Home Care in Upper Darby and Lansdowne: Resources for Delaware County Families

Upper Darby and Lansdowne sit just across the city line from Philadelphia — close enough to feel like the city, far enough that families sometimes assume Philadelphia’s Medicaid programs don’t apply to them. They do. Delaware County is part of the CHC Southeast Zone, served by the same three MCOs and the same programs as Philadelphia.

What Applies to Your Family

Community HealthChoices, Participant-Directed Services, and Agency with Choice all work identically in Delaware County as in Philadelphia. The paid family caregiver pathway is the same.

The local Area Agency on Aging is the Delaware County Office of Services for the Aging (COSA) at (610) 490-1300, located in Media. COSA provides the same information, referral, and assessment coordination functions that PCA provides in Philadelphia.

What We See in Upper Darby

Upper Darby has become one of the most diverse communities in the Philadelphia suburbs. In our experience at CareChoice, we serve families from South Asian, West African, Caribbean, and Southeast Asian backgrounds in Upper Darby — communities where family caregiving is the cultural default and agency-based care feels foreign.
For these families, PDS is a natural fit: the caregiving structure stays exactly as it is, and the family member providing care starts receiving compensation. We’ve found that
language-accessible services are particularly important in Upper Darby — request interpreters for assessments and care planning.

Many Upper Darby families also assume their parents earn too much for Medicaid, especially if they have a small pension alongside Social Security.
Long-term care Medicaid rules are more generous than standard Medicaid — don’t self-disqualify.

Getting Started

Contact COSA at (610) 490-1300 or apply directly through COMPASS. The process is identical to Philadelphia.

Written by Carolyn Choates, Assistant Marketing Manager | CareChoice