Home Care in Hawaii: Licensed In-Home Care Agencies by City

Aging at home in Hawaii

Hawaii ranks near the top nationally for older residents: 21.5 percent of people were 65 or older in 2024, against 18.0 percent for the country. Most of them live on Oahu, which had 1,016,508 residents in 2020, but older adults also live in Hilo and Kailua-Kona on Hawaii Island, in Wailuku on Maui, and in Lihue on Kauai. Because every island is separate, family caregivers often live one flight away, or across the Pacific. Families who want a loved one to remain at home usually start with non-medical help such as meal preparation, light housekeeping, errands and companionship.

21.5% of Hawaii residents are 65 or older. Source: U.S. Census Bureau population estimates (via CDC WONDER), 2024, as published by America's Health Rankings; national figure 18.0%.

Cities, towns and neighborhoods we cover

On Oahu, care needs run from Waikiki, Kakaako and Makiki in urban Honolulu to Manoa and Kaimuki in the valleys and hills, and across the Nuuanu Pali to Kailua and Lanikai on the windward side. Diamond Head, Iolani Palace and Pearl Harbor are familiar landmarks for local families. On Hawaii Island, Hilo's Waiakea and Wainaku areas are on the east side near Liliuokalani Gardens, while Kailua-Kona along Alii Drive is a dry leeward town. Wailuku sits at the mouth of Iao Valley on Maui, and Lihue is the county seat on Kauai.

• Honolulu: Waikiki, Kakaako, Manoa, Makiki, Kaimuki
• Hilo: Downtown Hilo, Waiakea, Wainaku, Pepeekeo
• Kailua (Oahu): Lanikai, Enchanted Lake, Maunawili

Regions

• Oahu: 1,016,508 residents in 2020; about two-thirds of the state's population
• Hawaii Island (Big Island): 200,629 residents in 2020; Hilo on the east side, Kailua-Kona on the west
• Maui: 164,221 residents in 2020; county seat is Wailuku
• Kauai: 73,298 residents in 2020; county seat is Lihue
• Molokai: 7,345 residents in 2020

Familiar places

Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona Memorial, Oahu; Diamond Head, Honolulu; Iolani Palace, Honolulu; Hanauma Bay, Oahu; Haleakala National Park, Maui; Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii Island; Liliuokalani Park and Gardens, Hilo.

Planning care around Hawaii's seasons and geography

Hawaii does not have four seasons, but it does have a dry season from roughly May to October and a wet season from roughly October to April. Kailua-Kona has a semi-arid climate with about 19 inches of rain a year, sheltered on the leeward side of Hualalai. The Central Pacific hurricane season runs June 1 through November 30, so families should have a storm plan before it starts. On Hawaii Island, vog from Kilauea can affect the Kona coast. Because moving between islands takes a flight, ask how a care arrangement would continue if weather, a tsunami warning or a canceled flight disrupts normal schedules.

• Each island is its own community, and about two-thirds of the state's residents live on Oahu, so availability of caregivers differs a great deal between Honolulu and neighbor island towns such as Hilo, Wailuku and Lihue.
• Hawaii has a dry season from roughly May to October and a wet season from roughly October to April, with near-constant trade winds moderating temperatures.
• The Central Pacific hurricane season runs June 1 through November 30, according to Hawaii's emergency management office.
• Volcanic haze (vog) can cover the Kona coast depending on Kilauea's activity and wind, and tsunamis have caused damage in the past, so families on Hawaii Island should know their local evacuation routes.

Hawaii resources for families

• Licensing. Hawaii Administrative Rules chapter 11-700 makes it unlawful to operate a home care agency without a license from the Department of Health, and home care agencies are the non-medical category that provides services such as personal care, homemaker and companion help. Confirm current requirements with the state before you hire. Hawaii Department of Health, Office of Health Care Assurance (OHCA)
• Aging services. Hawaii uses county offices on aging rather than a single AAA map: Honolulu 808-768-7700, Hawaii County 808-961-8626, Maui County 808-270-7774, Kauai 808-241-4470; the Aging and Disability Resource Center is at hawaiiadrc.org. Hawaii Executive Office on Aging (Department of Health)
• Help paying. Hawaii's Medicaid home and community-based program for older adults is QUEST Integration (QI), Hawaii's Medicaid managed care program that includes long-term services and supports. Eligibility is based on income and care needs.