Northeast · Pennsylvania
Home Care in Schuylkill County, PA
Schuylkill County stretches from Tower City and Pine Grove on the Dauphin and Lebanon lines up through Pottsville to the coal-region boroughs of Shenandoah, Mahanoy City and Tamaqua. About 21 percent of its 144,000 residents are 65 or older. It's Your Home Care provides licensed, non-medical in-home care throughout the county.
Why Schuylkill County families call us
Schuylkill County has about 144,000 residents and roughly 30,000 of them are 65 or older. It is anthracite country: a string of boroughs built for coal along the ridges and valleys, from Tower City and Tremont in the west through Minersville, Pottsville and Saint Clair, to Frackville, Shenandoah and Mahanoy City in the north and Tamaqua and McAdoo in the east. Many older residents live in the same narrow row homes their parents did, with steep stairs, small bathrooms and children who moved to the Lehigh Valley, Harrisburg or out of state for work.
Those homes shape the care we provide. Bathing and safe movement between floors come up in nearly every consultation. So does the question of how a family spread across three counties can be sure someone is checking on Mom every day. We answer both with a written plan: what the caregiver will do, when, and how the family will hear about it.
How care starts in Schuylkill County
- Call (717) 695-2704 or send the contact form and tell us your borough.
- in-home consultation in Pottsville, the northern boroughs, or the western end.
- A written care plan outlining the schedule and support before care begins.
- Caregiver introduction, matched on care needs, personality, schedule and location.
- Ongoing check-ins and an on-call line for active clients.
Care situations we see most often in Schuylkill County
- An older adult in a Pottsville, Shenandoah or Tamaqua row home who needs morning help with bathing, dressing and getting downstairs safely.
- A spouse in Schuylkill Haven or Orwigsburg caring alone for a partner with dementia who needs scheduled respite.
- Discharges from Lehigh Valley Hospital–Schuylkill, Geisinger St. Luke’s in Orwigsburg, or St. Luke’s Miners in Coaldale where the family wants someone home for the first nights.
- Adult children in Allentown, Reading or Harrisburg arranging weekday coverage for a parent in Pine Grove, Tremont or Tower City.
- Veterans and surviving spouses exploring VA Aid and Attendance to help pay for care.
Schuylkill County’s hospitals
Lehigh Valley Hospital–Schuylkill operates two campuses in Pottsville; Geisinger St. Luke’s Hospital in Orwigsburg opened in 2019; and St. Luke’s Miners Campus in Coaldale serves the eastern end of the county. We are a non-medical agency and coordinate with the home health and hospice providers those hospitals refer to.
Communities we serve in Schuylkill County
Our caregivers cover Pottsville and the surrounding boroughs and townships, including:
- Pottsville
- Tamaqua
- Shenandoah
- Mahanoy City
- Schuylkill Haven
- Frackville
- Minersville
- Orwigsburg
- Pine Grove
- Saint Clair
- Ashland
- Tremont
- Tower City
- Girardville
- McAdoo
Coming home from the hospital in Schuylkill County
Many families call us the day a discharge planner says "someone needs to be home with them." We regularly support clients returning from Lehigh Valley Hospital–Schuylkill (Pottsville), Geisinger St. Luke's Hospital (Orwigsburg), St. Luke's Miners Campus (Coaldale). 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 Schuylkill 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 Schuylkill County Office of Senior Services at (570) 622-3103 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 Schuylkill County families
- Schuylkill County Office of Senior Services · (570) 622-3103 — The county Area Agency on Aging: OPTIONS intake, Caregiver Support Program, senior centers, protective services 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 Schuylkill 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 Schuylkill County families ask us
Which parts of Schuylkill County do you serve?
How does the Office of Senior Services fit in?
Can you help after a discharge from Lehigh Valley Hospital–Schuylkill or Geisinger St. Luke's?
Many of our older relatives live in row homes with steep stairs. Can caregivers help with that?
Is your office in Schuylkill County?
Sources
- Schuylkill 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 Schuylkill 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.