When a parent starts needing help at home, the first question most families ask is simple: what is this going to cost? The honest answer is that it depends, mostly on how many hours of help are needed each week and on which agency provides it. This page gives you planning ranges so you can think about a budget before you start calling agencies.
These are planning ranges, not quotes. In-home care in the Naperville area commonly runs about $30 to $38 per hour. Rates vary by agency, by hours, and by the type of help needed, and they change over time. Always confirm current rates directly with each agency you are considering.
Hourly, weekly, and monthly ranges
Most non-medical home care is billed by the hour. To turn an hourly rate into a monthly figure, multiply the weekly hours by the hourly rate and then by about 4.33 weeks per month. The table below uses the $30–$38 planning range.
| Hours per week | Weekly range | Monthly range (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| 12 hours | $360 – $456 | $1,560 – $1,980 |
| 20 hours | $600 – $760 | $2,600 – $3,290 |
| 40 hours | $1,200 – $1,520 | $5,200 – $6,590 |
Twelve hours a week might look like three four-hour visits: help with a shower, a meal, light housekeeping, and a ride to an appointment. Twenty hours might be four or five weekday visits. Forty hours is roughly a full-time weekday schedule. For a different number of hours, the care cost calculator will show you a range in about a minute.
What drives the cost up or down
- Hours per week. This is the biggest factor by far. Doubling the hours roughly doubles the bill.
- Visit minimums. Many agencies require a minimum visit length, often a few hours, and some have a weekly minimum. Short visits can cost more per hour or may not be offered.
- Evenings, weekends, and holidays. Some agencies charge higher rates for nights, weekends, or holidays. Ask how each agency handles this.
- Level of help. Help with bathing, toileting, transfers, or memory-related behaviors may be priced differently from companionship and housekeeping.
- Number of people. Care for two people in the same home, such as both parents, may be priced differently than care for one.
- Agency costs. Licensed agencies carry insurance, screen and train caregivers, handle payroll taxes, and arrange backup staff. Those protections are part of what you are paying for.
Live-in care versus hourly care
Families sometimes assume that a parent who needs help "all the time" needs 24 hourly shifts a day. There are two different arrangements to ask about.
Hourly care
Caregivers work scheduled shifts and are paid for every hour. Round-the-clock hourly care usually means several caregivers rotating through awake shifts, which is the most expensive way to cover a full day. It is often used when someone needs active help during the night.
Live-in care
A live-in caregiver stays in the home for a period of days and is given private sleeping space and breaks. Live-in care is often priced as a daily rate rather than an hourly one, and the terms vary a great deal between agencies. It may be a fit when a parent needs someone nearby but sleeps through most nights. Ask each agency how it defines live-in care, what sleep and break arrangements are required, and how it is priced.
Who pays for home care
Most non-medical home care is paid privately, from savings, income, or family help. Medicare generally does not pay for ongoing help with daily activities at home. Some families use long-term care insurance, veterans benefits, or Medicaid programs. Our guide to Medicare and home care explains these paths in more detail, and the difference between home care and home health is covered in home care vs. home health.
How to use these numbers
- Write down the tasks your parent needs help with and when during the day.
- Estimate the hours per week that would cover those tasks.
- Use the ranges above to set a rough monthly budget.
- Ask two or three licensed agencies for their current rates, minimums, and policies.
- Revisit the plan every few months. Needs often change.
If you would like a licensed local provider to contact you about your situation, you can request help. Families never pay SecureElder.