24 Hour Home Care Guide (2025)

Seniors who need constant assistance may benefit from 24-hour home care. Not every older adult may find the most comfort in an assisted living facility, often making home care an ideal alternative. In-home care and home health care can benefit families who want to provide care tailored to their loved ones’ needs. 

Working as an unpaid caregiver is a common practice that can come with many challenges. According to Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data, 14% of the population — 37.1 million people — provide unpaid care for seniors in the U.S. 

Additionally, an S&P Global survey with AARP noted that about 70% of caregivers reported having at least some difficulty balancing their work as a caregiver with other elements of life. Most made a significant change to accommodate their caregiving responsibility, including going to work early or leaving late, taking an extended leave of absence, or turning down promotions.

It's crucial to ensure that senior loved ones receive the care they need and their families do not feel burdened by providing care. When the burden of care is lifted, caregivers can focus instead on strengthening their original bond with their loved one (as spouse, child, etc.) outside of caregiving, which can have mental health benefits.

If you're considering hiring professional help, this guide offers insights for families on 24 hour home care. Explore key factors like the cost of in-home care, potential benefits and drawbacks, steps for hiring the best caregiver, and more. 

A key difference between home care and home health care relates to the amount of medical intervention. If you need home health care services for a family member, you'll likely receive the assistance of a licensed medical professional, such as a nurse or a physical therapist. In-home care is nonmedical; in-home aides provide companionship, personal care, and transportation, but no medical care. More than likely, the 24-hour home care you seek is home health care.

Insurance is more likely to cover home health care costs, while private pay finances in-home care costs. Examples of the assistance you receive with home health care include physical therapy and pain management. Home health aid costs may also involve wound care, personal care, and assorted therapies.

Professional caregivers provide 24 hour home care to seniors who always need someone on site. They specialize in helping people who experience difficulty with activities of daily living (ADLs), such as toileting, bathing, and dressing. There are several benefits to 24/7 in-home care, including:

 

• Aging in place
• Developing personal relationships with professional caregivers
• Providing personalized care services
• Assisting with preparing meals, housekeeping, and laundry
• Managing medications and reducing the chances of incorrect dosage or forgetting to take them
• Reducing the chance of loneliness due to around-the-clock companionship
• Providing peace of mind for families to know their loved one is receiving skilled, professional care

Though 24-hour home care and live-in care share some similarities, they differ in key ways. In some instances, caregivers deliver a total of 24 hours of home care together by working 8-12 hour shifts to ensure continuity. Live-in care is a single caregiver who lives with the senior full-time, delivering care when required. The following section covers details on 24-hour home care. 

Consider 24 hour home care if your loved one needs around-the-clock attention and monitoring. This type of care can offer a safe, comfortable alternative to a facility setting. If your loved one has any of the following conditions, 24-hour home care can be an especially appealing option: 

 

• Dementia: Confusion, disorientation, and memory care needs can make it harder for seniors to perform activities of daily living and monitor their medications. 
• Rehabilitation: Individuals recovering from surgery or illness may require frequent monitoring, changes to wound dressings, and mobility assistance.
• Physical Disabilities: Patients who need positioning to avoid getting pressure sores, along with people who need help transferring from their bed to a wheelchair, can benefit from 24-hour home care.
• Chronic Health Conditions: Seniors who require medication management and monitoring of their vital signs should consider 24-hour home care. Examples include patients with diabetes, heart disease, or respiratory problems. 

Investing in 24-hour home care ensures that your loved one will receive the care they need and can lower your stress as a caregiver. A few of the most notable pros to 24-hour home care include:

 

• The caregiver tailors their care to your loved one's specific and changing needs.
• Your loved one remains in the familiar and comforting surroundings of their home.
• Seniors can retain more independence and autonomy because they're not subject to a facility's schedule.
• Home health aid costs can have a higher return on investment n than a facility (subject to your loved one’s location and finances, of course).
• With 24-hour home care, you can have closer involvement to ensure your loved one's needs are met.
• Infection risks are lower because your loved one will be in contact with fewer people. 

Not every care option will meet every family's needs. Consider the cost of in-home care, for example. Other factors to note may include location and socialization opportunities. An in-home environment, while safe and comfortable in many ways, could also become isolating. Here are other potential drawbacks to evaluate when deciding if 24 hour home care is best for you and your family: 

 

• It’s difficult to ensure a dementia-safe environment in a home. Nearly 75% of dementia caregivers we surveyed in 2024 cited home safety concerns as the reason they placed their senior loved one in a memory care facility.
• Your loved one will have fewer opportunities to meet new people and develop friendships.
• In-home caregivers have limited resources compared to facilities, such as specialized medical equipment.
• The caregiver handles tasks alone, whereas aging adult programs may have specialists for each task. 
• Finding the right 24/7 in-home caregiver can be challenging, particularly in rural areas.
• Some insurance plans don't cover in-home care or may restrict coverage for specific types of care.

