Live-In Caregivers in Forestdale, AL: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Forestdale, AL: the local picture

339

residents 85 or older (3.5% of all residents)

1,357

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (87%)

82%

of Forestdale homes have 3 or more bedrooms (66% in Jefferson County)

$7.25

Alabama minimum wage per hour

About 339 Forestdale 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. 82% of homes in Forestdale have three or more bedrooms (66% in Jefferson County); the median home has 6.5 rooms.

Of Forestdale households headed by someone 65 or older, 1,357 own their home and 206 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 190 owners and 24 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Forestdale compared with Jefferson County and Alabama

Census figure	Forestdale	Jefferson County	Alabama
Residents 85 or older	3.5%	1.9%	1.7%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	22%	31%	29%
Residents 65+ with a disability	44%	38%	38%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	14%	13%	12%
Residents 65 or older	27%	17%	18%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	3.7%	7.6%	6.0%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$54,536	$51,066	—

Older residents in towns around Forestdale

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Adamsville, AL	4.6 mi	711	122
Graysville, AL	4.8 mi	416	63
Fultondale, AL	6.4 mi	1,305	95
Birmingham, AL	6.7 mi	32,486	3,365
Mount Olive, AL	6.8 mi	680	113
Fairfield, AL	6.9 mi	1,751	139

Emergency hospitals near Forestdale

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Princeton Baptist Medical Center	Birmingham, AL	6.8 mi	3 of 5	(205) 783-3800
University Of Alabama Hospital	Birmingham, AL	7.4 mi	2 of 5	(205) 934-4011
Birmingham Va Medical Center	Birmingham, AL	7.4 mi	4 of 5	(205) 933-4515

Straight-line miles from the center of Forestdale. 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 Forestdale

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $13.39 an hour (the Alabama median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $2,901 a month (64% of the $4,545 monthly median income of Forestdale households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $9,748 a month (214% of the $4,545 monthly median income of Forestdale households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Alabama has no state minimum wage law, so the federal minimum of $7.25 an hour applies to employers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act (U.S. Department of Labor).

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 Forestdale: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Forestdale?

Princeton Baptist Medical Center in Birmingham, about 6.8 mi in a straight line from the center of Forestdale (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (205) 783-3800. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Forestdale?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $13.39 an hour (the Alabama median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $2,901 a month (64% of the $4,545 monthly median income of Forestdale households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $9,748 a month (214% of the $4,545 monthly median income of Forestdale households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Alabama has no state minimum wage law, so the federal minimum of $7.25 an hour applies to employers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act (U.S. Department of Labor).

Live-in or 24-hour care in Forestdale?

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 Forestdale 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 Forestdale

More senior care near Forestdale

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Forestdale

More for Forestdale 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 Forestdale, AL