Live-In Caregiver Job Description Template

Live-In Caregiver Overview

Live-In Caregivers work directly in a private residence, typically reporting to the client's family or a designated Care Manager or Home Care Coordinator who manages the care plan. This role operates with significant daily autonomy and requires strong independent judgment.

As a Live-In Caregiver, you will be responsible for providing comprehensive daily care including personal hygiene support, meal preparation, medication reminders, mobility assistance, and household management, while also being available for nighttime needs as defined by the care agreement. You will maintain open, proactive communication with family members and care team professionals to ensure client safety and satisfaction.

What makes this role exceptional is the depth of relationship it creates. Live-In Caregivers often become central figures in a client's daily life. Success is measured by client safety, family confidence, continuity of care, and the quality of life outcomes the client experiences under your support.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide comprehensive daily personal care including bathing, grooming, dressing, oral hygiene, and incontinence management while maintaining client dignity

• Assist with all mobility needs including transfers, ambulation, wheelchair navigation, and safe repositioning using proper body mechanics and assistive devices

• Plan, shop for, and prepare nutritious meals tailored to dietary requirements, physician orders, cultural preferences, and chewing or swallowing limitations

• Administer medication reminders on schedule and document compliance, noting and reporting any adverse reactions, missed doses, or behavioral changes promptly

• Perform comprehensive household management including cleaning, laundry, grocery shopping, and maintaining a safe and organized living environment

• Accompany the client to medical appointments, therapy sessions, social outings, and family events as scheduled and authorized

• Monitor client health status continuously, including observation of mood, cognition, skin integrity, appetite, sleep patterns, and mobility changes

• Maintain accurate daily care logs documenting health observations, activities, and any incidents or concerns

• Provide meaningful social engagement, companionship, and emotional support tailored to the client's preferences, cognitive level, and communication style

• Respond appropriately to nighttime needs including calls for assistance, safety concerns, or health changes in accordance with the agreed care schedule

• Collaborate proactively with family contacts and supervising care professionals, providing regular updates and escalating concerns without delay

• Respect client privacy and household boundaries at all times, maintaining professional conduct within the shared living environment

Required Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required

• Personal Care Aide, Home Health Aide, or equivalent state certification where required by regulation

• Minimum 2 years of direct caregiving experience, with preference for prior live-in or residential care experience

• Valid driver's license and clean driving record required for client transportation responsibilities

• Ability to pass a comprehensive criminal background check, drug screening, driving record check, and professional references

• Physical capability to perform hands-on personal care, transfers, and mobility support throughout active and on-call periods

• Demonstrated ability to work with significant autonomy, maintain professional boundaries, and manage daily operations independently

• Strong verbal communication skills for coordinating with families, care managers, and medical professionals

Preferred Qualifications

• Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) credential or Home Health Aide (HHA) certification

• CPR and First Aid certification (current)

• Prior live-in caregiver experience with documented positive client outcomes and family references

• Experience supporting clients with dementia, Alzheimer's, or complex chronic conditions

• Bilingual language skills aligned with the client's or family's primary language

• Comfort with pets, children in the home, or other household-specific requirements as relevant to the placement

Essential Skills and Competencies for Live-In Caregivers

Technical Skills

• Comprehensive ADL and IADL support

• Safe patient handling, transfer techniques, and mobility assistance

• Medication reminders and basic health monitoring

• Household management including cooking, cleaning, and shopping

• Vital sign observation and health change recognition

• Dementia and cognitive impairment care (preferred)

• Care documentation and EVV platform usage

Soft Skills

• Exceptional interpersonal maturity and the ability to maintain professional boundaries while living in a client's home

• Patience and emotional regulation in high-demand, continuous care situations

• Discretion and strict confidentiality with family, financial, medical, and personal matters

• Proactive communication with family contacts and care supervisors, particularly around health concerns or care challenges

• Adaptability to changing household dynamics, client needs, and family preferences

• Resilience and self-care awareness to sustain performance over extended placement periods

• Conflict resolution skills for navigating occasional friction with family members or household dynamics

Salary Range and Benefits for Live-In Caregivers

Compensation for Live-In Caregivers is structured differently from hourly roles, reflecting both the care responsibilities and the residential arrangement. According to PayScale (2025), Live-In Caregivers earn between $1,500 and $3,200 per week or $45,000 to $75,000 annually, depending on care complexity, client medical needs, geographic market, and whether the position is agency-placed or privately arranged.

Top-Paying Areas: California, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Washington D.C. consistently offer the highest live-in caregiver compensation, often 25 to 40% above national averages due to higher cost of living and competitive labor markets.

Benefits Package: Live-In Caregiver compensation typically includes room and board as a component of the total package, which should be explicitly valued in the offer. Agency-placed live-in caregivers often receive health insurance, paid time off, mileage reimbursement during active duty hours, and access to certification and training support. Private employment arrangements vary significantly, and families should establish clear terms around scheduled days off (typically 8 to 10 hours per day is considered off-duty), emergency coverage responsibilities, and annual compensation review. Workers' compensation and employer tax obligations apply to families employing live-in caregivers directly.

Frequently Asked Questions About Live-In Caregivers

Q: What does a Live-In Caregiver do?

A: A Live-In Caregiver resides in a client's home and provides comprehensive daily care including personal hygiene assistance, meal preparation, medication reminders, mobility support, household management, and companionship. Unlike shift caregivers, they offer continuous availability across day and evening hours with designated rest periods. They monitor client health, maintain daily documentation, and communicate proactively with family contacts and supervising care professionals.

Q: What qualifications do you need to be a Live-In Caregiver?

A: Live-In Caregivers typically need a high school diploma or GED, state-applicable Personal Care Aide or Home Health Aide certification, and a minimum of 2 years of direct caregiving experience. A clean background check, valid driver's license, and professional references from prior care employers are standard requirements. CNA credentials and dementia care training are strong differentiators for complex placements.

Q: How much does a Live-In Caregiver make?

A: According to PayScale (2025), Live-In Caregivers earn between $1,500 and $3,200 per week, or approximately $45,000 to $75,000 annually. Room and board is typically included in the compensation package, which meaningfully increases total compensation value beyond the stated salary.

Q: What skills are required for a Live-In Caregiver?

A: Live-In Caregivers need comprehensive ADL support skills, safe patient handling expertise, medication reminder competency, household management abilities, and basic health monitoring skills. Equally critical are interpersonal maturity, professional boundary-setting, discretion, proactive communication, and the emotional resilience to sustain high-quality care over extended placement periods.

Q: Is a Live-In Caregiver the same as a 24-hour Caregiver?

A: No. A Live-In Caregiver resides in the home and is available during waking hours and on-call for nighttime needs but legally must have designated sleep time and daily personal time off. A 24-hour Caregiver arrangement requires multiple caregivers in rotating shifts to provide continuous coverage without rest requirement complications.

Q: What are the legal considerations when hiring a Live-In Caregiver?

A: Families employing live-in caregivers directly are considered household employers subject to federal and state labor laws, including minimum wage, overtime regulations, payroll tax obligations, and workers' compensation requirements. Many families work through home care agencies to navigate these complexities. Consulting an employment attorney before finalizing a private arrangement is strongly recommended.