Most older adults want to age in place. Home care makes that possible, with support ranging from one hour a week all the way up to 24-hour care, plus home nursing for health needs right through to palliative care.
Staying home means staying in a space you know how to navigate, close to neighbours and community. You keep your routines, eat what you want when you want (no assigned seating), and control the lights, the noise, and who comes through the door. You keep your pets. You keep your independence longer. And the caregivers you work with actually know you: your likes, your dislikes, what 'normal' looks like for you. A good home care setup covers most daily needs, from personal care to errands, escorts, and groceries.
Government Home Support: What It Covers and Where It Falls Short
Government-funded home support is a real help, but it is limited. Most people receive up to roughly 4 hours per day depending on local health authority guidelines, and the allowable tasks often leave gaps that family has to cover. Caregiver availability and scheduling continuity can also be a challenge, especially in remote areas where service disruptions are more likely.
Home safety adjustments or equipment may be needed before service can start. And for clients with exceptional behavioural challenges, home may not be a safe environment to support care in at all.
Private Home Care: The Cost Reality
Cost is the main barrier to extensive private home support. Based on current survey data, expect to budget roughly $1,675 per month for each hour of daily service. So 4 hours a day runs around $6,700 monthly.
At the low end, we can provide one hour of service per week for about $260 per month. This is often someone who has government home support but hires private care to get a consistent person for their shower.
At the high end, Live-in (Homestay) care provides round-the-clock availability for roughly $20k to $24k per month. This suits someone who needs a caregiver on hand throughout the day for assisted mobility, dementia care, or end-of-life support. 24-hour care, where caregivers are expected to be up through the night, runs around $40k per month. This is usually short-term, often just days or weeks, and most common in end-of-life situations.
Private care runs into the same practical limits as government care: home safety modifications, added travel costs for remote clients, and behavioural challenges that may not be safe to manage at home.
Who Home Care Suits Best
Home care fits people who value control, privacy, and independence, and who want personalized routines rather than a facility schedule. It works well for those with sensory sensitivities, people who dislike crowds or communal dining, and anyone with pets they are not willing to part with. It fits people with a strong emotional attachment to their home and community connections they do not want to lose.
One practical test: can you afford your current and projected care needs without worrying that service will end prematurely? If yes, home care is a serious option. If the math does not work over the long haul, a care home may be the more sustainable choice.
Home Care vs. Care Home: Side by Side
| Category | Home Care | Care Home (AL/LTC) |
|---|---|---|
| Control over schedule | Full control, care scheduled around the person | Limited, care scheduled around facility routines |
| Meals | Fully customized, made by a caregiver | Set menus and rotations made by a chef |
| Mobility barriers | Adapted to the known home with accessibility modifications | Adapting to a new environment that is already accessible |
| Pets | All non-aggressive pets allowed | No pets in AL / LTC |
| Socialization | Focused on intergenerational relationships with family and caregivers | Some peer and intergenerational contact, regular group activities |
| Environment | Familiar, calm, your home | Shared, noisier, communal |
| Caregiver consistency | High: small team supporting one individual | Low to moderate: rotating caregivers supporting a group |
| Family involvement | Family can visit any time | Family can visit per building policy |
| Medical oversight | Nursing on-demand or by phone | Nurse on-site or by phone |
| Infection risk | Lower in a private home | Higher in a communal residence |
| Resistance to care | Can work well with consistent caregivers | Moving someone into care against their wishes often leads to depression and failure to thrive |
| Safety monitoring | Scheduled one-to-one, nursing on-demand | Staff on-site, nursing on-site or on-demand |
| End-of-life care | Can be fully supported at home with nursing | Most transfer to hospice |
| Cost structure | Pay for the hours needed | Base rent plus extensive added fees at high rates |