Many long-term care insurance programs cover home care services if specific conditions are met. Long term care policies use ""benefit triggers"" to determine whether home care will be covered. One common trigger is if the individual is unable to perform a certain number of "activities of daily living", or ADL's, without assistance (bathing, eating, personal hygiene, moving around, toileting, etc...). Most plans require an elimination period before services become covered (for example, benefits will not start for 30, 60, or 90 days after the need is identified). During this period of time the responsibility for payment of services is yours, not the long-term care insurer's.  If there is a waiting period, this is written in the policy and was probably chosen by the insured when the policy was purchased.