The call often comes after a long night. Your father got up on his own, you found out the hard way, and now you can't stop picturing him on the floor waiting for help. So you call and ask for 24-hour care, because someone should be there every minute.
That instinct is right. But before you commit to round-the-clock shifts, the first question we ask is a fair one: why do you think you need 24-hour care? Sometimes the answer really is 24-hour. Often there is a steadier and less expensive option families have never heard of.
24-hour care and live-in care are not the same thing
This is the part most families don't know, and it can save thousands of dollars.
24-hour care is shift work. Because no one person can work around the clock, several caregivers cover the day in shifts. It is the right choice when your loved one has to be watched every minute, including all night, and needs hands-on help at any hour. When the case calls for it, we keep the number of different caregivers as small as we can.
Live-in care is one caregiver who stays in the home for weeks at a time. The same person, week after week, who learns your parent's every need. The caregiver gets breaks during the day and a required sleep period at night, and when she takes a vacation, usually about a week, we cover with another caregiver until she's back. Live-in care is usually more than half the cost of 24-hour shifts, and for many families it is the better fit.
We are not steering you one way or the other here. We are saying the conversation is worth having before you pay for the more expensive option by default. A live-in caregiver who knows your parent also catches things a once-a-day visit would miss, a change in confusion, a swallow problem, the early signs of a urinary tract infection that can look like a sudden mental decline.
When 24-hour care is the right answer
Some situations really do call for someone covering at all times:
- Your loved one wanders or gets up unsafely at night
- A recent hospital or rehab discharge with a high chance of slipping backward
- Advanced dementia where the person can't be left alone
- A spouse who has been the caregiver and simply cannot keep doing the nights
That last one matters more than families expect. We often get the call not because the patient got worse, but because the husband or wife caring for them is running out. You have to take care of yourself in order to take care of them.
How the care is built
Our caregivers are Certified Home Health Aides, trained beyond the state's 72-hour requirement, including the Alzheimer's Association-recognized Positive Pathways™ program. Our trusted Director of Nursing, Carol Feliciano, RN, leads the in-home assessment and writes the plan of care. The nurse watches the caregiver do any transfer the first time, so it's safe for everyone. Your dedicated Client Care Coordinator, Charice Creecy, who goes by CC, handles the schedule across all the shifts and is your one point of contact when something needs to change.
One honest limit: real 24-hour coverage takes staffing. It isn't like ordering a pizza off a shelf. For an urgent discharge we can often move fast, but a clean start usually takes a few days while we match the right caregivers to your home.
"Will Medicare pay for 24-hour care?"
The plain answer is no. Medicare does not pay for ongoing around-the-clock help at home. It can cover skilled home health for a short time after a hospital stay, only a few visits a week, but not continuous custodial care. You can confirm this at medicare.gov. Use your Medicare days first, then call us for the coverage they don't provide.
Paying for around-the-clock care
24-hour and live-in care are a real expense, so we point families to every source first. Long-term care insurance is the most common fit, and we file the claim and take an assignment of benefits so the insurer pays us directly instead of you chasing paperwork. Veterans and surviving spouses may qualify for VA Aid and Attendance, which we coordinate with an attorney at no cost to you. Families managing dementia may qualify for up to 72 hours a year of no-cost respite through Medicare's GUIDE program, which we provide as a partner through PocketRN, and a $1,000 wellness grant from Alzheimer's New Jersey.
Our Paying for Care and long-term care insurance pages go deeper. Starting earlier with fewer hours can also help you clear an LTC policy's elimination period sooner.
Why Moorestown families call us
Comfort Keepers has cared for seniors since 1998, and our Cherry Hill office has served Camden and Burlington County families since 2007, locally owned by Jim Winn, a Comfort Keepers owner since 2013. Our caregivers live here. They know the route to Virtua Marlton and Jefferson Cherry Hill.
There is no long-term contract. We ask for 24 to 48 hours' notice to cancel a visit and 5 days to stop service. Payment is auto-pay after care is delivered, and we don't take anything up front.
Related reading for Moorestown families: in-home senior care in Moorestown, 24-hour home care in Cherry Hill and Voorhees, and respite care for family caregivers who need a break.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is live-in care cheaper than 24-hour care?
Usually, yes. Live-in is one caregiver in the home for weeks at a time and is generally more than half the cost of 24-hour shifts. It only fits when your loved one can be left safely during the caregiver's sleep period. We'll tell you honestly which one your situation needs.
How many caregivers come for 24-hour care?
Because no one works 24 hours straight, several caregivers cover the day in shifts. We keep that number as small as we can so your parent sees familiar faces.
Does Medicare or Medicaid pay for 24-hour home care?
Medicare does not pay for ongoing around-the-clock care. It covers skilled home health briefly after a hospital stay only. We are a private-pay agency and do not bill Medicaid, but we will help you find veterans benefits, dementia respite hours, and long-term care insurance coverage that may apply.
Can you start 24-hour care quickly after a hospital discharge?
Often, yes. Tell us early, even before discharge, and we start lining up caregivers right away. The nurse won't hold you up.
What if we're not sure 24-hour is what we need?
That's the most common situation. Call us and we'll talk it through. Many families come in sure they need 24-hour care and leave with a live-in or a smaller plan that works better and costs less.
If you are worried about the nights in Moorestown, the smart first move is a conversation about what your parent actually needs, not just what you assumed on the worst night. My staff and I have these talks all day long, and there is no obligation to use us. Call us at (856) 857-6120. Comfort Keepers. Elevating the human spirit.