The monthly cost of in-home care varies depending on your location and choice of home health care or in-home care services. Home health aide costs will likely be higher than in-home care services due to skilled nursing services home health aides provide.

The median monthly cost of in-home care in 2024 was $6,292, according to CareScout. That cost rises to $6,483/month for home health care and the use of a home health aide. This cost estimate is a median, the true cost of care can vary based on location.

Many factors can affect the cost of in-home care, including:

 

• The type and volume of care required
• The caregiver's level of experience and qualifications
• Your location
• The hours of care provided
• Additional services, such as medical equipment and supplies
• The level of insurance coverage because not all plans cover all costs
• Agency fees if not paying the caregiver directly

In-home care fees can stretch people's budgets, so let's consider some programs that can make it more affordable.

Families hoping for assistance with the cost of in-home care have options. Several factors could impact the ability to secure financial assistance, primarily surrounding the type of in-home care a family needs. Home health care costs may be more manageable since they are more often eligible for insurance coverage, including government-subsidized coverage like Medicare and Medicaid.

Families interested in 24 hour home care may be able to avoid concerns surrounding government budget cuts from the Trump Administration, whose Medicaid cuts are more likely to affect nursing homes than in-home care options. Below are some of the most common financial assistance opportunities available to cover home health care costs: 

 

• Medicare: While Medicare doesn't cover costs associated with 24 hour home care, some assistance is available through Medicare Part A or Part B if your loved one meets the criteria for home health care provided by a Medicare-approved skilled nurse or medical practitioner. 
• Medicaid: Cost coverage for 24-hour home care varies by location and can depend on eligibility criteria. One option for Medicaid coverage could be through Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) waivers.  
• Veterans Benefits: Veterans can receive financial assistance through VA health care. Eligible participants can get medical care services or assistance with daily living activities.
• Long-Term Care Insurance: This specialized type of insurance may be one of the most accessible. Policy pricing for long-term care insurance depends on factors like age or if you elect to add benefits that increase with inflation.

Once you've decided you’re okay with what home health aid costs, choosing the best person or service entity is the next priority. To find the right caregiver, we've broken down some key details to note in your search. For more detail, visit our step-by-step guide to hiring an in-home caregiver.

 

• Establish your needs. You'll need a firm grasp of the tasks required of your caregiver. A benefit of in home care is the potential to create a custom care plan that fits you or your loved one's home setting and unique needs. 
• Note your budget. The cost of in home care can be steep, so you'll want to know what you can afford. Remember to also take note of financial assistance opportunities.
• Conduct a streamlined search for care. After getting a comprehensive view of the care you need and your budget, conduct a search. Caring's ZIP code search bar is a starting point you can use to find quality caregivers near you. 
• Evaluate your options. Once you find a few care choices, thoroughly vet them. Check references and educational background on any potential caregivers. You can ask agencies to provide education transcripts on the folks they sent you, as well.
• Move forward with next steps. You may want to conduct interviews, check credentials, or even set up a trial run for a potential caregiver as you continue your search. Include your loved one and other family members in the process by allowing them to provide questions for any potential caregivers and get a feel for their demeanor. 

Seeking help from the right sources is important if you're considering 24/7 care for a loved one. The following list includes some helpful resources.

If your loved one requires more specialized care than a facility can provide, or if keeping them at home is the best option for caregiving, you should consider 24 hour home care. Despite the similar titles, in-home care is not 24-hour home care. Home health care is the only way to receive skilled nursing services in your loved one’s home, and thus the 24-hour home care you seek will likely comprise 8- to 12-hour shifts of home health aides.

• Bonavitacola, Julia. (2025). Trump endorses budget that would slash Medicaid funding. American Journal of Managed Care
• Calculate the cost of long-term care near you. (n.d). CareScout
• Celebrating National Family Caregivers Month with BLS data. (2023). U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Medicaid and home health care & non-medical, in-home care. (2025). American Council on Aging
• Home health care vs. non-medical in-home care. (n.d.). Emory University School of Medicine, Department of Neurology
• Home health services. (n.d.). Medicare
• Orris, Allison, et al. (2025). Congressional Republicans can't cut Medicaid by hundreds of billions without hurting people. Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
• Working while caregiving: It's complicated. (2024). S&P Global 
• What is Long-term Care Insurance? (n.d). Administration for Community Living
• What is 24/7 Home Health Care Versus Live-In Care? (2024). Smith Life Homecare