FAQs
Set along the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain in the Greater New Orleans region, this service area covers the Northshore communities of St. Tammany Parish and beyond — Covington, Mandeville, Madisonville, and Slidell. Home care decisions on the Northshore come with their own questions about costs, scheduling, and local resources. This FAQ page answers what families ask most when exploring non-medical home care, including typical pricing, hourly minimums, and how local factors like the humid Gulf climate, hurricane season, and area healthcare systems affect care. The information below is designed to help families across Northshore Louisiana make informed, practical decisions.
On the Northshore, licensed non-medical home care provided by agency-employed caregivers (W-2 employees, with the agency covering payroll taxes, insurance, training, and scheduling) typically ranges from about $24 to $34 per hour. Rates vary depending on the level of assistance, scheduling needs, and complexity of care.
Care involving mobility support, fall-risk supervision, or memory-related support may fall toward the higher end of that range. Many families start with part-time support for bathing, dressing, meal preparation, medication reminders, light housekeeping, and transportation.
Yes. Most home care agencies serving the Northshore require minimum visits of about 3 to 4 hours per shift. Minimums help cover caregiver travel time, scheduling logistics, and administrative overhead.
Homes in the more outlying parts of the service area — out toward the edges of St. Tammany Parish or across the Causeway into Greater New Orleans — may require longer minimums due to travel. Policies vary by provider.
Price differences between agencies on the Northshore often reflect differences in operational and staffing models, including:
· Employment structure: Agencies employing caregivers as W-2 employees include payroll taxes, workers’ compensation, liability insurance, and training in their rates
· Caregiver screening and supervision: Agencies investing more in background checks, ongoing education, and care management oversight may have higher rates
· Scheduling and administrative support: Agencies with dedicated care coordinators or 24/7 support may have higher operating costs
· Insurance coverage and compliance: Levels of liability and worker protections vary by agency
· Specialized care expertise: Agencies trained in dementia care, post-hospital recovery, fall-risk support, or long-term care insurance claims may structure pricing differently. These operational differences can create noticeable variations in hourly rates even within the same area.
Families on the Northshore typically begin home care for several reasons:
· Recovery after hospitalization or surgery, particularly at hospitals such as St. Tammany Health System in Covington, Slidell Memorial Hospital, or Ochsner facilities in the region
· Assistance with activities of daily living, including bathing, dressing, meal preparation, and light housekeeping
· Memory-related conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias
· Transportation assistance to medical appointments, errands, or community activities
· Support for family caregivers, helping relatives balance caregiving responsibilities with work and other obligations. Many families also navigate long-term care insurance or include veterans who may qualify for VA home-care benefits.
Some home care agencies on the Northshore charge higher hourly rates for weekends or major holidays, while others maintain the same base rate but may require longer minimum visits during those times.
Holidays such as Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day often involve premium pay for caregivers, which can affect overall costs depending on agency policy.
Several local factors on the Northshore can influence home care costs:
· Regional labor demand: A growing Northshore retiree population and steady competition for caregivers affect wages
· Travel between communities: Caregivers may travel across St. Tammany Parish from Covington and Mandeville to Madisonville and Slidell, and across the Causeway toward Greater New Orleans
· Time of day: Overnight or early-morning visits may require additional coordination
· Gulf climate and hurricane season: Hot, humid summers and the Atlantic hurricane season (June through November) can affect scheduling, require emergency-preparedness planning, and call for backup coverage when storms threaten
· Traffic patterns: Congestion on Interstate 12, Interstate 10, US 190, and the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway can affect scheduling during peak commute hours
· Building access: Raised and elevated homes common in the flood-prone Gulf South, single-level subdivisions, and properties spread across the parish can each add time to visits. These factors impact scheduling flexibility and minimum visit requirements.
The Northshore sits along the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain, across the water from New Orleans, spanning the St. Tammany Parish communities of Covington, Mandeville, Madisonville, and Slidell. Major routes such as Interstate 12, Interstate 10, US 190, and the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway — one of the longest bridges in the world — connect the region and shape caregiver travel times across a mix of established towns, wooded suburbs, and waterfront neighborhoods.
The Gulf climate is a defining factor — hot, humid summers and the June-through-November hurricane season require flexible scheduling, emergency planning, and reliable backup coverage when storms threaten. Because caregivers often visit multiple homes per day, agencies typically organize schedules geographically to reduce travel time across the parish and the Causeway corridor. Homes in the Covington and Mandeville areas, around Madisonville and Slidell, or across the lake toward Greater New Orleans may require advance scheduling to ensure consistent caregiver availability.
Several organizations on the Northshore assist seniors and families with care options, benefits, and assistance programs:
· St. Tammany Council on Aging – Offers meals, transportation, senior centers, and aging resources for parish residents
· Louisiana Governor’s Office of Elderly Affairs (GOEA) – Administers statewide aging programs and the network of parish Councils on Aging
· Louisiana SHIIP (Senior Health Insurance Information Program) – Offers free counseling on Medicare and insurance options for Louisiana seniors
· St. Tammany Health System, Slidell Memorial, and Ochsner Health – Provide discharge planning and referrals to community-based services. Eligibility for assistance programs depends on age, income, medical needs, or veteran status, and families typically work with these organizations to determine which programs may be available.
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