If you’re wondering how to know if you need part-time and full-time in-home care for yourself or a loved one, you are not alone. Nearly all of us will need extra help as we get older, and the amount of help tends to increase as time goes on, but it can be difficult to tell when care needs change.<\/p>
Common signs that someone may need full-time care include increased confusion, physical decline, safety concerns and wandering, says Ryan McEniff<\/a>, an experienced caregiver and owner of Minute Women Home Care in Lexington, Massachusetts.<\/p> But when it comes to making the decision to move to full-time care, there may not always be a clear cut answer. McEniff encourages people to trust their gut here. “If you are worried about leaving your loved one alone or have a feeling they need more help than currently getting, you are probably right,” he says.<\/p> Here, we’ll go over everything you need to know about when it’s time to move from part-time to full-time in-home care, including the subtle signs it’s time to make the transition, important factors to consider and how to approach the subject with your loved ones.<\/p> Signs that someone may need to transition from occasional to full-time in-home care<\/a> vary from one person to another, but usually they will include significant changes in cognition, mobility, behavior and\/or the ability to take care of daily needs.<\/p> Here are some specific signs that a senior needs more care, according to Ashley Gloystein-Klatt<\/a>, the vice president of marketing and communications at Agemark Senior Living.<\/p> “Full-time care providers help with household chores, meal preparation and with activities of daily living, like eating, bathing, dressing and personal care.”<\/p>– Ryan McEniff, experienced caregiver and home care expert<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure> The most common type of full-time in-home caregivers<\/a> are home health aides (HHAs). These caregivers primarily help with the tasks of daily living that you or your loved one are struggling with.<\/p> “Full-time care providers help with household chores, meal preparation and with activities of daily living<\/a>, like eating, bathing, dressing and personal care,” McEniff explains. For those with cognitive issues, including wandering, home care providers can act as lifeguards, ensuring that they are watched over and safe, he adds. <\/p> Important note:<\/strong> Home health aides typically do not <\/em>provide medical care. Examples of medical in-home care<\/a> would include skilled nursing care – which is usually needed during recovery from a surgery or illness, as well as for those with chronic health conditions – or in-home hospice care for those living with a terminal illness or near the end of life.<\/p> The type of care a full-time in-home caregiver provides is individualized and structured based on each senior’s habits and needs, says Tania Pagan-Rosario<\/a>, owner of A Place At Home, a home care franchise in Montclair, New Jersey.<\/p> For example, a bedbound patient who requires 24\/7 help would need someone to clean them, brush their teeth, prepare meals, feed them and give medication reminders. Often, overnight supervision is also needed in these cases.<\/p> On the other hand, for a senior who is active and mobile, the schedule would be different. “It could be that this client wants to go to the supermarket, a pharmacy, a doctor’s appointment, get their hair or nails done, etc.,” Pagan-Rosario shares, “so the caregiver drives them or can accompany them.”<\/p> There are several important factors to consider when you’re ready to hire a full-time caregiver<\/a>. <\/p> When it comes to full-time in-home care, cost and quality are major considerations, says Kenneth A. Knapp<\/a>, an economist who specializes in gerontology and a professor and chair of public health at the School of Health Sciences & Practice at New York Medical College. For instance, the cost of in-home care<\/a> can be as high as $30 an hour<\/strong> in some locations, which can add up fast, especially if you’re paying for full-time care.<\/p> It may come as a surprise, but Medicare won’t cover in-home care on a long-term basis. <\/p> “Medicare covers home health care, including skilled nursing, therapy and some aide services, Knapp says, but only if:<\/p> The most common options to cover the cost of in-home care<\/a> include:<\/p> When someone goes from getting care just a few hours a day to needing a much higher level of care, it can be difficult to figure out how many hours of care to request and how to distribute those hours.<\/p> It’s a very individualized calculation, says Pagan-Rosario. “Schedules are determined by the amount of care needed.”<\/p> In order to figure out care schedules and hours, the person seeking care and\/or their family needs to consider things like:<\/p> There are several different ways that in-home care is provided, and this dictates how the care is overseen and how caregivers are paid. Options include:<\/p> “People don’t want to plan for the worst, but we have to be able to talk about tough scenarios like this so we can get a clear idea of our loved ones’ wishes.”<\/p>– Ashley Gloystein-Klatt, senior living and communications expert<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure> Even when it becomes clear that it’s time to choose between part-time and full-time in-home care, it’s natural for everyone involved to have strong feelings about this change. <\/p> Here are some tips for navigating this transition more smoothly: <\/p> It’s essential that you start the planning for full-time care as early as possible, says Gloystein-Klatt. Many people wait even when they see early signs that they or their loved one is struggling, but these types of situations can quickly escalate into emergencies.