Home Care: Safety, Independence, and Comfort at Home.
Professional, non-medical support designed to help seniors age in place with dignity across Northern Illinois.
In Northern Illinois, where over 1.5 million seniors reside*, DHCS serves as a key partner in the region’s aging network. We help families navigate the growing demand for home-based care amid rising assisted living occupancy rates*. From our hubs in Rockford, Waukegan, and Westchester, we coordinate closely with local resources to ensure comprehensive coverage.
As part of the DHCS “One Network, One Purpose” continuum, our home care services are led by a Registered Nurse Director of Nursing, and delivered by fully screened, insured, and bonded caregivers. We are proudly accredited by The Joint Commission,, ensuring that the safety standards you trust in hospitals are brought directly to your living room.
What is Home Care?
What is Non-Medical Home Care?
Home Care (often referred to as In-Home Care, Private Duty, or Personal Care) focuses on living supports, not medical treatment.
Unlike Home Health, which is clinical and physician-ordered, Home Care is designed for individuals who are medically stable but require professional assistance with “Activities of Daily Living” (ADLs) to maintain a safe, independent environment.
Who Do We Serve?
At Destiny Healthcare Services, we understand that “home” looks different for everyone—from high-rise apartments in Chicago and Cook County to single-family residences in Rockford and quieter suburban neighborhoods. Regardless of the setting, our goal remains the same: to provide the gentle support necessary to keep seniors safe, comfortable, and out of assisted living facilities.
Is Home Care Right for Me?
You should consider Home Care if your loved one is lonely or forgetting to eat, but does not require skilled nursing or rehabilitation. This support is critical in our region: with the aging population booming in DuPage and Will Counties, the Illinois Department on Aging reports that over 28% of seniors in Northern Illinois experience social isolation.1 Our Companion Care and ADL support programs are specifically designed to address these physical and emotional needs, ensuring connection and safety without the need for hospitalization.
Or speak with an intake specialist now: 708-450-1920
Core Services: Comprehensive In-Home Support
Accredited, RN-led care designed to help Northern Illinois seniors maintain safety and independence in the comfort of home.
Comprehensive Daily Living Support
Loneliness can impact health as much as a physical ailment2. Our caregivers provide meaningful interaction, supervision, and emotional support to reduce isolation and keep minds active. We understand that connection looks different for everyone—whether it is conversation over coffee, a game of cards, or safe accompaniment on outings to local spots like Rockford’s Anderson Japanese Gardens or community centers in the Chicago suburbs.
Personal Care & ADL Support
We provide respectful assistance with personal hygiene, including bathing, dressing, and grooming. Our protocols focus on maintaining dignity while ensuring safety during these sensitive tasks. These care plans are customized for the realities of Midwest homes, including assistance with heavy clothing layers and slip-resistant adaptations for entryways during Illinois’ snowy conditions.
Homemaking & Meal Preparation
Maintaining a home can be physically taxing. We assist with light housekeeping, laundry, and nutritious meal planning to ensure a clean, healthy living environment. Our caregivers assist in shopping for and preparing meals that respect your loved one’s tastes, incorporating local Illinois produce and dietary preferences common in our Northern Illinois communities.
Fall Prevention & Balance Protocols
Falls are a leading cause of injury for seniors. Our team assists with mobility, transfers, and environmental safety checks to reduce risk and support stable movement. This environmental oversight is vital in Illinois, where winter ice and wet conditions contribute to 20% higher fall rates among seniors3.
Do I Need Home Care or Home Health?
Families often confuse “Home Care” with “Home Health,” but they serve very different purposes.
Choosing the right one ensures your loved one receives the appropriate level of support—whether that is help with daily living or clinical recovery after a hospital stay.
Or speak with an intake specialist now: 708-450-1920
Understanding the difference between Home Care and Home Health
| Feature | Home Care (Daily Living) | Home Health (Medical Recovery) |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Goal | Safety, Independence, & Comfort Focuses on long-term stability and aging in place. | Clinical Recovery & Rehabilitation Focuses on short-term healing after illness or injury. |
| The Provider | Screened Professional Caregivers Trained in ADLs and companionship. | Licensed Nurses & Therapists RNs, LPNs, and Physical/Occupational Therapists. |
| Oversight | Trained Home Care Supervisor Ensures safety protocols are followed. | Physician Ordered (Clinical) Must be prescribed by a doctor for medical necessity. |
| Payment | Private Pay, Long-Term Care Ins., CCP (Community Care Program). | Medicare, Private Insurance (Typically covered 100% if eligible). |
| Typical Need | “Mom needs help with daily chores and meal prep in her Rockford home.” | “Dad is recovering from surgery post-discharge from a Chicago-area hospital.” |
Payment Options and Eligibility in Illinois
Private Pay & Long-Term Care Insurance
Quality care should be accessible.
