As people age, it becomes more difficult to do tasks like housework, driving, cooking, getting up and down stairs, or following a medication regimen. Senior care is when a team or individual assists with fulfilling the needs of an elderly person. They help keep them safe and able to continue living a fulfilling life.

At what age is someone considered a senior?

Someone is normally considered a senior by the time they reach the age of 65. This is mostly because 65 is when many people retire and when government benefits kick in. Most people don't consider themselves or loved ones a senior until they are at least 70 years of age or older.

What services does senior care include?

Senior care can include anything that will benefit the individual needing assistance. This will be decided on a case-by-case basis, but might involve doing laundry, running errands, home organization, housekeeping, transportation, and more. Almost anything that will help the elderly live a productive life can be performed through senior care.

Why should I use a senior care service?

If you or a loved one are suffering from an inability to take care of yourself and your home like you used to, it's time to get help. It is a wonderful thing for family and friends to step in and do what they can, but over time this can become burdensome and may not always be reliable. Hiring a senior care service ensures that help is always readily available when needed without having to rely on other loved ones all the time.

How often do caregivers visit the home?

Every person's needs are different, so you will be the one who decides how often a caregiver is needed. Sometimes they might visit a couple times a week to take care of grocery shopping or other essential duties around the house. Other times you need round-the-clock assistance and would hire a live-in caregiver to be there 24/7. There are many professionals with a range of flexibility who are available when you need them.

What are the qualifications of senior caregivers?

Most of the time, senior caregivers are over the age of 21. Depending on the agency you go with, the requirements they set for their candidates may differ slightly. You are able to set your own criteria for a caregiver and find someone who matches that. Some examples of qualifications include being CNA certified, first-aid certified, passing a company's senior care course, a nursing degree, experience working in a healthcare facility, and others. There is no such thing as a senior care license, so you'll find that the backgrounds and qualifications of candidates vary from person to person.

What is the cost of senior care?

When hiring a caregiver, you will usually be able to choose from a range of professionals with different backgrounds. For experienced caregivers who will be performing regular duties, the cost will be higher than a new CNA looking to get started in their career field. Most senior caregivers come with their own hourly rate, which will play a part in deciding who you choose to hire. It's not uncommon to see hourly rates between $10 and $30.

How do I choose the right senior care service?

Senior care companies make it easy to narrow down the list of available caregivers in your area. Using their online website, you'll be able to choose how soon you need to find a caregiver, your desired qualifications, the hours you need assistance, where you live, what you're willing to pay, and other important factors that will help filter through the pool of candidates. From there you can read bios of different caregivers and get a feel for who would be a good fit for you or your loved one. Some companies let you meet the caregiver or give them a trial run before hiring them on.

Care Review for February 2026 | Best Senior Care Services

Item: Care Review
Rating: 1.5
Author: Top Consumer Reviews

Saturday, February 14th We evaluate products and services based on unbiased research. Top Consumer Reviews may earn money when you click on a link. Learn more about our process.

2026 Senior Care Service Reviews

Where can you find the best resources for senior care? As the years go by, we discover that our parents need a little more help than they used to. Perhaps an illness has afflicted a beloved family member who wants to stay at home rather than be moved to a care facility. Maybe we are the ones realizing that we're getting older and unable to care for ourselves properly. Whichever the case, finding quality and reputable home care for seniors can be a challenge.

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Care

Locations vary depending on when you view listings
Services offered may include companion and personal care, memory care, respite care, and live-in care
Screening process for care providers includes a background check
Membership to the website required to hire care; costs $38.95 for one month or can be paid quarterly or annually at a reduced rate
In business since 2006

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On the Care website

Since 2006, Care has offered an online platform to connect caregivers with families for jobs such as senior care, child care, housekeeping, pet care, and more.

Post your job or search listings for care

Since Care is a listing of providers, you start by posting your job and allowing caregivers to apply directly. Then you are able to compare profiles and read reviews of potential job candidates. Click on "Get Started" and answer the prompts to get you to the right area of the website. Indicate the type of help you seek (household tasks, personal care, companionship, transportation, specialized care, and/or mobility assistance). After this, you input the ZIP code where you need the care and see how many caregivers are found near your location. You will enter your email address and then your first and last name to see the candidates in your area. It is recommended that you detail your loved one's needs in your listing to best connect you with qualified caregivers.

Search before joining

Alternatively, you can search caregivers on the site before joining, but you will be unable to contact them without a premium membership. This may be the best option if you want to see if there is actually anyone in your area who may fit your needs before paying. Profiles may include a photo, home location, pay rate, customer ratings and reviews, a personal introduction, services offered, qualifications and skills, availability, and similar caregivers nearby.

Memberships must be purchased to contact a provider

Since Care is a job listing platform, you are permitted to browse listings and post a job for free, but you must have a Premium (paid) membership to message with candidates or purchase additional background checks. Plans may be paid monthly ($38. 95 per month, cancel anytime), quarterly (at $24. 95 per month paid every 3 months), or annually ($12. 95 per month paid once a year at $155. 40). Additional background checks include a continuous background check for caregivers you have hired or plan to hire (part of the premium membership). You can also purchase an enhanced or premium background check if desired (no prices listed). Membership subscription fees are typically non-refundable. Unlike most of the companies we viewed, Care had a banner discount code offering 20% off, which you can use on the premium membership and not off the actual caregiving services.

