Live-In Caregivers in Smyrna, DE: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Smyrna, DE: the local picture

368

residents 85 or older (2.8% of all residents)

1,004

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (80%)

75%

of Smyrna homes have 3 or more bedrooms (76% in Kent County)

$15.00

Delaware minimum wage per hour

About 368 Smyrna 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. 75% of homes in Smyrna have three or more bedrooms (76% in Kent County); the median home has 5.8 rooms.

Of Smyrna households headed by someone 65 or older, 1,004 own their home and 245 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 204 owners and 16 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Smyrna compared with Kent County and Delaware

Census figure	Smyrna	Kent County	Delaware
Residents 85 or older	2.8%	1.9%	2.0%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	28%	27%	25%
Residents 65+ with a disability	46%	37%	30%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	12%	8.6%	7.6%
Residents 65 or older	18%	18%	21%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	11%	11%	15%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$51,969	$58,403	—

Older residents in towns around Smyrna

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Clayton, DE	1.9 mi	400	7
Townsend, DE	9.0 mi	173	25
Dover, DE	10 mi	6,984	1,018
Middletown, DE	12 mi	3,806	423
Highland Acres, DE	13 mi	928	126
Camden, DE	14 mi	925	37

Emergency hospitals near Smyrna

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Bayhealth Medical Center, Kent Campus	Dover, DE	11 mi	2 of 5	(302) 744-7001
Christiana Hospital	Newark, DE	19 mi	4 of 5	(302) 733-3609
University Of Md Shore Medical Ctr At Chestertown	Chestertown, MD	26 mi	5 of 5	(410) 778-7668

Straight-line miles from the center of Smyrna. 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 Smyrna

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $16.50 an hour (the Delaware median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,575 a month (83% of the $4,331 monthly median income of Smyrna households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $12,012 a month (277% of the $4,331 monthly median income of Smyrna households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Delaware'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 Smyrna: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Smyrna?

Bayhealth Medical Center, Kent Campus in Dover, about 11 mi in a straight line from the center of Smyrna (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (302) 744-7001. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Smyrna?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $16.50 an hour (the Delaware median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,575 a month (83% of the $4,331 monthly median income of Smyrna households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $12,012 a month (277% of the $4,331 monthly median income of Smyrna households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Delaware'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 Smyrna?

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 Smyrna 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 Smyrna

More senior care near Smyrna

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Smyrna

More for Smyrna 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 Smyrna, DE