24-Hour Home Care in Portland, ME: Round-the-Clock Care

Local figures

24-Hour Home Care in Portland, ME: the local picture

4.4%

of residents 65+ have difficulty dressing or bathing (4.7% in Cumberland County)

1,706

residents 85 or older (2.5% of all residents)

30%

of residents 65+ report a disability (26% in Cumberland County)

$58,471

median yearly income of households headed by someone 65+

482 Portland residents 65 or older have difficulty dressing or bathing (4.4%; 4.7% in Cumberland County), and 1,721 have serious difficulty walking. Round-the-clock care is usually for people who need hands-on help at any hour.

About 1,706 residents are 85 or older (2.5% of the population).

If you are weighing home care against a nursing home, the nearest Medicare-certified ones are Pinnacle Health & Rehab At South Portland in So Portland (3.6 mi) and Seaside Healthcare LLC in Portland (5.0 mi).

Portland compared with Cumberland County and Maine

Census figure	Portland	Cumberland County	Maine
Residents 65+ with difficulty dressing or bathing	4.4%	4.7%	4.8%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty walking	16%	14%	17%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty remembering	6.9%	6.2%	7.0%
Residents 85 or older	2.5%	2.2%	2.3%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	39%	30%	29%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	9.1%	7.5%	9.4%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$58,471	$67,204	—

Older residents in towns around Portland

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Self-care difficulty (65+)
South Portland, ME	5.0 mi	5,580	7.4%
Oak Hill, ME	8.2 mi	1,653	2.9%
Westbrook, ME	9.8 mi	3,753	3.7%
Old Orchard Beach, ME	11 mi	3,098	1.4%
Cumberland Center, ME	12 mi	306	7.5%
Yarmouth, ME	12 mi	1,221	6.4%

Home health agencies serving Portland

Agency	Office	Distance	CMS quality stars	Services listed	Phone
Elara Caring	South Portland, ME	4.3 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, medical social work	(207) 703-2413
Amedisys Home Health	Portland, ME	5.5 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work	(207) 772-7520
Centerwell Home Health	South Portland, ME	4.3 mi	4 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, medical social work	(207) 772-0954
Mainehealth Home Health And Hospice	Saco, ME	16 mi	4 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(207) 284-4566
Bayada Home Health Care Inc	Kennubunk, ME	25 mi	4 of 5	—	(207) 849-8842

Nursing homes near Portland (to compare)

Nursing home	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Certified beds	Phone
Pinnacle Health & Rehab At South Portland	So Portland, ME	3.6 mi	3 of 5	73	(207) 799-8561
Seaside Healthcare LLC	Portland, ME	5.0 mi	4 of 5	147	(207) 774-7878
Cedars Nursing Care Center	Portland, ME	5.6 mi	4 of 5	102	(207) 772-5456
Fallbrook Commons	Portland, ME	6.8 mi	3 of 5	102	(207) 331-9292

Straight-line miles from the center of Portland. 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 Portland

24-hour care is 168 paid hours a week. At $18.55 an hour (the Maine median aide wage) that is about $13,504 a month in wages before any overtime, 277% of the $4,873 monthly median income of Portland households headed by someone 65+. Rates are agreed with each caregiver. Maine's minimum wage is $15.10 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 Portland: common questions

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

24-hour care is 168 paid hours a week. At $18.55 an hour (the Maine median aide wage) that is about $13,504 a month in wages before any overtime, 277% of the $4,873 monthly median income of Portland households headed by someone 65+. Rates are agreed with each caregiver. Maine's minimum wage is $15.10 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 Portland

More senior care near Portland

24-Hour Home Care in nearby cities

Other care in Portland

More for Portland 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 Portland, ME