When families begin exploring home care for a loved one, one of the first questions is always, “How much will this actually cost?” We believe transparency matters, especially when care plans vary so much from person to person.
The examples below highlight the real weekly costs our clients have experienced and how Ontario’s tax rules can make private home care more affordable than most expect.
Understanding How Home Care Is Priced
Every care plan is customized. Some clients need just a couple of hours of light housekeeping every other week, while others require full 24-hour support.
Because the range is so broad, it’s often more practical to think in weekly costs instead of monthly ones. It gives a clearer, less intimidating picture of what families can expect.
In Ontario, there’s also a key cost-saving factor to consider: HST exemption.
When private home care services are provided alongside government-subsidized care through Ontario Health at Home, those private hours become sales tax–free.
That 13% savings adds up quickly, especially for families arranging ongoing or full-time care.
Weekly Cost Examples from Real London Clients
To help you compare, here’s a look at how different service levels translate into real-world budgets for families across London:
1. Light Housekeeping (Highland Woods)
Some clients only need occasional help with light housekeeping, such as vacuuming, bathrooms, and kitchens. One long-time client has received this service weekly since 2013, with a three-hour minimum per visit at $97 per hour.
2. Parkinson’s Support (Old South)
For a client with Parkinson’s, we provide 14 hours of daytime care each week, including personal care, meal preparation, and mobility assistance.
With additional government support in place, these services are HST-exempt and cost $600 per week — roughly $2,400 per month. This allows the client to remain at home with his spouse rather than moving to a facility that would easily cost twice as much.
3. Evening and Weekend Respite (Masonville)
An elderly client, age 97, receives 22 hours per week of evening and weekend care. Her caregivers help with meals, toileting, light cleaning, and bedtime routines. The weekly cost for this schedule is $946, tax-free, and it allows her son to maintain his own rest and routine while ensuring his mother stays safe and comfortable.
4. Overnight Support for Dementia (Family Home in London)
For a 93-year-old client who wakes frequently through the night, we provide four 10-hour night shifts per week — about 40 hours in total. Overnight caregivers assist with mobility and toileting while the family gets uninterrupted rest. The cost for this type of care averages around $1,700 per week.
5. Short-Term Overnight in a Retirement Home (Post-Injury Recovery)
Following a hip fracture, one client needed constant overnight monitoring while recovering in a retirement home. Within hours of their call, which came in at 3 p.m., we had a caregiver in place by 7 p.m, and were able to begin care.
The family arranged 12–15 hours per night, adding up to 87 hours per week at $3,750 per week. This short-term care lasted about four weeks until the client transitioned into long-term care.
6. 24-Hour Care at Home (London)
For clients requiring continuous support, our 24-hour care provides full coverage of daily living activities, meal prep, and household maintenance. This plan runs about $7,200 per week, using either two 12-hour or three 8-hour shifts to minimize caregiver changes and maintain familiar faces.
How A Home Care Weekly Budget Makes Planning Easier
Families often find weekly budgeting easier to process than monthly totals. For instance, hearing that full-time care may be $7,200 per week is clearer than seeing a lump sum of $31,000 per month — and it allows families to make adjustments in smaller increments as needs change.
HST Exempt Home Care
In Ontario, private home care becomes HST-exempt when provided in combination with publicly funded services under Ontario Health at Home.
This means families who receive a few hours of government support but require additional private hours can save the full 13% sales tax on those private services.
It’s one of the most practical ways to keep costs manageable without sacrificing quality or continuity of care.
Creating a Care Plan That Works for Your Family
The cost of home care in London varies widely because every client’s needs are unique. Whether it’s light housekeeping every other week or full 24-hour support, our goal is to tailor a plan that fits both your loved one’s care requirements and your family’s budget.
You can explore more examples of specialized services, such as Parkinson’s care, overnight monitoring, and palliative support, in the related articles linked below.