Live-In Caregivers in Winchendon, MA: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Winchendon, MA: the local picture

36

residents 85 or older (0.8% of all residents)

289

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (62%)

61%

of Winchendon homes have 3 or more bedrooms (60% in Worcester County)

$15.00

Massachusetts minimum wage per hour

About 36 Winchendon 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. 61% of homes in Winchendon have three or more bedrooms (60% in Worcester County), while 17% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 5.6 rooms.

Of Winchendon households headed by someone 65 or older, 289 own their home and 177 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 20 owners and 7 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Winchendon compared with Worcester County and Massachusetts

Census figure	Winchendon	Worcester County	Massachusetts
Residents 85 or older	0.8%	1.9%	2.2%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	33%	27%	29%
Residents 65+ with a disability	54%	32%	30%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	38%	10%	11%
Residents 65 or older	16%	17%	18%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	2.8%	22%	25%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$28,182	$61,599	—

Older residents in towns around Winchendon

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Baldwinville, MA	5.5 mi	375	36
Gardner, MA	7.2 mi	4,135	584
Jaffrey, NH	9.1 mi	338	14
Athol, MA	11 mi	1,317	147
Fitchburg, MA	13 mi	5,985	745
Orange, MA	14 mi	568	64

Emergency hospitals near Winchendon

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Heywood Hospital -	Gardner, MA	7.8 mi	2 of 5	(978) 632-3420
Athol Memorial Hospital	Athol, MA	11 mi	2 of 5	(978) 249-3511
Monadnock Community Hospital	Peterborough, NH	15 mi	2 of 5	(603) 924-7191

Straight-line miles from the center of Winchendon. 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 Winchendon

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $19.67 an hour (the Massachusetts median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $4,262 a month (181% of the $2,349 monthly median income of Winchendon households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $14,320 a month (610% of the $2,349 monthly median income of Winchendon households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Massachusetts'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 Winchendon: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Winchendon?

Heywood Hospital - in Gardner, about 7.8 mi in a straight line from the center of Winchendon (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (978) 632-3420. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Winchendon?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $19.67 an hour (the Massachusetts median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $4,262 a month (181% of the $2,349 monthly median income of Winchendon households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $14,320 a month (610% of the $2,349 monthly median income of Winchendon households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Massachusetts'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 Winchendon?

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 Winchendon 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 Winchendon

More senior care near Winchendon

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Winchendon

More for Winchendon 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 Winchendon, MA