey.
Speak with a Cottage Home Care team member to find out what applies to your family. Program names, eligibility rules, and rates can change, so confirm current details with the relevant state agency or with our team before making a decision.
Alex TullaoRegistered Nurse
