Home Care in Washington, DC: Top-Rated In-Home Care Agencies by City

Aging at home in Washington, DC

In 2024, 13.0 percent of District residents, about 91,000 people, were 65 or older. Washington is divided into Northwest, Northeast, Southeast and Southwest quadrants that meet at the Capitol, and the neighborhoods inside them range from rowhouse blocks on Capitol Hill to the Potomac waterfront in Georgetown and the historic neighborhood of Anacostia. The city's Department of Aging and Community Living is the point of contact for older residents. Rock Creek Park, at 1,754 acres the largest park in the city, bisects the Northwest quadrant. The District is a single jurisdiction, so there is no county line to cross and one department serves every ward.

13% of Washington, DC residents are 65 or older. Source: U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024 state age and sex estimates (July 1, 2024), share of residents age 65 and over.

Cities, towns and neighborhoods we cover

In Northwest, Georgetown, Cleveland Park, Chevy Chase and Dupont Circle sit around Rock Creek Park, which bisects the quadrant. Northeast includes Brookland, nicknamed Little Rome, along with Kingman Park, H Street and Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens near the Maryland line. Capitol Hill spans the Northeast and Southeast quadrants, and the Southeast also holds Anacostia, Hillcrest and the Navy Yard along the river. The Southwest quadrant is the smallest and centers on the Southwest Waterfront, near the Tidal Basin and the National Mall. Care needs differ with housing, from historic rowhouses to apartment buildings.

• Northwest: Georgetown, Cleveland Park, Chevy Chase, Dupont Circle, Adams Morgan
• Northeast: Brookland, Kingman Park, H Street, Capitol Hill
• Southeast: Anacostia, Navy Yard, Hillcrest, Capitol Hill
• Southwest: Southwest Waterfront

Regions

• Northwest: quadrant that holds Georgetown, Cleveland Park, Chevy Chase and Rock Creek Park
• Northeast: quadrant that includes Brookland, Kingman Park, H Street and Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens
• Southeast: quadrant that includes Anacostia, Hillcrest, Navy Yard and the Capitol Riverfront
• Southwest: the smallest of the four quadrants, with the Southwest Waterfront

Familiar places

National Mall, Washington; Lincoln Memorial, Washington; Rock Creek Park, Northwest Washington; Tidal Basin, Washington; Washington National Cathedral, Northwest Washington; Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens, Northeast Washington; Washington Union Station, Washington.

Planning care around Washington, DC's seasons and geography

Summers in Washington are hot and humid, with a July average near 80 degrees and frequent thunderstorms that sometimes produce tornadoes. Winters are chilly with occasional snow, and the District holds a record 28-inch storm from January 1922. Spring brings the National Cherry Blossom Festival, when visitors crowd the Tidal Basin and the National Mall, which can affect trips through Southwest and downtown. Georgetown is also prone to flooding from the Potomac when high tide, storm surge and runoff coincide. Because large events can close streets in the central city, families should ask how a caregiver will arrive.

• Washington has a humid subtropical climate with hot, humid summers: the July daily average is about 79.8 degrees and frequent thunderstorms can occasionally produce tornadoes.
• Winters are chilly with some snow; the January 1922 snowstorm dropped 28 inches, the largest since official records began in 1885.
• The Potomac River can flood the Georgetown neighborhood when high tide, storm surge and runoff combine.
• Each April the National Cherry Blossom Festival draws large crowds around the Tidal Basin and National Mall.

Washington, DC resources for families

• Licensing. DC Health licenses Home Support Agencies, a category for providers of non-medical services such as personal care and companion services (22-B DCMR Chapter 99). Ask the agency for its license and confirm it with DC Health. DC Health, Health Regulation and Licensing Administration
• Aging services. The District is a single jurisdiction, so DACL is the local point of contact for older residents; the main line is (202) 724-5626. District of Columbia Department of Aging and Community Living (DACL)
• Help paying. Washington, DC's Medicaid home and community-based program for older adults is Elderly and Persons with Physical Disabilities (EPD) Waiver. Eligibility is based on income and care needs.