What is live-in care?

Live-in care means a dedicated carer moves into the family home to provide day-to-day support, companionship and overnight reassurance. It’s the “live-in houseguest who never overstays their welcome”: present when you want help, discreet when you want space, and focused on keeping life flowing in your own routine.

TL;DR

Live-in care is when a dedicated carer moves in to provide day support, companionship and overnight reassurance so life carries on in your own routine.
Traditional live-in includes ~8 hours of active help by day with on-call cover overnight; if nights are busy, an active 24-hour roster uses two or three carers.
Cost snapshot (Melbourne): Traditional live-in is often $8,000+ per week, charged in 24-hour blocks; active 24-hour care costs more due to multiple staff and nights.
Home Care Package subsidies (Levels 1–4) can contribute, and income-tested fees have daily, annual and lifetime caps; out-of-pocket costs depend on your income and provider pricing.
Live-in care gives one-to-one support at home; residential aged care shares staff, one carer to several residents; hourly visits suit lighter, set-task support.

How live-in care differs from hourly home care and nursing homes

Hourly home care: carers visit for set times. Helpful when you only need short visits, but it can feel bit-by-bit and more time-consuming to organise several visits a day.
Live-in care: one consistent person (often a small, rotating team) stays under your roof. You get continuity, fewer moving parts, and support across the whole day and night.
Residential aged care (nursing homes): care is delivered in a facility with 24/7 staff. Residents usually pay a basic daily fee plus means-tested charges and accommodation arrangements, which can suit some but not all lifestyles. In residential aged care, support is shared; one carer typically looks after several residents rather than providing one-to-one care like at home.

Who it suits and typical care needs

Live in home care works well if you:

Want to remain in your own home near friends, neighbours and your favourite cafés.
Need daily personal care, medication reminders, meals, and a safe shower routine.
Feel more relaxed with someone on hand at night.
Have complex care needs, or you’re a single person who wants company and practical help that fits your routine.
Prefer a consistent team and a Service Manager who knows your story and keeps family in the loop.

How does live-in care work day to day?

In a traditional live-in model, the carer provides around 8 hours of active support during the day (hands-on tasks, outings, meal prep), takes breaks, and stays on-call overnight for reassurance. This is why live-in care is charged in 24-hour blocks rather than by the hour. If you need frequent help through the night, providers switch to an active 24-hour roster with two or three carers covering the full day.

Your care plan, safety and the team behind the scenes

A care plan sets out support services, goals and preferences, everything from morning routines to a regular visit from the podiatrist. A Service Manager checks quality, keeps an eye on risks, and updates your plan as care needs change. Families get clear updates, which eases worry and saves a lot of back-and-forth.

Know our premium live in care services

How much does live-in care cost?

Traditional live-in (8 hours active by day and on-call overnight): often $8,000+ per week in Melbourne, depending on weekdays vs weekends, public holidays, and what’s included (mileage, care management).
Active 24-hour care (more hands-on day and night): higher due to multiple staff across two or three shifts.

What affects the price?

Nights: frequent night-time help will push you into an active model.
Complex care: dementia care with sundowning, or palliative needs, often requires highly skilled staff and more than 8 hours a day active care.
Public holidays and weekends: higher daily rates are common across aged care services.
Minimum charge: live-in is usually priced as a 24-hour block; short bookings may still attract the full hourly rate.

Where funding fits: Home Care Packages (HCP)

If you’re on a Home Care Package, the government subsidy is paid to your provider and goes into your home care package budget for agreed services. As at 1 July 2025, the daily subsidy rates are roughly $29.95 (Level 1), $52.67 (Level 2), $114.65 (Level 3), $173.81 (Level 4), equal to $419.30, $737.38, $1,605.10, $2,433.34 per fortnight. These rates are indexed and may shift during the year.

Fees you might be asked to pay on HCP

Basic daily fee: some providers may charge it in home care (set as a % of the Age Pension by level).
Income-tested care fee: for people with higher financial circumstances, Services Australia sets an amount based on your income.
Caps that protect you: there are annual caps (two levels, depending on your income) and a lifetime cap, so you don’t pay beyond a limit. As at 1 July 2025, the income-tested care fee caps are:

Daily cap $18.85 / annual cap $6,862.18 (below the income threshold)
Daily cap $37.70 / annual cap $13,724.45 (above the income threshold)
Lifetime cap $82,347.13 (combined across home care income-tested fees and residential means-tested fees).

Tip: fee caps are indexed twice a year. Your provider can help you check where you’re up to, and once you hit a cap, the income-tested part stops for the rest of that period.

How your package turns into hours (and live-in cover)

Package funds must also stretch to care management and package management. The Department of Health publishes national median prices for common services and management to help families compare, but each provider sets their own price list. That’s why quotes differ, especially for live-in setups that include travel, handovers and rostering.

Example budgets

Here are simplified examples showing how people often organise a week. Your numbers will differ.

Level 4 package + traditional live-in one weekday

Funds in: $2,433.34 per fortnight (~$1,216.67/week).
Spend: cover one 24-hour block mid-week with live-in (out-of-pocket top-up likely), then use package funds for support services on other days (personal care visits, shopping, care manager check-ins).
Result: core live-in cover on one mid-week day, top-up visits on others.

Private pay traditional live-in full week

Spend: say $8,000+ per week, depending on days and public holidays.
Package (if you have one): offsets part of the weekly cost; income-tested care fee and any basic daily fee reduce the subsidy available.
Result: stable, consistent team at home, one bill, fewer moving parts.

Live-in care with Acquaint

If you’re picturing a pushy houseguest, rest easy. Our live-in carers feel more like thoughtful housemates, there when you want help, invisible when you want a quiet cuppa.

Traditional live-in care

One carer stays 24 hours: around 8 hours of active support by day, on-call overnight.
Best for elderly people with moderate support needs who value privacy and rhythm.
Charged in blocks (not hourly), so your week runs smoothly without constant clock-watching.

Active live-in care

For high needs or frequent overnight care.
We provide rotating teams across the 24-hour day so there’s always someone fresh and ready.
Ideal when mobility, dementia or health changes need direct care most of the day and night.

A snapshot of what we do

Personal care done with skill and style: showering, grooming, laundry, a tidy wardrobe, the works.
Companionship with brains and heart: conversation, crosswords, card games, and cheering on the weekend football.
Transport: appointments, the shops, even a quick nine holes if that’s your thing.
Honest, subtle communication: you and your family get the right detail at the right time, without fuss.

Why families choose Acquaint

Experienced, warm carers: selected for skill and personality. Life is better with good company.
One-size-fits-one: your health conditions, your social calendar, your Netflix queue.
Consistent team: familiar faces who know your jokes and your tea order.
Service Manager: a single point of contact who keeps care humming and fees transparent.
Works with your Home Care Package: we deliver services for self-managed packages through our partner, or we can support you privately, paying only for the services you choose.

Your premium and private live in care services

If you or your parents live in Melbourne's inner Suburbs, and you want the support to keep living life your way, let’s map out a service that fits your week, coffee in the morning, friends on the weekend, and a calm night.

Call Acquaint on 03 9267 9090 or send us a message. We’ll:

Listen to what a good day at home looks like for you.
Outline traditional vs active live-in options.
Show how your Home Care Package and government subsidy can contribute (including any income-tested care fee caps).
Introduce a consistent team and a dedicated Service Manager.

Want the “houseguest who never overstays”? That’s us. Let’s keep you safe, comfortable and doing what you love at home.

Send us a message to know more

_{Last updated: September 2025}