Our network accepts various payment methods, including Private Pay and Long-Term Care Insurance, giving families the flexibility to customize support—from a few hours a week to 24/7 supervision. This flexibility often makes home care a more affordable alternative to facility-based care: the average cost of assisted living in Northern Illinois is$ 5,836/month statewide,rising to $6,575 in Rockford4. Choosing home care allows your loved one to receive one-on-one attention for a fraction of that cost, while remaining in the comfort of their own home.
The Illinois Community Care Program (CCP)
Program Overview
Through our local partnerships, Destiny Healthcare Services is an authorized provider for the Illinois Department on Aging’s Community Care Program (CCP). This crucial state initiative provides free homecare services for qualifying seniors who might otherwise be at risk of nursing home placement.
What Services Are Covered?
Eligible seniors can receive comprehensive in-home assistance at no out-of-pocket cost, including:
- In-Home Service: Assistance with housekeeping, laundry, meal preparation, and errands.
- Personal Care: Help with bathing, grooming, and dressing.
- Adult Day Services: Supervised care and social engagement in a community setting.
- Emergency Home Response Service: 24-hour automated monitoring systems.
- Automated Medication Dispensers: Technology to ensure medication compliance and safety.
Eligibility Requirements
To qualify for CCP, an individual must be an Illinois resident, age 60 or older, and demonstrate a need for long-term care. While the program is not strictly income-based, there is an asset limit of approximately $17,500 (excluding home, car, and personal effects). Participants must apply for Medicaid annually if eligible, but Medicaid enrollment is not a prerequisite for initial service if assets are within limits.
In our region, the CCP is a lifeline that serves over 132,600 enrollees annually. We work closely with regional Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs)—specifically AgeGuide Northeastern Illinois (covering DuPage, Kane, Lake, and McHenry counties) and Northwestern Illinois AAA (covering Rockford, Boone, and Winnebago counties)—to facilitate these services. This network helps prevent premature nursing home placements amid a 5.86% annual growth in senior living demand.
If you believe your loved one may qualify, contact us today.
Why Choose Destiny Healthcare Services?
A Higher Standard of Care
Joint Commission Accredited
We are proudly accredited by The Joint Commission. This Gold Seal validation means our safety and quality standards meet the rigorous requirements often reserved for hospitals. This accreditation aligns our protocols with Illinois’ high standards for home-based care, ensuring hospital-grade safety extends to living rooms across Chicago, the western suburbs, and Rockford.
Clinical Oversight
Unlike gig-economy apps or registries, our care is led by a Registered Nurse Director of Nursing. As a CMS-certified provider, we ensure strict clinical compliance and oversight for Northern Illinois families. This means that even for non-medical services, there is a clinical professional supervising the care plan to monitor for changes in condition.
A Higher Standard of People
We believe that safety starts with the right people. Every DHCS caregiver is rigorously screened, background-checked, insured, and bonded. We require a minimum of one year of experience to ensure your family is in safe hands. Furthermore, we partner with local Illinois organizations to provide ongoing training in Midwest-specific needs, such as fall prevention protocols during icy winter weather.
Local Health Authority
As a CMS-certified provider anchored in Northern Illinois—with our corporate hub in Westchester and clinics in Addison and Schaumburg—DHCS collaborates closely with regional hospitals and Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) to support seamless care transitions. This integrated network helps us address the diverse needs of the Chicago metro area, ensuring no family is left to navigate the system alone.
Serving Families Across Northern Illinois
Find a Location Near You
Our network operates through trusted local teams in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs, ensuring that “help at home” is never far away. This local presence is vital in a region where senior populations are booming—for example, Rockford (Boone/Winnebago Counties) is now home to over 50,000 seniors, creating a critical need for accessible, non-medical support options to bridge the gap between independence and the 30+ Medicaid-accepting facilities nearby.
CARE NAVIGATOR
Service Area Hubs
Rockford & The Valley
Anchored by our Golden Touch team, we provide tailored support for rural and suburban lifestyles across Boone and Winnebago Counties. We are one of the few providers capable of bridging the gap for families in the Rock River Valley who need consistent daily living assistance.
