Live-In Caregivers in Ava, MO: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Ava, MO: the local picture

117

residents 85 or older (3.8% of all residents)

242

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (66%)

64%

of Ava homes have 3 or more bedrooms (69% in Douglas County)

$15.00

Missouri minimum wage per hour

About 117 Ava residents are 85 or older. Live-in care is most often arranged for this age group, when help is needed through the day and someone should be close at night.

A live-in caregiver needs a private room. 64% of homes in Ava have three or more bedrooms (69% in Douglas County); the median home has 5.7 rooms.

Of Ava households headed by someone 65 or older, 242 own their home and 123 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 41 owners and 19 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Ava compared with Douglas County and Missouri

Census figure	Ava	Douglas County	Missouri
Residents 85 or older	3.8%	3.1%	2.0%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	32%	24%	30%
Residents 65+ with a disability	61%	41%	34%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	31%	20%	10%
Residents 65 or older	20%	25%	18%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	0.5%	0.8%	6.7%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$27,614	$37,829	—

Older residents in towns around Ava

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Rogersville, MO	25 mi	283	25
Mountain Grove, MO	25 mi	1,069	115
Marshfield, MO	30 mi	1,492	158
Forsyth, MO	31 mi	1,007	247
Ozark, MO	31 mi	3,268	339
Strafford, MO	33 mi	281	52

Emergency hospitals near Ava

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Mercy Hospital Springfield	Springfield, MO	35 mi	3 of 5	(417) 820-2000
Cox Medical Center Branson	Branson, MO	38 mi	4 of 5	(417) 335-7000
Cox Medical Centers	Springfield, MO	38 mi	3 of 5	(417) 269-6000

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

What it covers

What a live-in caregiver can help with

Help across the day: meals, housekeeping, personal care
Someone in the home overnight if help is needed
Medication reminders and appointment rides
Companionship and a steady routine

Cost

What live-in care costs in Ava

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $15.90 an hour (the Missouri median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,445 a month (150% of the $2,301 monthly median income of Ava households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $11,575 a month (503% of the $2,301 monthly median income of Ava households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Missouri'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 Consumer Directed Services in Missouri: how a relative becomes a paid caregiver.

Before you hire

What to know before hiring a live-in caregiver

Put the arrangement in writing: hours on duty, sleep time, days off, the room and pay (federal rules: DOL Fact Sheet 79B).

Questions worth asking: Have you lived in with a client before, and for how long? What days off and sleep time do you need? How do you handle being woken at night? More in our live-in caregivers guide.

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

Questions

Live-In Caregivers in Ava: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Ava?

Mercy Hospital Springfield in Springfield, about 35 mi in a straight line from the center of Ava (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (417) 820-2000. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Ava?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $15.90 an hour (the Missouri median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,445 a month (150% of the $2,301 monthly median income of Ava households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $11,575 a month (503% of the $2,301 monthly median income of Ava households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Missouri's minimum wage is $15.00 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Live-in or 24-hour care in Ava?

A live-in caregiver sleeps in the home and has protected sleep and break time. 24-hour care uses two or three caregivers in shifts so someone is always awake; in Ava it costs more than three times as much a month (see the cost section above). Choose shifts if help is needed several times a night.

More near Ava

More senior care near Ava

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Ava

More for Ava 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.

Live-In Caregivers in Ava, MO