Medicare does not pay for everyday help.
This surprises almost everyone. Original Medicare does not cover ongoing personal care such as bathing and dressing when that is the only care she needs, and it does not cover 24-hour care at home. It can cover part-time skilled nursing or therapy at home when she is homebound and a provider certifies it (medicare.gov).
State Medicaid programs can, if she qualifies.
Every state runs home and community based services with its own name, rules and income limits, and many keep waiting lists (KFF). Start the application before you need it, because approval takes time.
If she or her spouse served.
The VA adds an Aid and Attendance or Housebound amount to a VA pension for people who need help with daily activities. For the year to 30 November 2026 the maximum is $29,093 for a veteran with no dependents, about $2,424 a month, and $18,697 for a surviving spouse — but the pension pays the maximum minus the household’s countable income, so most people receive less (va.gov). Separately, some VA medical centers arrange and pay for a homemaker or home health aide directly, through a VA social worker (va.gov). Ask about both.
A long-term care policy she has been paying for.
Find the policy before you need it. Benefits usually begin after a waiting period and once she needs help with a set number of daily activities, and the insurer decides which providers qualify (ACL). Ask any provider whether they can supply the notes an insurer asks for.
Free help exists, and nobody advertises it.
Your Area Agency on Aging can explain local options and sometimes funds respite so you can rest (ACL). Find yours through the Eldercare Locator. Before touching home equity or a life insurance policy, read the plain-language explanations at CFPB and ACL.