
When an older parent starts needing help with bathing, medication, mobility or daily routines, families must decide how much support to arrange and what they can afford. Elderly care services in India range from a few hours of help at home to residential care with round-the-clock supervision. This guide explains what each service includes, gives published price examples where available, and shows you how to compare options before committing.
Elderly care services cover practical, personal, medical and residential support for older adults. They can help someone remain at home, recover after a hospital stay, manage a long-term condition or receive continuous supervision in a care facility. The range of elderly services in India includes paid private care, charitable support and government health services. The costs below are examples from published rates, not fixed national prices.
The types of elderly care services differ in the level of assistance, medical expertise and supervision they provide. Use this table to identify the service that matches your parent’s needs, then confirm the full price and inclusions with the provider.
| Service | What it includes | Indicative cost | Best suited for |
| Personal care attendant | Help with bathing, dressing, meals, mobility, toileting and companionship, depending on the agreed duties | ₹800 per 12-hour shift or ₹1,600 per 24-hour shift. Published rate card, accessed 25 October 2026 | Older adults who need help with daily activities but do not require a nurse for every task |
| Home nursing | Nursing support for clinical needs, based on the care plan and nurse’s qualifications | ₹1,800 per 12-hour shift or ₹3,600 per 24-hour shift. Published rate card, accessed 25 October 2026 | People who need nursing care at home |
| Physiotherapy, doctor visits and diagnostics | Rehabilitation exercises, medical consultations or tests arranged at home; charges depend on the service | Physiotherapy: ₹500-₹2,500+ per visit. Published price guide, published 15 September 2026. Ask separately for doctor visits and diagnostics | Older adults with mobility problems, recovery needs or difficulty travelling |
| Assisted living and old age homes | Accommodation, meals, housekeeping and varying levels of daily assistance; medical services depend on the plan | Published examples range from ₹17,650 to ₹45,000 per month. Tariff, effective 1 April 2026; care plans, accessed 25 October 2026 | Older adults who need accommodation, daily support or a managed living environment |
| Nursing homes and post-hospital rehabilitation | Supervision, help with daily activities and varying levels of nursing or recovery support | One published residential transitional-care rate is ₹1,800-₹2,500 per day for shared accommodation and ₹2,500-₹3,500 per day for private AC accommodation. Published rates, accessed 25 October 2026 | People who need more support after hospital discharge or have higher care needs |
| Memory and dementia care | Supervision, structured routines, medication management and support from staff trained to care for people with dementia | Published plans list ₹90,500 and ₹1,30,500 per month for different care levels. Published pricing, accessed 25 October 2026 | Older adults who need specialist supervision because of dementia-related symptoms |
| Palliative and end-of-life care | Symptom relief, comfort-focused support and help for the patient and family; the care team depends on need | ₹1,400 per 12-hour shift or ₹2,800 per 24-hour shift on one published rate card, accessed 25 October 2026 | People living with serious illness who need comfort and symptom management |
| Day care and companionship | Supervised daytime activities, social interaction and respite for family carers; inclusions vary by centre | No comparable published rate verified for this guide. Request a per-day quote and check whether meals and transport are extra | Older adults who can return home at the end of the day and benefit from company or daytime supervision |
Important: These figures are not directly comparable. Some cover a caregiver’s shift, some cover a visit, and others include accommodation. Ask what is excluded particularly medicines, consumables, equipment, doctor visits, specialist nursing, deposits and additional attendant hours before comparing totals.
A home based elderly care service lets an older adult receive assistance in familiar surroundings. The right arrangement depends on whether the person needs help with daily activities, clinical care or rehabilitation. Confirm the worker’s qualifications and duties before booking; a personal attendant and a qualified nurse are not interchangeable.
A personal care attendant helps with daily routines such as bathing, dressing, eating, using the toilet, walking safely and keeping to an agreed schedule. The family and provider should define the duties in writing. An attendant should not be expected to perform nursing procedures without the appropriate training and authorisation.
Part-time support suits someone who needs help for a few hours. A 12-hour shift provides longer coverage, while 24-hour arrangements require clear terms about rest, sleep, breaks and replacement cover. Do not assume that “live-in” means the worker is awake and actively working all day and night.
A published rate card lists ₹800 per 12-hour shift and ₹1,600 per 24-hour shift for an elder caretaker. These are indicative rates, not a guaranteed quote; the provider states that the final amount is agreed with the family. Check the rate card, accessed 25 October 2026, and confirm whether travel, night duties, replacement staff and holidays cost extra.
Home nursing is intended for clinical needs that require a qualified nurse. Depending on the care plan and the nurse’s scope of practice, duties may include wound care, injections, catheter care, monitoring and support after discharge. Ask the treating doctor to specify the required tasks and frequency so the provider can assign an appropriately qualified nurse.
The same published rate card lists ₹1,800 per 12-hour nursing shift and ₹3,600 per 24-hour shift. These are examples from one provider’s pricing, not national averages. Check the published rates, accessed 25 October 2026, and verify the nurse’s credentials, supervision arrangements and emergency escalation process.
Home physiotherapy can help older adults work on mobility, strength, balance or rehabilitation after an illness or injury. The treating clinician or physiotherapist should set the exercises and frequency. Doctor visits and diagnostic tests are separate services, so request individual rates rather than assuming they are included in a home-care package.
A published home-physiotherapy guide gives a price range of ₹500-₹2,500+ per visit, published on 15 September 2026. The amount depends on the service and requirements. See the published price guide and ask whether the first assessment, travel or equipment costs extra.
