In-home care in Houston: local help, heat and hurricane planning

In Houston, the Harris County Area Agency on Aging, part of the Houston Health Department, offers caregiver support and respite for adults 60 and older and their caregivers at 832-393-4301. Check any agency's Texas HCSSA license in the HHSC TULIP provider search, filtered to Harris County. Because Houston faces extreme heat and hurricanes, ask every provider how caregivers will handle heat days, power outages and evacuations, and consider registering the person in the state's STEAR registry.

Who licenses in-home care providers

Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC). Houston has no separate city license for home care. Agencies are licensed by the state as HCSSAs. In the TULIP Long-term Care Provider Search, select Harris County to see agencies serving the area, including those registered in another county.

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Key facts for Houston, TX

• The Harris County Area Agency on Aging is part of the Houston Health Department and serves adults 60 and older and their caregivers.
• The agency's Caregiver Support Network offers information, help getting services, counseling and support group referrals, respite, and limited supplemental services.
• The Aging and Disability Resource Center offers short-term respite for unpaid caregivers, at 832-393-5500 or 1-855-937-2372.
• Census Bureau QuickFacts estimates Houston's population at 2,397,315 as of July 1, 2025, with 12.3% of residents age 65 or older.
• Houston covers 640.44 square miles of land, according to 2020 Census Bureau figures.
• In July 2026 the city reopened 112 cooling centers and offered free rides to them through 3-1-1 or METROLift.
• STEAR, the free state emergency assistance registry, keeps a registration for one year, so it must be renewed.

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Where can Houston caregivers get local help?

The Harris County Area Agency on Aging (HCAAA) is part of the Houston Health Department. It coordinates services for adults 60 and older and their caregivers. Services include benefits counseling on Medicare and Medicaid, information and referral, home-delivered and group meals, and caregiver support with respite. Call 832-393-4301 or email aging@houstontx.gov.

The HCAAA Caregiver Support Network offers caregivers information on services, help getting them, referrals to counseling, support groups and training, respite care, and limited supplemental services. Grandparents and other caregivers 60 and older raising grandchildren or children with developmental disabilities can also qualify.

The city's Aging and Disability Resource Center offers short-term respite for unpaid caregivers, at home or at approved community locations. Eligibility and length depend on funding and individual circumstances. Call 832-393-5500 or toll-free 1-855-937-2372.

How do I vet a home care agency that serves Houston?

Houston does not issue its own home care license. Agencies are licensed by the state. Open the HHSC Long-term Care Provider Search, pick the service type, and select Harris County.

The search notes that home health and hospice agencies may serve counties other than the one where they are registered. An agency based in a neighboring county can appear in a Harris County search. Check that the license category fits your need: Personal Assistance Services for non-medical help, a home health category for nursing or therapy.

Houston is large, with 640.44 square miles of land per the Census Bureau. Ask each agency which parts of the city its caregivers cover and how it fills a shift when the regular caregiver cannot make it.

How should home care plans handle Houston heat?

Heat is a care issue here. In a 2016 heat emergency notice, the Houston Health Department called adults 55 and older high-risk, urged them to stay in air-conditioned buildings from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., and told residents to visit seniors in person to look for signs of heat illness.

During a July 2026 heat wave, KPRC reported the city reopened 112 cooling centers and offered free rides through 3-1-1 or METROLift. The city's Office of Emergency Management said the centers matter most for older adults, young children and people with health conditions.

Write heat duties into the care plan: checking the air conditioning, keeping water within reach, and who to call if the power fails.

What should a hurricane plan include for someone receiving care?

The State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry (STEAR) is a free, voluntary registry run by the Texas Division of Emergency Management. It gives local emergency planners and responders information about people who may need help. It is meant for people with disabilities, people who are medically fragile, and people who need help with mobility, communication, transportation or personal care. Register at stear.texas.gov or by calling 2-1-1.

Registration lasts one year and must be renewed. It does not guarantee help in an emergency, and services vary by community. Harris County emergency officials have urged residents with access and functional needs to register.

Harris County advises keeping 3 to 7 days of water, food, medications and first-aid supplies, knowing your evacuation zone and routes, and running generators only outdoors. It also asks residents to check on older adults and people with disabilities. Ask your agency in writing whether caregivers will work during a storm, how it reaches clients when phones are down, and who keeps the medication list.

How to choose a provider in Houston, TX

• Check the agency's HCSSA license in the TULIP Long-term Care Provider Search with Harris County selected.
• Confirm the license category matches the care: Personal Assistance Services or a home health category.
• Ask which Houston areas the agency staffs and how it covers a missed shift.
• Call the Harris County Area Agency on Aging (832-393-4301) about caregiver support and respite before you pay out of pocket.
• Add heat duties to the care plan: air conditioning checks, fluids, and a plan for power failures.
• Ask the agency for its written hurricane plan, including whether caregivers work during storms.
• Register the person in STEAR if they need help in emergencies, and renew it every year.
• Keep 3 to 7 days of medications and supplies on hand, as Harris County advises.

