Orleans, Ottawa · Serving Ottawa and up to 50 km around the cityOrleans, Ottawa
Mon to Fri, 9 AM to 5 PM(343) 644-3431
- Personal Care and PSW Support
- Companion Care
- Respite Care
- Dementia and Alzheimer's Care
- 24 Hour and Live-In Care
- Home Help, Meals and Transportation
- Orleans and East Ottawa
- Gloucester and South Ottawa
- Central Ottawa
- Nepean and Bells Corners
- Barrhaven and Manotick
- Kanata and Stittsville
- Rockland
- Embrun, Russell and Casselman
- Carleton Place, Almonte and Arnprior
- Kemptville, Winchester and Morrisburg
Round-the-Clock Home Care in Ottawa
24 hour home care in Ottawa means a caregiver is in the house day and night, so your parent is never alone when it matters most. 1st Home Health Care provides overnight care, 24 hour shift coverage and live-in care for seniors who need someone close at all times. This is non-medical care: we do not give medication, change dressings or do nursing procedures. Our office is on Talcy Crescent in Orleans, and care is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Live In Caregiver Ottawa Families Choose
Families usually arrive at this decision after a scare: a fall in the night, a parent who wanders, or a spouse who has run out of energy. A few hours a day are no longer enough, and the question becomes how to make sure someone is there all the time.
There are two main ways to do it. A live-in caregiver lives in the home and is there through the day and night. Shift coverage uses two or more caregivers who take turns, so someone is awake and present around the clock. Both keep your parent in their own home, with familiar rooms, routines and neighbours.
We will help you decide. Tell us how your parent's days and nights look, and we will suggest the setup that fits.
How 24 Hour Shift Coverage Works
One person cannot safely work around the clock for days on end. Round-the-clock care is therefore built from shifts. A caregiver might cover the day, and a second caregiver takes over in the evening and stays through the night. Some families add a third person on weekends so everyone can rest.
What this looks like in practice:
- caregivers hand over to each other at set times, with notes on how the day went
- your parent gets to know a small team, not a different person each time
- meals, personal care, company and supervision continue without gaps
- you can change the schedule when your parent's needs change
We send the same caregivers each time wherever we can, because familiar faces matter most to a parent who is anxious or confused.
Overnight Care for Seniors
Nights are when many families feel most worried. A parent may get up to use the bathroom, wake confused, or wander. Falls often happen in the dark, and a spouse who is up several times a night soon becomes exhausted.
Overnight Care For Seniors Who Get Up at Night
An overnight caregiver is in the home while your parent sleeps and helps when they wake. Depending on your parent, the caregiver may:
- help your parent to the bathroom and back to bed safely
- settle them again after a restless or confused moment
- keep an eye on the home, the doors and the stove
- be there if your parent needs help in the night, so you can sleep
- leave a short note for the family or the morning caregiver
Overnight care is often the first step families take, and many keep it for years. It lets a family caregiver sleep through the night, which is hard to replace.
Awake Overnight vs Sleep-In Care
Overnight care comes in two forms. An awake overnight caregiver stays up through the night, which suits a parent who wanders, is often up, or needs frequent help. A sleep-in caregiver has a bed in the home and rests, but is there if your parent needs them, which suits a parent who sleeps well and only needs someone nearby.
The right choice depends on how your parent sleeps. If they are up several times a night, awake care is usually the safer option. If they sleep through and only need reassurance, a sleep-in may be enough. We will ask about a typical night and suggest the better fit, and we can change it later.
Live-In Care vs 24 Hour Shifts
Families often ask which is better. The honest answer is that it depends on your parent and your home.
- Live-in care: One caregiver lives in the home, usually with a place to rest. It suits a parent who sleeps through the night and has a spare room available. The caregiver needs breaks and time off, so a second caregiver usually covers those.
- 24 hour shifts: Caregivers take turns and each one stays awake for their shift. It suits a parent who needs help in the night or has more complex needs. A small team means no one is overworked.
If your parent's nights are unsettled, shifts are usually the better choice. If nights are quiet and the home has the space, live-in care can be a good fit. We can cover both, and we can move from one to the other as things change.
Rest Periods and Why They Matter
A caregiver who is tired cannot look after anyone well. Employment rules in Ontario, including the Employment Standards Act, set minimum rest and meal breaks for workers, and a good care plan is built around them. That is why a live-in or 24 hour setup uses more than one caregiver, so each person gets proper rest and your parent gets safe, alert care.
When you ask about round-the-clock care, ask how breaks and time off will be covered. We will explain how we plan the schedule, so you know who is in your home and when.
Who Needs Round-the-Clock Care
Round-the-clock care is not for everyone, and we will say so if a lighter plan would do. It tends to suit seniors who:
- have dementia or Alzheimer's disease and wander, or are awake at night
- have had a fall, a hospital stay or a surgery and need close help to recover at home
- cannot be left alone safely, even for short periods
- need help to get up, move or use the toilet at any hour
- live with a spouse who is no longer able to manage the nights alone
It also suits families who live far away and want to know that someone is always at home. If your parent has dementia, read about our dementia care in Ottawa. If you need a short-term solution after a hospital stay or while you travel, see our respite care.
What 24 Hour Care Costs
Our rates run from $35 to $45 per hour, depending on the care and the hours booked. We confirm the price for your schedule before care begins, so there are no surprises. Round-the-clock care is a significant commitment, so many families start with overnight care or a few days a week and add hours later.
We work with private-pay clients and with clients funded through Ontario Health atHome. Our home care cost guide explains rates, funding and tax credits in more detail.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you provide 24 hour home care in Ottawa?
Yes. We provide care 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including overnight care, 24 hour shift coverage and live-in care. We do not give medication or nursing care. Call (343) 644-3431 and tell us about your parent, and we will suggest the right setup.
What is the difference between live-in care and 24 hour care?
Live-in care means one caregiver lives in the home and rests there. A 24 hour setup uses shifts, so a caregiver is awake at all times. Live-in suits parents who sleep through the night. Shifts suit parents who need help or supervision overnight.
Can you provide overnight care only?
Yes. Many families start with overnight care, so a spouse or adult child can sleep. It can be one night a week or every night. We will plan it around how your parent sleeps and what help they need at night.
How much does overnight or live-in care cost in Ottawa?
Our rates run from $35 to $45 per hour, depending on the care and the hours booked. We confirm the exact price for your schedule before care begins. Our home care cost guide explains rates, funding and tax credits in detail.
Can a caregiver stay for a short time only?
Yes. Round-the-clock care can last a few days after a hospital stay, a couple of weeks while you travel, or an ongoing arrangement. Tell us how long you need it, and we will plan the schedule around that.
How quickly can 24 hour care start?
Call us and tell us what is going on. We will explain what is possible and how soon care can begin. If the need is urgent, say so when you call, and we will work with you to get care in place as soon as we can.
Peace of Mind Day and Night
If your parent needs someone close at all times, call (343) 644-3431 or send us a message about 24 hour home care in Ottawa. Tell us how your days and nights look, and we will talk through the options with you.