Live-In Care at Home in Ocean and Monmouth Counties, NJ
A live-in caregiver provides consistent daily support and companionship in your loved one's own home, under a care plan overseen by a registered nurse.
- New Jersey License #HP0314200
- CHAP accredited
- BBB accredited, A+ rating
- Registered nurse oversees every care plan
- Free in-home assessment
Live-In Care in Ocean and Monmouth Counties
Award Homecare provides Live-in Full-time Care in Ocean and Monmouth Counties. A live-in caregiver stays in your loved one's home, often for several days in a row, and provides support throughout the day. In a typical live-in arrangement the caregiver sleeps at night and takes regular breaks, unlike 24-hour care, in which caregivers stay awake around the clock.
Live-in care is generally well suited to someone who needs support throughout the day, wishes to remain at home and requires only occasional help overnight. Families often consider it when a loved one can no longer safely be alone, or when a spouse or adult child can no longer provide all of the care.
Daily Support From a Live-In Caregiver
Our live-in caregivers provide consistent support and companionship, with professional care within reach. The care plan sets out which services apply.
Personal Care
Bathing, dressing, grooming, oral care, skin care and incontinence care, along with help getting up, walking and moving from bed to chair. We also support clients who are bed bound.
Meals and Household
Meal planning and cooking, grocery shopping, laundry, changing bed linens, light housekeeping and pet care.
Health Routines
Medication reminders and accompaniment to appointments. Giving medication is a separate task, so consult the physician about anything beyond reminders.
Companionship and Safety
Conversation, errands and the presence of a caregiver in the home. For clients with memory loss, caregivers also help with wander prevention.
Every live-in care plan is overseen by a registered nurse, and each family's dedicated case manager serves as its personal care coordinator.
Choosing the Right Care Arrangement
Every family's situation is different, and the right arrangement depends on your loved one's routines, health and home. Our team helps families weigh the options and adjusts the plan as needs change.
Live-In Care Often Suits Families When
- Your loved one would welcome support at several points in the day, such as getting up in the morning, meals, bathing and bedtime.
- Your loved one lives alone, or a spouse would welcome a partner in providing daily care and physical assistance.
- Your loved one's health is stable, and help is needed only occasionally overnight.
- Your family values continuity, with one primary caregiver who becomes a familiar and trusted presence in the home.
When a Different Arrangement May Help
Some situations are better served by another schedule, and we are glad to talk through them with your family.
- Regular support through the night. When help is needed often overnight, a caregiver who stays awake offers added reassurance. See the comparison with 24-Hour Care below, or our Overnight Care service.
- A few hours of help each day. Hourly Care can be a good fit, and we offer it in four-hour shifts with a 20-hour weekly minimum.
- A private place for the caregiver to rest. A live-in caregiver needs a space to sleep and take breaks. Where the home cannot offer one, another schedule may work well.
- Skilled nursing needs. Live-in care centers on help with daily living and companionship. We do not provide skilled nursing or medical care, such as IV therapy. The physician can advise on medical needs, and our team can help your family arrange care from a wound care doctor or other providers.
For a loved one with memory loss, the right arrangement often depends on how restful the nights are. Our Dementia and Alzheimer's Care service describes the support we offer.
Live-In Care and 24-Hour Care Compared
Families searching for "24 hour home care in NJ" are often looking for live-in care. The main distinction between the two is whether a caregiver is awake overnight.
| Compared | Live-in care | 24-hour shift care |
|---|---|---|
| How the caregiver sleeps and rests | A caregiver lives in the home for several days, with overnight sleep, daytime breaks and days off. | Caregivers work in rotating shifts and stay awake, so someone is alert at all hours. |
| Who is awake overnight | No one is on watch. The caregiver sleeps and is available in an emergency. | A caregiver, every night. |
| Relative cost | Generally costs less. | Generally costs more, because several caregivers share the hours. |
| When it fits | Needs are steady during the day and quiet at night. | Needs are high at night, such as wandering, repositioning or the first days after a hospital stay. |
We offer both Live-in Full-time Care and 24-hour shifts. After a hospital or rehabilitation stay, see our Hospital-to-Home Care service. At the free in-home assessment, we review which arrangement suits your loved one and how the hours would be scheduled.
Preparing the Home for a Live-In Caregiver
These are common considerations in live-in care. Because every home is different, we review each one with your family at the free in-home assessment.
