Live-In Caregivers in Big Lake, AK: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Big Lake, AK: the local picture

14

residents 85 or older (0.4% of all residents)

309

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (94%)

51%

of Big Lake homes have 3 or more bedrooms (69% in Matanuska-Susitna Borough)

$14.00

Alaska minimum wage per hour

About 14 Big Lake 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. 51% of homes in Big Lake have three or more bedrooms (69% in Matanuska-Susitna Borough), while 15% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 3.6 rooms.

Of Big Lake households headed by someone 65 or older, 309 own their home and 19 rent. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Big Lake compared with Matanuska-Susitna Borough and Alaska

Census figure	Big Lake	Matanuska-Susitna Borough	Alaska
Residents 85 or older	0.4%	0.9%	0.9%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	20%	26%	27%
Residents 65+ with a disability	33%	34%	35%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	8.3%	9.4%	8.3%
Residents 65 or older	16%	14%	14%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	1.9%	5.7%	15%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$69,722	$63,354	—

Older residents in towns around Big Lake

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Knik-Fairview, AK	12 mi	2,183	65
Meadow Lakes, AK	15 mi	1,113	12
Wasilla, AK	18 mi	1,659	331
Tanaina, AK	20 mi	964	28
South Lakes, AK	22 mi	728	37
North Lakes, AK	23 mi	1,321	60

Emergency hospitals near Big Lake

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Providence Alaska Medical Center	Anchorage, AK	22 mi	3 of 5	(907) 562-2211
Alaska Regional Hospital	Anchorage, AK	22 mi	1 of 5	(907) 276-1131
Alaska Native Medical Center	Anchorage, AK	22 mi	2 of 5	(907) 563-2662

Straight-line miles from the center of Big Lake. 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 Big Lake

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $19.11 an hour (the Alaska median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $4,141 a month (71% of the $5,810 monthly median income of Big Lake households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $13,912 a month (239% of the $5,810 monthly median income of Big Lake households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Alaska's minimum wage is $14.00 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 How to get paid to care for a family member in Alaska: consumer-directed personal care.

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 Big Lake: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Big Lake?

Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage, about 22 mi in a straight line from the center of Big Lake (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (907) 562-2211. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Big Lake?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $19.11 an hour (the Alaska median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $4,141 a month (71% of the $5,810 monthly median income of Big Lake households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $13,912 a month (239% of the $5,810 monthly median income of Big Lake households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Alaska's minimum wage is $14.00 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Live-in or 24-hour care in Big Lake?

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 Big Lake 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 Big Lake

More senior care near Big Lake

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Big Lake

More for Big Lake 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 Big Lake, AK