Live-In Caregivers in Des Plaines, IL: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Des Plaines, IL: the local picture

1,694

residents 85 or older (2.9% of all residents)

6,132

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (85%)

61%

of Des Plaines homes have 3 or more bedrooms (50% in Cook County)

$15.00

Illinois minimum wage per hour

About 1,694 Des Plaines 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. 61% of homes in Des Plaines have three or more bedrooms (50% in Cook County), while 12% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 5.4 rooms.

Of Des Plaines households headed by someone 65 or older, 6,132 own their home and 1,079 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 747 owners and 182 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Des Plaines compared with Cook County and Illinois

Census figure	Des Plaines	Cook County	Illinois
Residents 85 or older	2.9%	2.0%	2.0%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	27%	32%	30%
Residents 65+ with a disability	29%	32%	32%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	8.3%	13%	10%
Residents 65 or older	21%	16%	17%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	48%	36%	24%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$65,656	$56,774	—

Older residents in towns around Des Plaines

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Mount Prospect, IL	2.8 mi	10,371	1,437
Park Ridge, IL	3.3 mi	7,826	1,513
Rosemont, IL	3.5 mi	604	41
Niles, IL	4.7 mi	8,578	2,167
Prospect Heights, IL	5.0 mi	3,051	468
Elk Grove Village, IL	5.1 mi	6,435	1,033

Emergency hospitals near Des Plaines

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Advocate Lutheran General Hospital	Park Ridge, IL	3.4 mi	4 of 5	(847) 723-2210
Northwest Community Hospital 1	Arlington Heights, IL	4.8 mi	4 of 5	(847) 618-1000
Alexian Brothers Medical Center 1	Elk Grove Village, IL	5.1 mi	3 of 5	(847) 437-5500

Straight-line miles from the center of Des Plaines. 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 Des Plaines

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $18.30 an hour (the Illinois median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,965 a month (72% of the $5,471 monthly median income of Des Plaines households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $13,322 a month (243% of the $5,471 monthly median income of Des Plaines households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Illinois'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 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 Des Plaines: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Des Plaines?

Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, about 3.4 mi in a straight line from the center of Des Plaines (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (847) 723-2210. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Des Plaines?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $18.30 an hour (the Illinois median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,965 a month (72% of the $5,471 monthly median income of Des Plaines households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $13,322 a month (243% of the $5,471 monthly median income of Des Plaines households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Illinois'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 Des Plaines?

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 Des Plaines 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 Des Plaines

More senior care near Des Plaines

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Des Plaines

More for Des Plaines 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 Des Plaines, IL