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

Local figures

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

10%

of residents 65+ have difficulty dressing or bathing (8.2% in Bristol County)

1,946

residents 85 or older (1.9% of all residents)

36%

of residents 65+ report a disability (33% in Bristol County)

$39,345

median yearly income of households headed by someone 65+

1,514 New Bedford residents 65 or older have difficulty dressing or bathing (10%; 8.2% in Bristol County), and 3,440 have serious difficulty walking. Round-the-clock care is usually for people who need hands-on help at any hour.

About 1,946 residents are 85 or older (1.9% of the population).

If you are weighing home care against a nursing home, the nearest Medicare-certified ones are Sacred Heart Nursing Home in New Bedford (0.9 mi) and Hathaway Manor Extended Care in New Bedford (1.6 mi).

New Bedford compared with Bristol County and Massachusetts

Census figure	New Bedford	Bristol County	Massachusetts
Residents 65+ with difficulty dressing or bathing	10%	8.2%	7.2%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty walking	23%	20%	18%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty remembering	9.4%	7.7%	7.5%
Residents 85 or older	1.9%	2.1%	2.2%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	41%	30%	29%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	17%	11%	11%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$39,345	$54,856	—

Older residents in towns around New Bedford

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Self-care difficulty (65+)
Acushnet Center, MA	2.3 mi	816	11%
Smith Mills, MA	3.3 mi	976	14%
Bliss Corner, MA	3.9 mi	1,499	9.0%
Mattapoisett Center, MA	7.2 mi	719	1.9%
North Westport, MA	9.0 mi	861	5.8%
Fall River, MA	9.2 mi	15,169	12%

Home health agencies serving New Bedford

Agency	Office	Distance	CMS quality stars	Services listed	Phone
Elara Caring	Braintree, MA	38 mi	5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(617) 969-7517
Centerwell Home Health	Fall River, MA	10 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work	(508) 672-0675
Pivot Point Homecare Services LLC	Westborough, MA	55 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(508) 873-1358
Amedisys Home Health Care	Wakefield, MA	58 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(978) 685-2818
Community Nurse, Inc	Fairhaven, MA	2.9 mi	4 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(508) 992-6278

Nursing homes near New Bedford (to compare)

Nursing home	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Certified beds	Phone
Sacred Heart Nursing Home	New Bedford, MA	0.9 mi	5 of 5	217	(508) 996-6751
Hathaway Manor Extended Care	New Bedford, MA	1.6 mi	2 of 5	142	(508) 996-6763
Alden Court Nursing Care & Rehabilitation Center	Fairhaven, MA	1.8 mi	4 of 5	142	(508) 991-8600
Royal Of Fairhaven Nursing Center	Fairhaven, MA	1.9 mi	3 of 5	107	(508) 997-3193

Straight-line miles from the center of New Bedford. 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 New Bedford

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, 437% of the $3,279 monthly median income of New Bedford 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 New Bedford: common questions

How much does 24-hour home care cost in New Bedford?

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, 437% of the $3,279 monthly median income of New Bedford 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 New Bedford

More senior care near New Bedford

24-Hour Home Care in nearby cities

Other care in New Bedford

More for New Bedford 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 New Bedford, MA