In-home care services
24-hour home care for seniors: how it works and what it costs
24-hour home care means someone is with your loved one around the clock, in the home, so they can stay safely where they live. It is usually arranged with a team of caregivers on shifts, and it is different from live-in care, where one caregiver lives in the home.
How 24-hour care is staffed
An agency covers the full day with two or three caregivers on shifts, typically 8 or 12 hours each, so that every caregiver is awake and alert while on duty. Because shifts change, the agency should hand over care notes at each change.
Round-the-clock care suits people who cannot be left alone for even short periods: advanced memory loss, a high risk of falls, wandering, or recovery after a hospital stay when family cannot be there.
24-hour shifts versus live-in
With shifts, caregivers are awake throughout their shifts, including overnight. With live-in care, one caregiver lives in the home and gets a sleep break and time off, so it is often priced differently and fits people who sleep through the night. Ask each agency how it defines the two and how it bills.
Questions to ask
How many caregivers will rotate through each week, and can they be the same people. Who covers when a caregiver is sick. Whether overnight caregivers stay awake. Whether there is overtime or holiday pricing, and how the care plan is updated as needs change. Ask for the answers in writing.
What 24-hour care costs
Around-the-clock care costs more than most part-time arrangements, and it can cost more than assisted living. The national median for in-home care is about $35 an hour (CareScout 2025), roughly $3,033 a month for 20 hours a week and $6,067 for 40 hours. Some agencies quote a daily rate for 24-hour care, so ask for the daily and weekly total. Rates by state are on our cost of care page, and the paying for care guide covers private pay, long-term care insurance, VA benefits and Medicaid waivers.
Find in-home care agencies near you
Enter a city or ZIP code, or browse every state. Each listing shows its public rating and, where the state publishes a roster, the license number and the date we checked it.
Questions about 24-hour care
Is 24-hour care the same as live-in care?
No. 24-hour care uses shifts so a caregiver is always awake. Live-in care uses one caregiver who lives in the home and sleeps there.
Can family share the hours?
Yes. Many families cover some nights or weekends themselves and book an agency for the rest, which brings the cost down.
How fast can 24-hour care start?
Many agencies can start within a few days when they have staff available, but always ask for the exact start date and who the first caregivers will be.