Senior care at home, arranged directly with a caregiver
When a parent or partner needs more help, the first questions are what kind of care, from whom, and at what cost. Post what you need for free, compare independent caregivers and hire the one who fits, with no agency mark-up.
- Free to join, browse and post
- Hire directly, no commission
- You stay in control of screening
Making senior care decisions less overwhelming
Start with the day-to-day
Write down which tasks are hard now and when they happen: mornings, meals, evenings or nights. That list becomes your posting and sets the hours you need.
Compare real caregivers
Profiles show experience, care types, languages, availability and hourly rate. Caregivers who see your posting can apply to it, so you are not only searching but being found.
Screen with care
We do not run background checks ourselves. The Verified badge means we reviewed proof a caregiver submitted. Check references and identity yourself before anyone starts, and use our Safety Center checklist.
Senior care services families arrange
All non-medical. Injections, wound care and other nursing tasks need a licensed home health agency.
In-home caregivers
Help with meals, housekeeping, errands and personal care so an older adult can keep living at home.
Find caregivers near you →Companion care
Conversation, walks, outings and a steady presence for a parent who lives alone or is isolated.
Find companion caregivers →Dementia and Alzheimer's care
Routine-based support from caregivers with memory-care experience. Ask about it when you interview.
How to hire and screen →Respite care
A few hours or a weekend of cover so the family member doing the caring can rest, work or travel.
Programs that pay for respite →Overnight and live-in care
Night supervision, or a live-in arrangement with room and board agreed in writing.
Post an overnight need →Help after a hospital stay
Non-medical help in the weeks after surgery or a fall. Nursing tasks need a licensed home health agency.
What in-home care covers →What a senior caregiver can help with
- Cooking and meal preparation
- Light housekeeping and laundry
- Companionship and conversation
- Getting around the house, transfers and walks
- Rides to appointments, shopping and errands
- Bathing, dressing, grooming and toileting
- Medication reminders (not administering medication)
- Keeping a routine for someone living with dementia
- Updates to family members who live far away
What senior care costs
Public wage data is the most reliable benchmark for what a caregiver's time costs. Here is how it compares across the country.
| Measure | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Median wage, home health and personal care aides, U.S. | $17.21/hr | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Highest state median (Washington) | $22.95/hr | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Lowest state median (Louisiana) | $10.83/hr | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Americans aged 65 and older | 61,245,283 (18.0%) | Census ACS 2024 1-year |
| CaregiverConnect commission on caregiver pay | None | You pay the caregiver directly |
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates, table B01001 (sex by age); U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Home Health and Personal Care Aides (SOC 31-1120). Aide wages describe employed aides (agency and facility staff included), not the rates private caregivers set on CaregiverConnect.
Agencies charge families more than they pay aides, to cover recruiting, insurance and scheduling. Hiring directly removes that mark-up, but you take on the employer's role. Medicaid home care programs, veterans' benefits and long-term care insurance can pay for some of this care. Your state page and the Medicaid programs guide explain where to start. For California figures in detail, see the in-home care cost guide.
Get started for free
Tell us about the care
Who needs care, which tasks, which days and hours, your budget and start date. It takes about ten minutes.
Browse and receive applications
Caregivers near you see your posting and can apply. You can also browse profiles yourself. Both are free.
Message, interview and hire
Messaging and confirming a hire are part of Family Premium ($24.99/month, cancel any time). Rate and schedule are agreed between you and the caregiver.
Senior care: frequently asked questions
What is senior care?
Senior care is any help that lets an older adult live safely and comfortably. At home that usually means non-medical help: meals, housekeeping, companionship, personal care such as bathing and dressing, and transportation. It can be a few hours a week or round-the-clock. Facility options (assisted living, memory care, nursing homes) are a separate decision.
How much does in-home senior care cost?
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the national median wage for home health and personal care aides at $17.21 an hour (May 2025). Agencies bill families more than the wage they pay, to cover overhead. When you hire a caregiver directly, you agree the hourly rate with them. CaregiverConnect takes no commission on it. Each state page shows that state's aide wage.
How does CaregiverConnect work for families?
Create a free family account, post what you need (tasks, days, hours, budget) and browse caregiver profiles. Caregivers can apply to your posting for free. Messaging caregivers and confirming a hire are part of Family Premium ($24.99/month, cancel any time). You agree pay and schedule directly with the caregiver you hire.
Are caregivers background checked?
CaregiverConnect does not run background checks itself. Some caregivers earn a Verified badge, which means we reviewed proof they submitted from a screening provider they chose. It is not our own investigation. Families remain responsible for checking identity, references, certifications and criminal history before hiring, for example through a licensed screening company. Our Safety Center explains how.
Is CaregiverConnect a home care agency?
No. We are a marketplace where families and independent caregivers find each other and agree terms directly. We do not employ, place or supervise caregivers. When you hire directly you are usually the employer, which can bring obligations such as minimum wage, overtime and payroll taxes. The U.S. Department of Labor explains the federal rules.
Can I find a caregiver for someone with dementia?
Yes. Many caregivers list dementia or Alzheimer's experience on their profile. Say so in your posting, and ask how they handle sundowning, wandering and changes in routine when you interview them.
Can a caregiver live in the home?
Some caregivers accept live-in arrangements. Put the hours on duty, sleep time, days off, room and board and pay in writing before the start date. Live-in work has its own wage and overtime rules, which vary by state.
What is the difference between in-home care and assisted living?
In-home care brings help to the person's own home, by the hour or around the clock. Assisted living is a residential community with staff on site, meals and activities, for a monthly fee. Many families start with a few hours of help at home and revisit the choice as needs change.
Where can I find free help and benefits for an older parent?
Your local Area Agency on Aging can tell you about meal programs, respite, transportation and Medicaid home care programs. Find it through the federal Eldercare Locator or by calling 1-800-677-1116.
Senior care guides
How to hire a private caregiver: cost, screening, taxes and a written agreement
What a private in-home caregiver costs compared with an agency, how to screen and check references, the household-employer tax and overtime rules in California and Arizona, and what to put in writing.
In-home care services: what they include, who provides them and how to choose
What in-home care services cover, how non-medical home care differs from Medicare home health, who provides care in California (licensed organizations, home health agencies, IHSS, private caregivers) and the questions to ask before you choose.
Medicaid programs for family caregivers: who can be paid, and the rules in 12 states
How Medicaid pays relatives through self-directed and consumer-directed care, structured family caregiving, the spouse and parent rules, a sourced table for 12 states, VA alternatives and how to apply.
How much does 24/7 in-home care cost per month in California? Hourly rates and monthly totals
What in-home senior care costs in California in 2026: agency and private hourly reference points, monthly totals from 20 hours a week to 24/7 and live-in care with the arithmetic shown, dementia care, and who pays.
Find senior care in your state
Each state page lists its cities, with the real caregivers near each one, plus how many residents are 65 or older and what home care aides there earn.
Find senior care for someone you love
Posting is free and takes about ten minutes. Caregivers near you can see it as soon as it is live.
Create your free family account