The demand for home-based care is growing, but affordability remains a major hurdle for many families.

A new report from A Place for Mom found that 66% of family caregivers experience financial strain, and nearly one-third said it is difficult to understand how to pay for professional care.

“Families need clear answers about costs, what different options provide and how those options fit their circumstances before they reach a crisis,” Tatyana Zlotsky, CEO of A Place for Mom, told Home Health Care News in an email.

New York City-based A Place for Mom operates an online platform connecting caregivers and families with aging care, such as home care services and senior living communities.

A Place for Mom commissioned an online quantitative survey, conducted by consumer research company Morning Light Strategy, in September 2026. The study excluded professional caregivers, and instead included 1,013 nonprofessional caregivers — both paid and unpaid — ages 40 to 75 who care for at least one adult ages 55 or older in the U.S.

The report found that interest in home-based care is growing faster than interest in senior living. For individuals whose loved ones did not live in senior housing, calling in-home care a “great option” rose to 58% — a 38% increase from the 42% reported in 2025, according to the report.

“The increase signals a growing openness to in-home care, which is not surprising, as it keeps an aging loved one in a familiar environment, requires the least amount of change and allows the family caregiver to remain at the center of care,” Zlotsky said.

Meanwhile, support for senior living remained essentially unchanged. Those who viewed senior living as a great option fell from 16% in 2025 to 15% in 2026, according to the report.

In-home care may be appealing, but that does not necessarily mean families can afford to hire help. Forty-five percent of families who discontinued home care said it was too expensive to continue, Zlotsky said.

Costs also contribute to why family caregivers step up to provide care, with 38% of respondents saying cost is the reason for doing so. That is up from 21% of people who cited cost as a reason for providing care themselves in 2025.

Family members who provide care to a loved one also face a toll on their mental health. Caregivers spend an average of 23 hours a week providing care. Forty percent said their mental health had worsened since they began caregiving — up from 33% in 2025, the report found.

Hiring professional caregivers can be a great way to reduce strain on family caregivers, but hourly costs and a lack of pricing clarity often prevent families from taking that step, according to Zlotsky.

“Seeing in-home care as a great option doesn’t necessarily translate into families being ready to hire paid help,” Zlotsky said.