Definition
In senior care, 24-hour care refers to around-the-clock caregiving delivered in shifts.
Families typically schedule two or more caregivers in shifts so no single person is awake for a full day and night. This level of care is common when someone has dementia, high fall risk, or needs frequent overnight help and cannot safely be left alone.
Live-in arrangements — one caregiver residing in the home with agreed sleep time — are related but different from true 24-hour awake coverage. Costs are usually private pay unless authorized hours exist through Medi-Cal, IHSS, or a waiver.