Care plan options limited by offerings

Types of care will vary based on who is offering services when you visit the online job listings. However, the website mentions full-time and part-time in-home caregivers, dementia care, and respite care as options. Live-in care is a possibility as well. Senior living communities, assisted living, independent living, and memory care facilities may also be listed on Care.

Caregivers are screened but below expectations

According to the Care website, "safety is at the heart of our community" and all individual caregivers start with a required background check, though a footnote mentions this cannot guarantee your safety. Since businesses are also listed on Care, it should be noted that the website does not perform background checks on them. You are permitted to interview multiple candidates prior to hiring, and if a caregiver does not meet your expectations, "you can explore other options and use feedback from the experience to refine your search," the website says. This is just saying you can try again. To ensure a good fit, Care suggests you consider asking for references, running a background check through Care (although they say they've already done one), schedule a trial period, and clearly communicate expectations and needs. For emergency or one-time care, there are listings for on-demand or respite care services.

Paying caregivers is your responsibility

Since the person you hire on Care is typically not an employee of another company, you will have to pay them directly. HomePay is an optional payroll service to help you handle payments, taxes, and paperwork involved in hiring someone to perform in-home care. Care mentions that caregivers set their own rates, and one-time bookings have a booking fee.

Be warned by federal lawsuit and negative reviews

Care is not accredited by the BBB and is not rated. There was an alert against the company when we viewed the listing regarding a lawsuit of the Federal Trade Commission against the company in 2024. On Trustpilot, Care has nearly 4,800 reviews with an average rating of 2.3 out of 5 stars. Negative reviews ranted about the difficulty reaching customer service, receiving automatic renewals without reminders, and even using the word "scam" to describe the experience. The positive reviews were predominantly from caregivers who had a good experience getting work.

Avoid this option

While we're not generally big fans of job listing platforms for reputable senior care, Care is even lower on our list for requiring membership fees to contact job prospects and as a result of its negative reviews. We recommend looking for a higher-ranked option to take care of your loved one - don't take the risk with Care.

On the Care website

Continued from above...

Where Can You Find the Best Resources for Senior Care?

As the years go by, we discover that our parents need a little more help than they used to. Perhaps an illness has afflicted a beloved family member who wants to stay at home rather than be moved to a care facility. Maybe we are the ones realizing that we're getting older and unable to care for ourselves properly. Whichever the case, finding quality and reputable home care for seniors can be a challenge.

The purpose of senior home care is to keep people in the environment where they are most comfortable and familiar. This "aging in place" is preferred by 9 out of 10 older adults, compared to moving into a senior facility or assisted living. Services exist to help aging individuals to live with dignity as they are treated with respect by caregivers who practice compassionate personal care. They can help by bathing clients, assisting with meal preparation, and reminding them to take medication - all non-medical tasks.

Additionally, these types of companies make it possible for older people to remain independent and mobile with help even just a few hours a week. An estimated 41% of American adults over the age of 75 may be living alone. By providing transportation to appointments, getting groceries, or even playing a game of cards together, home caregivers can offer companionship and assistance to seniors who are isolated from family who may be hundreds of miles away.

Those who are already taking care of a loved one know how hard it can be. To help prevent burnout for caregivers who are often working another job and taking care of their own young families, respite care is an option offered by many companies. The service can be utilized on a one-time or recurring basis to provide a break for the nearly 1 in 5 Americans providing unpaid care for a relative.

And, sometimes professional medical care is required. In-home health care is available from some providers to avoid unnecessary trips to the doctor's office or hospital. If your loved one requires specialized care, be sure to look for nurses and other skilled medical service caregivers.

There are many factors to consider when looking at care for your aging loved one. Here are the top criteria on our list:

Availability in your area. Before going too far in your search, we recommend making sure the company offers care where you need it. Look up the local office and see if they will send caregivers to your location.
Reputation. While you have that office listing in front of you, what do the reviews say about this company? Since many are independently-owned offices, you need to look for reviews about the local provider or franchise before you decide to pursue care.
Care provider screening process. Does the company conduct background checks, drug screenings, or reference checks? It is imperative to make sure you have someone trustworthy in your home or taking care of your loved one.
Rates and contracts. You will have to do some research, because fees vary greatly from state-to-state, based on the services required and frequency of visits. Make certain you are comfortable with the fees, some of which may be covered by health insurance or other programs.
Multiple caregivers. Find out if you will have an assigned care team or be expecting a lot of different people to perform your home care services. Many people find it helpful to get comfortable with one or two people in their home rather than a revolving door of providers.

At Top Consumer Reviews, we want to help you make an informed decision regarding the best care options for your senior loved one (or yourself). To that end, we have reviewed and ranked some of today's most popular services - so you can identify the best home care available in your area and get assistance as soon as possible.

Care Review: Senior Care Services

2026 Senior Care Service Reviews

Care

Where Can You Find the Best Resources for Senior Care?

Senior Care Service FAQ