Live-In Caregivers in Gamewell, NC: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Gamewell, NC: the local picture

10

residents 85 or older (0.3% of all residents)

188

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (97%)

65%

of Gamewell homes have 3 or more bedrooms (69% in Caldwell County)

$7.25

North Carolina minimum wage per hour

About 10 Gamewell 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. 65% of homes in Gamewell have three or more bedrooms (69% in Caldwell County); the median home has 5.4 rooms.

Of Gamewell households headed by someone 65 or older, 188 own their home and 5 rent. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Gamewell compared with Caldwell County and North Carolina

Census figure	Gamewell	Caldwell County	North Carolina
Residents 85 or older	0.3%	2.1%	1.7%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	19%	30%	28%
Residents 65+ with a disability	20%	37%	33%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	17%	12%	11%
Residents 65 or older	12%	21%	17%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	8.8%	5.6%	13%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$47,135	$40,201	—

Older residents in towns around Gamewell

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Cajah's Mountain, NC	3.6 mi	419	55
Lenoir, NC	5.1 mi	4,199	463
Hudson, NC	6.3 mi	957	97
Sawmills, NC	7.5 mi	725	83
Valdese, NC	7.6 mi	1,207	309
Morganton, NC	10 mi	3,874	681

Emergency hospitals near Gamewell

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Caldwell Memorial Hospital	Lenoir, NC	4.8 mi	3 of 5	(828) 757-5100
Blue Ridge Healthcare Hospitals, Inc	Morganton, NC	11 mi	4 of 5	(828) 580-5000
Frye Regional Medical Center	Hickory, NC	17 mi	2 of 5	(828) 322-6070

Straight-line miles from the center of Gamewell. 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 Gamewell

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $15.02 an hour (the North Carolina median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,254 a month (83% of the $3,928 monthly median income of Gamewell households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $10,935 a month (278% of the $3,928 monthly median income of Gamewell households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. North Carolina's minimum wage is $7.25 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 Gamewell: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Gamewell?

Caldwell Memorial Hospital in Lenoir, about 4.8 mi in a straight line from the center of Gamewell (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (828) 757-5100. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Gamewell?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $15.02 an hour (the North Carolina median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,254 a month (83% of the $3,928 monthly median income of Gamewell households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $10,935 a month (278% of the $3,928 monthly median income of Gamewell households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. North Carolina's minimum wage is $7.25 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Live-in or 24-hour care in Gamewell?

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 Gamewell 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 Gamewell

More senior care near Gamewell

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Gamewell

More for Gamewell 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 Gamewell, NC