24-Hour Home Care in Boston, MA: Round-the-Clock Care

Local figures

24-Hour Home Care in Boston, MA: the local picture

12%

of residents 65+ have difficulty dressing or bathing

10,842

residents 85 or older (1.6% of all residents)

37%

of residents 65+ report a disability

$51,082

median yearly income of households headed by someone 65+

10,281 Boston residents 65 or older have difficulty dressing or bathing (12%), and 22,436 have serious difficulty walking. Round-the-clock care is usually for people who need hands-on help at any hour.

About 10,842 residents are 85 or older (1.6% of the population).

If you are weighing home care against a nursing home, the nearest Medicare-certified ones are North End Rehabilitation And Healthcare Center in Boston (2.4 mi) and Alliance Health At Marina Bay in Quincy (3.1 mi).

Boston compared with Massachusetts

Census figure	Boston	Massachusetts
Residents 65+ with difficulty dressing or bathing	12%	7.2%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty walking	26%	18%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty remembering	13%	7.5%
Residents 85 or older	1.6%	2.2%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	35%	29%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	21%	11%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$51,082	—

Older residents in towns around Boston

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Self-care difficulty (65+)
Winthrop Town, MA	3.5 mi	3,631	10.0%
Chelsea, MA	4.1 mi	4,188	11%
Everett, MA	5.0 mi	5,660	6.1%
Quincy, MA	5.4 mi	18,123	7.9%
Somerville, MA	5.5 mi	8,108	5.9%
Cambridge, MA	5.7 mi	14,440	4.3%

Home health agencies serving Boston

Agency	Office	Distance	CMS quality stars	Services listed	Phone
Elara Caring	Braintree, MA	9.0 mi	5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(617) 969-7517
Central Home Health Care, Inc	Needham, MA	11 mi	5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, home health aides	(617) 559-0200
Patient Care Solutions, LLC	Danvers, MA	16 mi	5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(781) 595-0311
Caring Hearts Homecare Inc	Wilmington, MA	17 mi	5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, home health aides	(978) 658-5104
Legacy Lifecare Visiting Nurse Agency	Chelsea, MA	4.1 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(617) 887-0826

Nursing homes near Boston (to compare)

Nursing home	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Certified beds	Phone
North End Rehabilitation And Healthcare Center	Boston, MA	2.4 mi	2 of 5	100	(857) 772-7800
Alliance Health At Marina Bay	Quincy, MA	3.1 mi	3 of 5	167	(617) 769-5106
Highland Park Rehabilitation And Healthcare Center	Chelsea, MA	3.4 mi	1 of 5	195	(617) 997-9121
The Center At Advocate	East Boston, MA	3.6 mi	1 of 5	190	(617) 455-6115

Straight-line miles from the center of Boston. Medicare (CMS) data, October 2026; call ahead to confirm. We are not affiliated with these providers.

What it covers

What a 24-hour caregiver can help with

Someone awake and on duty at all hours
Personal care, meals and medication reminders through the day
Help at night without relying on one tired caregiver
Written handover notes between shifts

Cost

What 24-hour home care costs in Boston

24-hour care is 168 paid hours a week. At $19.67 an hour (the Massachusetts median aide wage) that is about $14,320 a month in wages before any overtime, 336% of the $4,257 monthly median income of Boston households headed by someone 65+. Rates are agreed with each caregiver. Massachusetts's minimum wage is $15.00 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Hiring directly, you agree the rate with the caregiver and usually become the household employer (U.S. Department of Labor rules). Some families qualify for programs that pay for care at home; see Medicaid programs for family caregivers: who can be paid, and the rules in 12 states.

Before you hire

What to know before hiring a 24-hour caregiver

24-hour care is the most hours a family can arrange at home, and the most costly. Each caregiver works a set shift, often two 12-hour or three 8-hour shifts a day, so nobody works all night after working all day. Minimum wage and overtime rules apply to each caregiver you employ directly; for workers who live in the home see DOL Fact Sheet 79B.

Questions worth asking: How do you hand over to the next caregiver? Can you work fixed shifts on the same days each week? Have you worked on a team caring for one client? More in our 24-hour home care guide.

CaregiverConnect does not run background checks. Check identity, references and any certification yourself before anyone starts. The Safety Center explains how.

Questions

24-Hour Home Care in Boston: common questions

How much does 24-hour home care cost in Boston?

24-hour care is 168 paid hours a week. At $19.67 an hour (the Massachusetts median aide wage) that is about $14,320 a month in wages before any overtime, 336% of the $4,257 monthly median income of Boston households headed by someone 65+. Rates are agreed with each caregiver. Massachusetts's minimum wage is $15.00 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

How many caregivers does 24-hour care take?

A week has 168 hours. If each caregiver works about 40 hours, that is four or five people, plus someone to cover sickness and holidays. Fewer caregivers means very long weeks for each of them.

More near Boston

More senior care near Boston

24-Hour Home Care in nearby cities

Other care in Boston

More for Boston families

Sources

Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year; CMS provider data (October 25, 2026); U.S. DOL state minimum wages (July 1, 2026); BLS OEWS May 2025 aide wages, which cover employed aides rather than private rates.

24-Hour Home Care in Boston, MA