ACE Home Health & Hospice

Hourly or Live-In Services?

Hourly services are best for those situations where just a few services are needed, or at certain times during the day. When getting going in the morning, for instance, or getting ready for bed in the evening. Maybe it’s around mealtime and someone is needed for companionship or driving to a local get-together with a friend. Or maybe they need certain errands or doctors’ appointments set up for a certain time of the week. Hourly caregiving can be set up for one day a week, up to seven days, but the most important consideration is consistency, both for their peace of mind/stability and to increase the chances they’ll have the same caregiver every time. Almost all agencies have a four-hour minimum with two- and three-hour shifts available at a higher rate.

Live-in personal assistants are also available to stay at the home of the client, helping with typical activities of daily living (ADLs), such as safety monitoring, bathing/grooming/dressing/toileting assistance, meal preparation, housekeeping and errands/transportation. Live-in care is the most cost-effective way to provide full-time caregiving and, at the same, the best solution for those needing more than 12-hours-a-day services. However, there are certain requirements that must be met for live-in care. A bed must be available for the caregiver to sleep in and it is up to the client to provide food for the caregiver. Caregivers are also expected to be able to sleep through the night to get enough rest for the next day. One or two interruptions to assist the client is acceptable, but if more extensive care is needed during the night, then live-in care may not be appropriate and other options should be discussed.

Also, there’s the “sleepover,” an eight- to 12-hour shift where, for example, the caregiver assists the client for two hours getting ready for bed, sleeps for eight hours, then assists for another two hours in the morning. Just as with the live-in shift, a bed should be made available for the caregiver to sleep in and interruptions should be kept to one or two a night. This is an excellent way to provide respite care for a family caregiver living nearby.

WeCare Home Assistants is well-acquainted with the different and changing needs of elderly clients and would be willing to discuss them with you at the time of assessment, or at any time during the service period. All consultations are free of charge.

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