How Much is Overnight Care for the Elderly?
How much does overnight care cost for the elderly? Caring for a loved one is hard at the best of times, but what about when you go to sleep? Night time carers can help. Elderly people can be restless at night as they may need to use the bathroom, and if they have dementia, the early hours are prime time for wandering. This can cause concern that may affect your ability to get a good night’s sleep. Overnight care at home can be a solution to these problems.
What is overnight care?
Overnight home care for the elderly is when a carer stays overnight and looks after a patient from late evening until early morning. There are both waking and sleeping night shift for carers.
Waking Night or Sleeping Night: Do overnight caregivers sleep?
A waking night is where the carer is expected to remain awake at night to assist with night time duties such as toileting or night time agitation. A sleeping night is where the carer can sleep but may may require occasional waking.
Why overnight care?
An overnight carer can make a huge difference to your ability to function on a daily basis, by allowing you to relax and recharge your batteries.
How much does overnight care cost for the elderly?
Home care overnight rates always vary according to the needs of your loved one, and overnight care comes in two categories, sleeping night care, and waking night care. If you’re interested in the cost of different types of care, take a look at our page, understanding the cost of care. In general, the cost of night care for elderly in the UK, is between £100-150 per night.
Sleeping night care
Sleeping night care means that a carer should be available in case of an incident, but that they don’t need to be awake and alert at all times.
This care is best for those who are mostly settled during the night, but, for instance, may need help getting to the toilet.
The needs of the care recipient will determine the price, but in general overnight carers cost between £100-120 per night, which works out at £10 per hour.
Waking night care
If your loved one requires closer supervision, a waking night carer will be awake all night, either sitting in the room of your loved one, or staying alert in a room nearby, whatever the preference.
Inevitably, waking night care is more expensive as the carer will be unable to work during the day, so will need to earn their full wage during the night shift. Overnight senior care is generally popular with many carers because of favourable waking night pay rates.
Waking night care is usually charged at the carer’s hourly rate. For example, if the carer charges £15 per hour, and you need them for 8 hours, you will need to pay at least £120 per night. Waking nights care should generally be reserved for multiple night wakings.
Prices will change depending on the number of hours required. If you need the carer to help with the bedtime and morning routines, then you may require 10-12 hours of care. Therefore the price you pay per night will have to reflect this.
What other types of night care for the elderly at home are available?
Night sitting service
Sitters for the elderly are available on both an overnight and live in basis. Live in sitters for elderly typically cost £120/day. The cost of night sitters for the elderly will vary according to night time waking. vary according to need but for a sleeping night this may be as little as £80/night.
Overnight nursing care
Overnight nursing care at home is available although it should be remembered that most care needs can be met by a well trained overnight carer or sleeping night carer. The cost of night nurse for elderly could be as little as £20/hour. A night nurse agency specialising in covering specific nursing tasks may be able to assist.
Hometouch offer a variety of different care options for – including dementia night care. We’re also able to arrange overnight care with a live-in carer or private overnight carers, depending on requirements. Find out what Hometouch can do to help your loved one live happily and safely at home. Speak to a Hometouch Care Advisor today.
We offer overnight care in the following locations:
