Live-In Caregivers in La Plata, MD: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in La Plata, MD: the local picture

337

residents 85 or older (3.2% of all residents)

897

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (76%)

71%

of La Plata homes have 3 or more bedrooms (84% in Charles County)

$15.00

Maryland minimum wage per hour

About 337 La Plata 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. 71% of homes in La Plata have three or more bedrooms (84% in Charles County), while 8.1% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 6.3 rooms.

Of La Plata households headed by someone 65 or older, 897 own their home and 278 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 161 owners and 0 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

La Plata compared with Charles County and Maryland

Census figure	La Plata	Charles County	Maryland
Residents 85 or older	3.2%	1.4%	1.9%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	51%	25%	27%
Residents 65+ with a disability	21%	31%	30%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	10%	10.0%	9.5%
Residents 65 or older	18%	14%	17%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	6.9%	10%	21%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$71,174	$79,445	—

Older residents in towns around La Plata

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Bensville, MD	5.2 mi	1,651	154
Waldorf, MD	5.3 mi	9,348	711
Bryans Road, MD	7.8 mi	953	192
Accokeek, MD	9.3 mi	1,957	159
Brandywine, MD	11 mi	1,661	105
Indian Head, MD	11 mi	414	23

Emergency hospitals near La Plata

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
University Of Md Charles Regional Medical Center	La Plata, MD	1.5 mi	3 of 5	(301) 609-4265
Fort Belvoir Community Hospital	Fort Belvoir, VA	14 mi	not rated	(571) 231-3224
Adventist Healthcare Fort Washington Medical Ctr	Fort Washington, MD	15 mi	4 of 5	(301) 292-7000

Straight-line miles from the center of La Plata. 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 La Plata

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $18.29 an hour (the Maryland median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,963 a month (67% of the $5,931 monthly median income of La Plata households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $13,315 a month (224% of the $5,931 monthly median income of La Plata households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Maryland'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 La Plata: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to La Plata?

University Of Md Charles Regional Medical Center in La Plata, about 1.5 mi in a straight line from the center of La Plata (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (301) 609-4265. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in La Plata?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $18.29 an hour (the Maryland median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,963 a month (67% of the $5,931 monthly median income of La Plata households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $13,315 a month (224% of the $5,931 monthly median income of La Plata households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Maryland'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 La Plata?

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 La Plata 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 La Plata

More senior care near La Plata

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in La Plata

More for La Plata 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 La Plata, MD