Speak to a Care Member for Rockford and The Valley
West Suburbs
(Woodridge, Addison, Lombard): We serve the growing senior population of DuPage County (over 150,000 residents*) with localized teams. Our presence includes our clinic location at 350 W. North Ave in Lombard/Addison, providing easy access near O’Hare and major highways for families coordinating care in the western suburbs.
Chicago & South Suburbs
(Evergreen Park, Joliet): From the city center to the south suburbs, our Destiny Homecare teams provide urban accessibility near landmarks like Millennium Park and extending south to Joliet (801 N Larkin Ave) and Evergreen Park — the greater Chicago metro area.
Speak to a Care Member for Chicago and South Suburbs
North Suburbs
(Waukegan, Schaumburg): Addressing Lake County’s growing needs, our Waukegan team (620 Washington St) coordinates closely with families in the northern corridor. This hub ensures reliable coverage for communities near Schaumburg and Morton Grove.
Speak to a Care Member for North Suburbs
Corporate Hub & Coordination
Our operations are centralized at our Westchester corporate hub (10031 W. Roosevelt Rd.), which serves as the nerve center for efficient Midwest service. From this headquarters, we partner with Illinois Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) to facilitate referrals and manage Community Care Program (CCP) intake, helping to reduce institutionalization rates in these high-demand areas.
Not Sure Which Level of Care You Need?
You don’t have to figure it out alone.
Use our interactive guide to find the right support for your situation, or connect with us directly for personalized advice. Whether you need immediate help or are just planning ahead, our network is here to guide you.
Or speak with an intake specialist now: 708-450-1920
Frequently Asked Questions for Home Care
What is the difference between Home Care and Home Health?
Answer: Home Care focuses on non-medical daily living supports like safety and independence, whereas Home Health is clinical, physician-ordered recovery and rehabilitation provided by licensed nurses and therapists. See Home Care vs. Home Health
Does Destiny Healthcare Services accept the Illinois Community Care Program (CCP)?
Answer: Yes, Destiny Healthcare Services is an authorized provider for the Illinois Department on Aging’s CCP, providing free homecare services for qualifying seniors at risk of nursing home placement.
How is the quality of non-medical home care supervised?
Answer: Unlike registries or gig-economy apps, our home care is led by a Registered Nurse Director of Nursing. This ensures clinical oversight and professional supervision of all care plans to monitor for any changes in a senior’s condition.
What are the payment options for private duty home care in Northern Illinois?
We offer flexible payment options including Private Pay and Long-Term Care Insurance. For those who qualify, we also provide services through the state-funded Illinois Community Care Program (CCP), which can provide essential support at no out-of-pocket cost.
If you have specific home care questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.
Or speak with an intake specialist now: 708-450-1920
Footnotes and Data Sources
- Regional Context: The Illinois Department on Aging notes that many older adults are at risk of social isolation due to factors like the loss of a spouse, chronic illness, or retirement.
National/State Data: Approximately one-quarter (24%) of community-dwelling Americans aged 65 and older are considered to be socially isolated.
Loneliness Rates: Roughly 34% of older adults report feeling some degree of loneliness.
Illinois Care Connections Program: To combat these issues, the Illinois Department on Aging launched the Illinois Care Connections (ICC) program, which found that participants were experiencing significant social isolation and loneliness, particularly during the pandemic. ↩︎ - Source: Centers of Disease Control. Health Effects of Social Isolation and Loneliness.
Key points: Social isolation is not having relationships, contact with, or support from others. Loneliness is the feeling of being alone, disconnected, or not close to others. Social isolation and loneliness put a person at risk of developing serious mental and physical health conditions.
Learn more at https://www.cdc.gov/social-connectedness/risk-factors/index.html ↩︎ - “20% higher fall rates” Per regional health data from AgeGuide Northeastern AAA ↩︎
- Cost estimates: CareScout 2024 Cost of Care Study
The 2024 CareScout Cost of Care Study reveals that long-term care costs increased across all categories, with assisted living and home care services experiencing the highest rise at 10%. Driven by inflation and labor costs, the national median cost for assisted living reached $70,800 annually, while private nursing home rooms rose to $127,750.
Key 2024 National Median Cost Findings
Assisted Living: $5,900 per month ($70,800 annually), a 10% increase.
Homemaker Services: $6,292 per month ($75,504 annually), a 10% increase.
Home Health Aide: $6,483 per month ($34 per hour).
Nursing Home (Private Room): $10,646 per month ($127,750 annually), a 9% increase. ↩︎