Residential and specialised care may be appropriate when an older adult needs accommodation, continuous supervision or support that is difficult to arrange safely at home. The options below serve different needs; a higher monthly fee does not automatically mean a service provides every type of medical care.
Assisted living and old age homes provide accommodation and varying levels of help with meals, housekeeping, mobility and personal care. The exact service depends on the plan. Some arrangements include basic health monitoring; nursing procedures, specialist consultations, medicines and dedicated one-to-one care may cost extra.
Published tariffs reviewed for this guide include monthly prices of ₹17,650 for one accommodation option and ₹25,000, ₹35,000 and ₹45,000 for three different care plans. The first tariff was effective 1 April 2026; the care-plan prices were accessed on 25 October 2026. Review the published tariff and published care plans. Compare accommodation, staffing, medical support, deposits and exclusions before deciding.
A nursing home or transitional-care arrangement may suit someone who needs more support than a family can provide during recovery. Before admission, ask who administers medication, whether a nurse is present around the clock, how rehabilitation is arranged and what happens if the person’s condition worsens.
One published post-hospital-care rate card lists ₹1,800-₹2,500 per day for shared accommodation and ₹2,500-₹3,500 per day for private AC accommodation. These are specific published rates, not a national range. See the rate details, accessed 25 October 2026. Ask for an itemised quote covering nursing, physiotherapy, doctor reviews, medicines and discharge planning.
Memory care is designed for older adults who need additional supervision because of dementia, confusion, memory loss or related changes in behaviour. Appropriate care may include structured routines, medication management, support with personal care and steps to reduce risks such as wandering. Ask how staff are trained to respond to distress and changes in behaviour.
A published specialist-care price list gives monthly rates of ₹90,500 for intermediate care and ₹1,30,500 for extensive care. The provider notes that final pricing depends on an individual assessment and that additional services may cost extra. Check the published dementia-care pricing, accessed 25 October 2026. Confirm the staffing arrangements, nursing cover, assessment process and additional charges before admission.
Palliative care focuses on relieving symptoms and improving quality of life for people living with serious illness. It can include physical, psychological, social and family support, delivered at home or in a healthcare setting according to the person’s needs. It is not limited to the final days of life.
A published rate card lists ₹1,400 per 12-hour shift and ₹2,800 per 24-hour shift for palliative care support. These are examples from one provider, not a national rate. See the published rate card, accessed 25 October 2026. Ask the treating team whether the arrangement includes clinical assessment, symptom-management support, nursing procedures and access to a doctor. The National Programme for Palliative Care provides official programme context.
Geriatric care services focus on the health needs of older adults, including assessment, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation. General elderly care is broader: it can include personal assistance, companionship, accommodation and everyday support. A person may need both. For example, a geriatric clinician can assess falls or multiple medicines, while an attendant helps with bathing and meals.India’s National Programme for the Health Care of the Elderly (NPHCE) supports preventive healthcare, treatment and rehabilitation for older adults through government health facilities.
The price depends on the hours of support, the staff member’s qualifications and the older person’s level of dependency. Before comparing quotes, check these cost factors:
Do not assume insurance will pay for a caregiver or residential fees. Check the specific policy wording and obtain written confirmation from the insurer before including any reimbursement in your budget.
Choose the service based on the tasks your parent needs help with, not just the name of the package. Write down daily assistance needs, medical requirements, supervision hours and your budget. Use that list to compare providers on the same basis.
List the help required during a typical day: bathing, dressing, meals, walking, medication reminders, clinical procedures or supervision. Ask the treating doctor or hospital discharge team to clarify any nursing or rehabilitation requirements. If needs change during the day or night, specify the hours when support must be available.
Ask for staff qualifications, background-check procedures, supervision arrangements, emergency protocols and a replacement plan if a caregiver is absent. Get a written breakdown of included services, extra charges, notice periods and fee increases. Visit a residential setting before admission where possible, speak with staff and ask how the care plan is reviewed. Compare at least two written quotes and arrange a trial period if the provider offers one.
Ask your parent’s doctor, hospital discharge team or trusted local support network for referrals. Contact providers directly and request a home assessment or residential visit. Confirm who will deliver the care, when they will attend, what happens in an emergency and how the family will receive updates. Compare the written quote and care plan before making a decision.
The right elderly care services depend on what your parent needs help with now and what may be required later. Start by defining the care tasks, compare the actual inclusions and confirm all extra charges in writing. Use published prices as reference points—not promises of what every provider will charge and reassess the arrangement when your parent’s needs change.
The main options include personal care attendants, home nursing, physiotherapy and medical visits at home, assisted living, old age homes, post-hospital care, dementia care and palliative care. Day care and companionship may also help older adults who need daytime supervision but do not require residential accommodation.
There is no single national price. Published examples include residential plans of ₹25,000–₹45,000 per month, while other accommodation tariffs start lower and specialist dementia care can exceed ₹1 lakh per month. Home attendants and nurses may charge by shift instead. Confirm the current rate and all exclusions directly with the provider.
A personal care attendant helps with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, meals and mobility. A qualified nurse provides clinical care within their training and scope of practice. If your parent needs wound care, catheter care or other nursing procedures, ask the treating doctor to specify the required support and qualifications.
Coverage depends on the policy and the circumstances. Do not assume that routine attendant fees, long-term residential care, medicines or daily support will be covered. Check the policy wording and ask the insurer for written confirmation of any applicable benefit before relying on reimbursement.
Write down your parent’s daily assistance, medical and supervision needs first. Verify staff qualifications and background checks, ask about emergency response and replacement cover, and get an itemised written quote. Compare at least two providers on the same list of tasks and charges before you commit.