- A place to sleep. U.S. Department of Labor guidance (2016) calls for private quarters when sleep time is left out of paid hours. That means a space separate from the person receiving care, with at least a bed, lighting and a dresser or closet. A second bed in your loved one's bedroom usually does not meet that standard. A pull-out couch in a living room can, if the caregiver has their own bedding, storage and privacy there.
- Meals. Agree in advance on who provides the caregiver's meals.
- Regular breaks. Live-in caregivers have daytime breaks, overnight sleep and days off, and the family decides who covers those times.
- Uninterrupted sleep. Under federal rules, a call to duty during sleep time counts as hours worked, and if a caregiver cannot get at least 5 hours of sleep, the entire period counts as work time (29 CFR 785.22).
The Cost of Live-In Care in New Jersey
Costs vary with location, care needs and provider. Award Homecare provides a quote by phone or after the free in-home assessment, based on the schedule and the help needed. Your quote reflects the following, and our team reviews each point with you.
- Days per week. How many days a caregiver stays, and who covers the rest.
- Nights. What happens when help is needed overnight.
- Level of care. Whether your loved one's needs change what is required.
- The employer. According to A Place for Mom, many families choose an agency that manages hiring, payroll and legal responsibilities rather than hiring a caregiver directly. Under federal rules, third-party employers such as home care agencies may not claim the live-in overtime exemption (29 CFR 552.109).
Our guide to home care costs in New Jersey covers the figures.
Paying for Live-In Care
Live-in Full-time Care can be paid privately, through long-term care insurance or with VA benefits. We are in-network with CareScout and do not accept Medicaid or JACC. According to Medicare.gov, round-the-clock care at home is not covered by Medicare, nor is personal care when it is the only care a person needs.
For a long-term care insurance policy, the insurer can confirm what it covers. The Administration for Community Living explains that these policies reimburse a daily amount, up to a chosen limit, for help with daily activities. Some pay benefits for two to five years, and others for life.
How Live-In Care Begins
Call or Send a Request
Call us at 732-994-0309 or use our contact form. Let us know who needs care and where your family needs the most support.
Free In-Home Assessment
We visit the home and meet with your loved one and your family. We review daily routines, nights, mobility and meals, and where a caregiver would sleep and take breaks.
Care Plan and Case Manager
We prepare a care plan, overseen by a registered nurse. Your case manager coordinates the details with you.
Care Begins
A caregiver moves in on the agreed schedule. A live-in caregiver can often be in place within 24 hours, and at times the same day.
Adjusting the Plan
If nights become more difficult or needs change, let us know so the care plan can be reviewed.
Questions Families Ask About Live-In Care
Does a live-in caregiver work 24 hours a day?
In a typical live-in arrangement, the caregiver lives in the home but does not work around the clock. Live-in caregivers have daytime breaks, overnight sleep and days off, and the family decides who covers those times, which we discuss at the in-home assessment.
How much does a live-in caregiver cost in NJ?
The cost depends on days per week, needs at night and the level of care, so no single figure applies to every family. Our cost guide explains what affects the price, and you are welcome to call us about pricing for your situation.
Is live-in care the same as 24-hour care?
Live-in care and 24-hour care are different arrangements. In typical live-in care, a caregiver stays in the home and sleeps at night. In 24-hour shift care, caregivers take turns so that someone is awake at all times.
Does Medicare cover live-in care?
In most cases, Medicare does not cover live-in care. Its home health benefit excludes 24-hour-a-day care at home, as well as personal care when that is the only care needed. Medicare or the physician can confirm what your loved one qualifies for. Families can pay privately or use long-term care insurance or VA benefits, and we are in-network with CareScout.
What if my parent wakes up often at night?
Let us know at the outset, because frequent help at night can change which type of care fits. A caregiver who is woken repeatedly cannot rest, so Overnight Care or a different combination of hours may serve your loved one better.
Does my parent need a spare bedroom for a live-in caregiver?
A full spare bedroom is not always necessary, but a private place to sleep and rest usually is. U.S. Department of Labor guidance describes private quarters as a space separate from the person receiving care, with at least a bed, lighting and a dresser or closet. We review this with you at the free in-home assessment.
Live-in arrangements raise both care and employment questions, and the summary above is general information. For a specific situation, consult your loved one's physician, an employment attorney, the U.S. Department of Labor or the program concerned.
Discuss Live-In Care With Our Team
Request a free in-home assessment. We will review your loved one's days and nights with you and discuss how live-in care could be arranged.
Award Homecare LLC, 2214 Route 37 East, Suite 9, Toms River, NJ 08753. New Jersey License #HP0314200.
