Personal Care Services & Companion Care in Kailua-Kona, Waimea & West Hawaiʻi
Whether an aging parent in Kailua-Kona, Keauhou, Holualoa, Captain Cook, Waikōloa Village, or Waimea needs respectful help with morning bathing and dressing, safe transfers on split-level or mauka homes, or a friendly companion for fresh island meal preparation and clinic visits, connect with a Hawaii DOH OHCA state-licensed Home Care Agency (`-HCA`).
- Activities of Daily Living (ADL) Assistance: Hands-on support with shower safety, sponge baths, oral hygiene, dressing, grooming, restroom use, and incontinence care.
- Mobility & Fall-Risk Reduction: Stand-by assistance on stairs and lanais, bed-to-wheelchair transfers, walker supervision, and range-of-motion exercises.
- Homemaker & Nutritious Meal Prep: Preparing familiar local dishes and low-sodium or diabetic-friendly meals, grocery shopping at KTA Super Stores (Kona, Keauhou & Waimea), Sack N Save, Foodland Farms, or Costco Kona, and light housekeeping.
- Qualifies for LTC Insurance & VA Reimbursement: Hands-on ADL assistance from a state-licensed
-HCAagency triggers benefit eligibility under most Long-Term Care Insurance policies.
-HCA) and Home Health Agencies (HHA-) under HRS § 321-14.8 and HAR Title 11, Chapter 700.
Request Kona & West Hawaiʻi Personal or Companion Care Quotes
Get matched with a state-licensed Kona & West Hawaiʻi Home Care Agency (`-HCA`) for personal care or homemaker support.
Comparing Companion / Homemaker Care vs. Hands-On Personal Care in Kona & West Hawaiʻi
Under HAR Title 11, Chapter 700, Hawaii DOH-licensed Home Care Agencies offer two primary tiers of non-medical support in the home.
| Care Category | Included Daily Tasks | Typical Kona & West Hawaiʻi Hourly Rate | Best Fit For Kūpuna Who... |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homemaker & Companion Care (IADLs) | Meal preparation, grocery shopping, light housekeeping, laundry, linen changes, medication reminders, social companionship, and escorted transportation to Kona Community Hospital and Queen’s North Hawaiʻi Community Hospital and local clinics. | $37 – $40/hr (~$7,627/mo at 44 hrs/wk CareScout benchmark) |
Are still independent with bathroom routines and walking, but no longer drive or need help keeping up with cooking, errands, and household safety. |
| Personal Care / Home Care Aide (ADLs) | Everything in Homemaker Care plus hands-on help with bathing/showering, dressing, grooming, toileting, incontinence care, feeding assistance, and bed/chair transfers. | $39 – $43/hr ($41/hr Hawaii median; ~$8,103/mo at 44 hrs/wk) |
Experience balance issues, arthritis, post-hospital recovery, frailty, or require hands-on physical assistance with 2+ Activities of Daily Living (qualifying for LTC insurance). |
Detailed Activities of Daily Living (ADL) & IADL Checklist
When a state-licensed Kona & West Hawaiʻi Home Care Agency performs an initial in-home assessment, their care coordinator builds a customized written Service Plan around these core areas:
Personal Care (ADLs — Physical Assistance)
- Bathing & Shower Safety: Stepping into tub/shower stalls, using shower chairs and grab bars safely, drying off, and skin care.
- Dressing & Grooming: Selecting comfortable island attire, buttoning/zipping, putting on footwear or compression stockings, hair care, shaving, and oral care.
- Mobility & Transfers: Safe stand-pivot transfers from bed to wheelchair or recliner, walker stability indoors and on the lanai, and fall prevention.
- Toileting & Continence Support: Escorting to the bathroom day or night, commode assistance, and discreet incontinence product changes.
- Eating & Hydration: Cutting food, cueing regular water/fluid intake, and monitoring daily nutrition.
Homemaker & Companionship (IADLs — Household Support)
- Kitchen & Local Meal Prep: Cooking warm breakfasts, soups, rice, fresh fish, and local produce; labeling leftovers; washing dishes and sanitizing counters.
- Light Housekeeping & Laundry: Vacuuming/sweeping living areas, wiping bathroom surfaces, changing bed sheets, washing/folding clothes, and taking out trash.
- Errands & Medical Escort: Accompanied rides down Māmalahoa Highway or Queen Kaʻahumanu Highway to Kona Community Hospital (Kealakekua), Queen’s North Hawaiʻi Community Hospital (Waimea), Kaiser Permanente Kona / Waimea clinics, HMSA/HPH clinics, and Longs Drugs pharmacy pickups.
- Non-Clinical Medication Reminders: Opening pill organizers at scheduled times and reminding the client to take prescribed medications per family instructions.
- Meaningful Social Engagement: Talking story, tending lanai plants and gardens, puzzles, and keeping local or mainland family members updated after every shift.