<\/p> “It is hard to make any decision when you feel rushed and stressed out, so having some early conversations and planning ahead can be so valuable and ease a lot of stress and worry later,” Gloystein-Klatt advises. “People don’t want to plan for the worst, but we have to be able to talk about tough scenarios like this so we can get a clear idea of our loved ones’ wishes.”<\/p> McEniff urges seniors and their loved ones to be patient and not give up if things are bumpy at first. “Know that it may take three to five shifts with each caregiver to start gaining comfortability, trust and a bond,” he says. Give yourself time to get to know the caregiver and work out any issues.<\/p> If you are finding care for someone else – like a parent or another loved one – it’s vital that they be involved in the transition process as much as possible for their dignity and to show respect, McEniff shares. Following their wishes and making sure they guide the process also increases the likelihood of them being willing to accept care in tough situations.<\/p> “Seniors who are still independent often prefer to avoid changes to their routine and privacy,” Pagan-Rosario says. While this is understandable, it’s important to consider that a caregiver can help avoid injuries and hospitalizations, and that’s a major benefit to accepting a higher level of care.<\/p> If you or a loved one is on the fence about care needs, “discussing ways that caregiving can support people and protect them from injury is a good way to introduce the idea,” Pagan-Rosario says.<\/p> Caregiver burden is a real thing. If you or a loved one is starting to require a great deal of help, consenting to additional in-home care can help everyone involved. “Discuss how it can be a supportive and comforting experience for all, including the family, because they will have increased peace of mind,” Pagan-Rosario says.<\/p> Starting your journey toward finding full-time in-home care can be overwhelming, but you don’t have to do this alone. There are many resources out there to help and support you. <\/p> Often, transitioning to full-time care comes after a hospitalization or injury. “In those cases, speaking with the social worker or discharge planner at the skilled nursing facility can help because they explain next steps and recommendations which often include suggestions for home care support,” Pagan-Rosario suggests.<\/p> The doctor is a good place to start when it comes to finding full-time in-home care. They can help you understand what type of care you or your loved one needs, as well as how many hours are appropriate. They can also direct you to local resources for finding care, including referrals from patients. <\/p> Geriatric care managers are trained specifically in the area of senior care, and can help you find local care, navigate care challenges, understand costs and help you transition to a care situation that works for the whole family. <\/p> Find a senior care advisor.<\/a><\/p> According to Knapp, some additional tried-and-true resources to help families secure in-home elder care include:<\/p> <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Unsure about in-home care options? Find out how to choose between part-time and full-time care based on your needs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":979,"featured_media":225410,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"enable_toc":true,"care_reviewed_by":1493,"care_post_updated_flag":false,"care_updated_date":"2026-03-12T18:55:02.639Z","last_update":"2026-03-12","view_count":588,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[1129,1071,1072],"member-type":[3],"vertical":[8,33],"platform":[2],"class_list":["post-225403","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-aging-in-place","tag-family-caregiving","tag-home-care","member-type-seeker","vertical-seniors","vertical-senior-care-advice-tips","platform-resources"],"acf":[],"created":null,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/225403","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/979"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=225403"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/225403\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":226675,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/225403\/revisions\/226675"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/225410"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=225403"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=225403"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=225403"},{"taxonomy":"member-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/member-type?post=225403"},{"taxonomy":"vertical","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/vertical?post=225403"},{"taxonomy":"platform","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/platform?post=225403"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Key takeaways<\/h3>
What are the signs someone needs full-time care?<\/h2>
Cognitive or behavioral changes<\/h3>
Daily living challenges<\/h3>
Physical or mobility challenges<\/h3>
Social or emotional changes<\/h3>
What services does full-time in-home care provide?<\/h2>
Care is dependent on needs<\/h3>
Factors to consider before hiring full-time care<\/h2>
1. Cost<\/h3>
“Full-time, home-based care is cost prohibitive for most people.”<\/p>2. Insurance limitations <\/h3>
So, how can you cover the cost of in-home care?<\/h3>
3. Hours and schedules<\/h3>
4. Who will manage the care and payment<\/h3>
Tips for a smooth transition to full-time care<\/h2>
Start early<\/h3>
Have patience<\/h3>
Keep seniors involved <\/h3>
Discuss the risks of not getting care<\/h3>
Discuss the benefits to the whole family<\/h3>
Resources for support <\/strong><\/h2>
Social worker or discharge planner<\/h3>
Primary care doctor<\/h3>
A geriatric care manager<\/h3>
Other helpful resources<\/h3>