Live-In Caregivers in Barling, AR: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Barling, AR: the local picture

104

residents 85 or older (2.1% of all residents)

356

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (68%)

80%

of Barling homes have 3 or more bedrooms (64% in Sebastian County)

$11.00

Arkansas minimum wage per hour

About 104 Barling 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. 80% of homes in Barling have three or more bedrooms (64% in Sebastian County); the median home has 5.2 rooms.

Of Barling households headed by someone 65 or older, 356 own their home and 167 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 20 owners and 11 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Barling compared with Sebastian County and Arkansas

Census figure	Barling	Sebastian County	Arkansas
Residents 85 or older	2.1%	2.2%	1.8%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	34%	28%	29%
Residents 65+ with a disability	42%	44%	40%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	22%	12%	12%
Residents 65 or older	20%	17%	18%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	13%	16%	8.3%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$36,283	$44,729	—

Older residents in towns around Barling

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Fort Smith, AR	5.5 mi	14,381	1,843
Greenwood, AR	8.5 mi	1,906	225
Van Buren, AR	9.4 mi	4,133	343
Alma, AR	12 mi	782	111
Pocola, OK	12 mi	924	81
Charleston, AR	13 mi	519	122

Emergency hospitals near Barling

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Mercy Hospital Fort Smith	Fort Smith, AR	5.9 mi	3 of 5	(479) 314-6000
Baptist Health - Fort Smith	Fort Smith, AR	8.0 mi	2 of 5	(479) 441-4000
Baptist Health - Van Buren	Van Buren, AR	9.0 mi	not rated	(479) 474-3401

Straight-line miles from the center of Barling. 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 Barling

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $13.30 an hour (the Arkansas median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $2,882 a month (95% of the $3,024 monthly median income of Barling households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $9,682 a month (320% of the $3,024 monthly median income of Barling households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Arkansas's minimum wage is $11.00 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 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 Barling: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Barling?

Mercy Hospital Fort Smith in Fort Smith, about 5.9 mi in a straight line from the center of Barling (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (479) 314-6000. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Barling?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $13.30 an hour (the Arkansas median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $2,882 a month (95% of the $3,024 monthly median income of Barling households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $9,682 a month (320% of the $3,024 monthly median income of Barling households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Arkansas's minimum wage is $11.00 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Live-in or 24-hour care in Barling?

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 Barling 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 Barling

More senior care near Barling

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Barling

More for Barling 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 Barling, AR