Live-In Caregivers in Palatka, FL: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Palatka, FL: the local picture

280

residents 85 or older (2.6% of all residents)

723

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (60%)

56%

of Palatka homes have 3 or more bedrooms (65% in Putnam County)

$15.00

Florida minimum wage per hour

About 280 Palatka 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. 56% of homes in Palatka have three or more bedrooms (65% in Putnam County), while 20% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 5.5 rooms.

Of Palatka households headed by someone 65 or older, 723 own their home and 487 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 85 owners and 0 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Palatka compared with Putnam County and Florida

Census figure	Palatka	Putnam County	Florida
Residents 85 or older	2.6%	2.2%	2.6%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	45%	29%	25%
Residents 65+ with a disability	40%	38%	31%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	33%	14%	12%
Residents 65 or older	19%	24%	21%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	8.8%	9.0%	31%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$26,261	$44,837	—

Older residents in towns around Palatka

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Flagler Estates, FL	13 mi	624	20
Green Cove Springs, FL	24 mi	1,746	209
St. Augustine Shores, FL	25 mi	3,186	377
World Golf Village, FL	25 mi	5,175	200
St. Augustine South, FL	26 mi	1,269	75
Bunnell, FL	27 mi	1,136	67

Emergency hospitals near Palatka

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
HCA Florida Putnam Hospital	Palatka, FL	1.4 mi	2 of 5	(386) 328-5711
Flagler Hospital	Saint Augustine, FL	25 mi	3 of 5	(904) 819-5155
Adventhealth Palm Coast Parkway	Palm Coast, FL	28 mi	4 of 5	(386) 302-1800

Straight-line miles from the center of Palatka. 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 Palatka

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $16.25 an hour (the Florida median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,521 a month (161% of the $2,188 monthly median income of Palatka households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $11,830 a month (541% of the $2,188 monthly median income of Palatka households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Florida's minimum wage rose to $15.00 an hour on September 30, 2026, under Article X, Section 24 of the Florida Constitution.

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 take care of a family member in Florida: SMMC LTC and the PDO.

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 Palatka: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Palatka?

HCA Florida Putnam Hospital in Palatka, about 1.4 mi in a straight line from the center of Palatka (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (386) 328-5711. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Palatka?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $16.25 an hour (the Florida median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,521 a month (161% of the $2,188 monthly median income of Palatka households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $11,830 a month (541% of the $2,188 monthly median income of Palatka households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Florida's minimum wage rose to $15.00 an hour on September 30, 2026, under Article X, Section 24 of the Florida Constitution.

Live-in or 24-hour care in Palatka?

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 Palatka 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 Palatka

More senior care near Palatka

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Palatka

More for Palatka 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 Palatka, FL