Central · Pennsylvania
Home Care in Juniata County, PA
Juniata County follows the Juniata River and Route 322 northwest of Harrisburg, a rural county of about 23,000 people where more than 21 percent are 65 or older. It's Your Home Care provides licensed, non-medical in-home care throughout the county, from Mifflintown and Port Royal to Thompsontown, Richfield, McAlisterville and the Tuscarora Valley.
Why Juniata County families call us
Juniata County has about 23,000 residents and more than one in five is 65 or older. It is a county of small towns along the river (Mifflintown, Mifflin, Port Royal, Thompsontown), farms in the Tuscarora Valley to the west and around Richfield and McAlisterville to the east, and a significant Plain community. There is no hospital, and the nearest one, Geisinger Lewistown, is across the county line. Adult children often live in State College, Harrisburg or out of state.
The families we meet in Juniata County are practical and self-reliant. They have usually done a great deal themselves before calling an agency, and what they want is not a sales pitch but a straight answer about who will come, when. We give that answer in writing.
How care starts in Juniata County
- Call (717) 695-2704. Tell us the town and the schedule you have in mind.
- in-home consultation at the home.
- A written care plan outlining the schedule and support before care begins.
- Caregiver introduction, with continuity as the priority.
- Ongoing check-ins and an on-call line for active clients.
Care situations we see most often in Juniata County
- A parent in Mifflintown or Port Royal whose children live in Harrisburg or State College and want scheduled weekday visits for meals, housekeeping and medication reminders.
- A spouse in Thompsontown or McAlisterville caring alone for a partner with dementia who needs a regular block of respite.
- Discharges from Geisinger Lewistown Hospital or a Harrisburg hospital where the drive home is long and no one is available for the first nights.
- Older adults on farm properties in the Tuscarora Valley who need help with personal care in the morning and want to remain on the land.
- Veterans and surviving spouses asking whether VA Aid and Attendance can help pay.
Where Juniata County residents receive hospital care
Juniata County has no hospital. Geisinger Lewistown Hospital in Mifflin County is the closest; residents also use Harrisburg hospitals and Penn State Health Hershey Medical Center for specialty care. We are a non-medical agency and coordinate with the home health and hospice providers those hospitals refer to; our role is the everyday support that lets someone recover and remain at home.
Communities we serve in Juniata County
Our caregivers cover Mifflintown and the surrounding boroughs and townships, including:
- Mifflintown
- Mifflin
- Port Royal
- Thompsontown
- Richfield
- McAlisterville
- East Waterford
- Honey Grove
- Mexico
- Cocolamus
Coming home from the hospital in Juniata County
Many families call us the day a discharge planner says "someone needs to be home with them." We regularly support clients returning from Geisinger Lewistown Hospital (nearest, Mifflin County). Tell us the expected discharge date and we will try to have a caregiver ready for the first day home, help with the transition (getting settled, meals, medication reminders per the discharge instructions, and follow-up appointment logistics), and coordinate with any home health nurses or therapists the physician has ordered. We provide non-medical support; skilled services come from the home health agency your doctor chooses.
Paying for home care in Juniata County
- Long-term care insurance. We provide the care plan, daily notes, and itemized invoices most carriers require. How LTC insurance claims work.
- VA benefits. Aid and Attendance and Housebound pension add-ons can support care at home for eligible veterans and surviving spouses.
- OPTIONS program (age 60+). Contact the Mifflin-Juniata Area Agency on Aging at (800) 348-2277 or online.
- Medicaid and state programs. Community HealthChoices (CHC) waiver, OBRA waiver, and the Act 150 Program. We are an enrolled provider; you have the right to choose any willing and qualified provider, so you can ask your service coordinator for It's Your Home Care by name.
Read the full guide: How to pay for home care in Pennsylvania.
Local resources for Juniata County families
- Mifflin-Juniata Area Agency on Aging · (800) 348-2277 — Two-county Area Agency on Aging: OPTIONS intake, Caregiver Support Program, senior centers and the long-term care ombudsman.
- PA Link to Aging and Disability Resources · 1-800-753-8827 — Statewide help line for aging and disability services.
- Independent Enrollment Broker (Community HealthChoices) · 1-877-550-4227 — Begins Medicaid waiver eligibility for personal assistance services.
- Pennsylvania Department of Health home care complaint line · 1-866-826-3644 — State hotline for concerns about any licensed home care agency.
Situations we help Juniata County families with
After a fall
A fall changes everything in a day. Whether it ended in the ER or just a scare on the kitchen floor, the question is the same: how do we keep this from happening again without taking away their independence?
Coming home from the hospital
The hospital wants the bed. The discharge planner says someone needs to be home. You have a job, kids, and maybe a two-hour drive. This is the situation we are built for.
Dementia and memory loss
The repeated questions. The stove left on. The night you found the front door open. You want to keep them home, and you are starting to wonder how much longer you can.
You need a break (respite)
You have not slept through the night in months. You have canceled your own doctor's appointments twice. You love them and you are running on empty. Respite is not giving up; it is how you keep going.
Long-distance family
You call every day. You visit when you can. But the weekly drive is not enough anymore, and every unanswered phone call sends your stomach through the floor. You need someone local you can trust.
They refuse help
"I don't need a babysitter." You have heard it a dozen times. Meanwhile the fridge is empty, the pill bottles are a mess, and you are lying awake. There is a way through this, and it usually starts smaller than you think.
What families say
“I am very thankful for this nursing company. They have treated me very well. Cassandra is the lady who gets the nurses and has done very well by me. Michael is the owner of the company, and how many owners of a company will call you on a Sunday afternoon when they are having problems getting you a nurse and apologize? I don’t know of any, and I’ve been getting nursing care for years. This is the first time I’ve ever gotten an apology from an owner because the nurse missed the shift. Well, if you need kind care, call these people.”
Debbie H.
"The support I received from It's Your Home Care was life-changing. They not only cared for my physical health but also provided emotional support that helped me through tough times."
Eleanor, 83, Cumberland County
"I trust the It's Your Home Care staff completely. Their reliability and dedication to care is evident in everything they do. Love you guys!"
Frances Guerrero, Lancaster, PA
Testimonials reflect the individual experiences of clients or family members who gave permission to share them; experiences vary.
Questions Juniata County families ask us
Juniata County has no hospital. Where do clients usually come home from?
How is the Area Agency on Aging organized for Juniata County?
How quickly can care start in Mifflintown?
Do you serve the Tuscarora Valley and the eastern end near Richfield?
Do families in Juniata County pay privately?
Sources
- Juniata County, PA — ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates — U.S. Census Bureau via Census Reporter
- Apply for the OPTIONS Program — Pennsylvania Department of Aging
This article is general information for Pennsylvania families and is not medical, legal, financial, or insurance advice. It's Your Home Care is a non-medical home care agency licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Health; we do not provide skilled nursing or medical services. Program rules and eligibility change; confirm details with the agency or program named, your physician, or a qualified advisor before making decisions.
Talk to a care coordinator who knows Juniata County
Tell us what is happening at home. We will explain your options, including what private pay, long-term care insurance, VA benefits, and Pennsylvania waiver programs may cover, and schedule an in-home care consultation when you are ready.