What are the minimum hours for home care?

Two kinds of minimum

• A minimum per visit or shift, for example a few hours at a time.
• A minimum per week. A weekly minimum sets the smallest monthly bill you can have.

What one report says

A Place for Mom’s 2026 cost report says: “Most home care agencies require a weekly minimum of seven hours, and some offer up to 24-hour or live-in care options. The most common home care schedule is approximately 20 nonsleeping hours per week”, which it prices at $2,944 a month at a national median of $34 an hour.¹ That is a national statement from a company that says home care agencies pay it each time it refers a family.² It does not describe any one Los Angeles agency.

Why it matters for the price

The smallest possible bill is the minimum hours times the lowest hourly rate. An agency with a lower hourly rate and a higher weekly minimum can cost more than one with a higher rate and no weekly minimum. Compare the smallest bill, not only the hourly number. See how much home care costs in Los Angeles.

What to ask

• What is the minimum per visit, and is there a minimum per week?
• Do minimums change for nights, weekends or holidays?
• What happens if you need fewer hours some weeks?
• Is there a contract, and how do you cancel?

Where to see it in writing

A rate card in our directory lists an agency’s minimum per visit, minimum per week and smallest bill next to its rates, signed and dated by the agency.