More in-home care guides for Houston

• How much does a private caregiver cost in Houston in 2026?It depends on how many hours you need, when you need them, how much hands-on help is involved and who employs the caregiver. Here is how Houston care is priced, and how to get an exact written quote.
• Private caregiver or home-care agency in Houston: which costs less?Hiring a caregiver yourself usually has the lowest hourly rate, but you take on the employer's job: taxes, backup coverage and screening. Agencies cost more because they carry that work. A small private caregiving company sits in between.
• How do I hire a trustworthy private caregiver for an elderly parent in Houston?Write down exactly what your parent needs, screen every candidate the same way, check identity, references and Texas criminal history, start with a paid trial, and keep watching after care begins. Here is the step-by-step version.
• 24-hour and overnight in-home care in Houston: how it works and what it costsRound-the-clock care is usually set up one of three ways: two or three caregivers on 12- or 8-hour shifts, one caregiver on a 24-hour shift with agreed sleep time, or a live-in. Overnight-only care covers the riskiest hours for less. Here is how each is priced.
• Live-in caregiver in Houston: what does it cost and what is included?A live-in caregiver stays in your parent's home for days at a time, with a private room, meals, breaks and sleep. Because not every hour is paid working time, it often costs much less than hourly 24/7 care. It only works if your parent usually sleeps through the night.
• How do you get dementia and Alzheimer's care at home in Houston?Most Houston families start with a few hours of trained companion and personal care a week, then add overnight or 24-hour coverage as dementia progresses. Here is how to plan each stage, what to ask a caregiver, and where StacieJ Cares fits.
• What is private-pay home care in Houston, and how do you avoid paying for markup you do not need?Private-pay means the family pays the caregiver service directly, without Medicare or Medicaid. Whether you hire through a large agency, a small owner-led service or directly, you are paying for different things. Here is how to compare them honestly.
• Where can family caregivers in Houston get respite care, and how does it work?Respite care is a trained caregiver who takes over for a few hours, overnight or for several days so the family caregiver can rest, work or travel. Houston families can combine free public programs with private in-home respite. Here is how.
• Private caregiver near me in Houston: which areas does StacieJ Cares serve?StacieJ Cares Private Caregivers works out of west Houston and serves Houston, River Oaks, Memorial, Katy, Sugar Land, The Woodlands and Pearland. Here is what distance means for scheduling, what to ask about travel and shift minimums, and which local aging office serves each area.
• In-home care in River Oaks and Memorial, Houston: private caregiversPrivate non-medical caregivers can help River Oaks and Memorial-area seniors stay in the homes they know. Here is who it fits, what to expect from the geography, which resources to call and what to ask.

Questions people ask

Does Houston license home care agencies?

No separate city license applies. Texas HHSC licenses home care and home health agencies as HCSSAs. Use the TULIP Long-term Care Provider Search and select Harris County to see agencies serving Houston.

Who runs the Area Agency on Aging in Houston?

The Harris County Area Agency on Aging is part of the Houston Health Department. It serves adults 60 and older and their caregivers, with services such as benefits counseling, meals, and caregiver support. Call 832-393-4301.

Can Houston caregivers get respite?

Yes, for those who qualify. The HCAAA Caregiver Support Network includes respite care, and the Aging and Disability Resource Center offers short-term respite for unpaid caregivers at 832-393-5500 or 1-855-937-2372. Eligibility and length depend on funding and circumstances.

What is STEAR, and should my parent register?

STEAR is a free, voluntary state registry that tells local emergency planners who may need help in a disaster, such as people with disabilities or who need personal care. Register at stear.texas.gov or by calling 2-1-1. It lasts one year and does not guarantee assistance.

How do older Houstonians get to a cooling center?

During a July 2026 heat wave the city offered free rides to its cooling centers through 3-1-1 or METROLift. Call 3-1-1 to check which centers are open and how to get a ride.

How many older adults live in Houston?

Census Bureau QuickFacts lists 12.3% of Houston residents as 65 or older. Houston's estimated population was 2,397,315 as of July 1, 2025.

Sources

• Houston Health Department: Harris County Area Agency on Aging
• Houston Health Department: Caregiver Support Network
• Houston Health Department: Respite (Aging and Disability Resource Center)
• Texas HHS TULIP: Long-term Care Provider Search
• U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Houston city and Harris County, Texas
• Houston Health Department: Houston activates Heat Emergency Plan (2016)
• KPRC Click2Houston: Houston opens cooling centers as heat wave grips Southeast Texas (July 28, 2026)
• Texas Division of Emergency Management: State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry (STEAR)
• Ready Harris: Pre-registration can save lives during emergencies (2019)
• Harris County Precinct 4: Hurricane Preparedness

Featured providers pay to appear on this guide and are labeled as sponsored. This guide was written by our editorial team from the public sources listed above. It is general information, not legal or medical advice; confirm licensing and terms directly with any provider.