Live-In Caregivers in Shields, MI: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Shields, MI: the local picture

183

residents 85 or older (2.5% of all residents)

1,061

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (83%)

72%

of Shields homes have 3 or more bedrooms (70% in Saginaw County)

$13.73

Michigan minimum wage per hour

About 183 Shields 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. 72% of homes in Shields have three or more bedrooms (70% in Saginaw County), while 8.4% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 6.2 rooms.

Of Shields households headed by someone 65 or older, 1,061 own their home and 224 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 77 owners and 51 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Shields compared with Saginaw County and Michigan

Census figure	Shields	Saginaw County	Michigan
Residents 85 or older	2.5%	2.5%	2.1%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	27%	31%	29%
Residents 65+ with a disability	40%	36%	32%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	5.8%	12%	9.9%
Residents 65 or older	29%	20%	19%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	11%	4.6%	10%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$71,979	$49,883	—

Older residents in towns around Shields

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Saginaw, MI	6.2 mi	6,488	732
Freeland, MI	6.8 mi	761	103
Buena Vista, MI	8.7 mi	1,261	144
Bridgeport, MI	10 mi	1,453	232
Bay City, MI	15 mi	5,720	676
Midland, MI	16 mi	8,729	1,395

Emergency hospitals near Shields

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Healthsource Saginaw	Saginaw, MI	3.6 mi	not rated	(989) 790-7888
Covenant Medical Center	Saginaw, MI	5.0 mi	2 of 5	(989) 583-6000
Mymichigan Medical Center Saginaw	Saginaw, MI	8.1 mi	3 of 5	(989) 776-8000

Straight-line miles from the center of Shields. 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 Shields

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $16.83 an hour (the Michigan median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,646 a month (61% of the $5,998 monthly median income of Shields households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $12,252 a month (204% of the $5,998 monthly median income of Shields households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Michigan's minimum wage is $13.73 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026), rising to $15.00 on January 1, 2027.

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 Shields: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Shields?

Healthsource Saginaw in Saginaw, about 3.6 mi in a straight line from the center of Shields (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (989) 790-7888. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Shields?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $16.83 an hour (the Michigan median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,646 a month (61% of the $5,998 monthly median income of Shields households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $12,252 a month (204% of the $5,998 monthly median income of Shields households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Michigan's minimum wage is $13.73 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026), rising to $15.00 on January 1, 2027.

Live-in or 24-hour care in Shields?

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 Shields 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 Shields

More senior care near Shields

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Shields

More for Shields 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 Shields, MI