Alzheimer's & dementia care
Dementia and Alzheimer's care at home
Westmark provides non-medical, in-home dementia care across Greater Boston and MetroWest at $40 an hour, with dementia-trained caregivers, consistent routines and a small, stable care team. We help with bathing, dressing, meals, safety and supervision, and offer awake overnight care at $38 an hour when nights become hard. It starts with a free in-home assessment. No deposits, no contracts.
Consistency is the care
For someone living with dementia, a new face at the door every day is unsettling. The same caregiver, arriving at the same time, following the same morning routine, does more for calm and cooperation than almost anything else.
So we build a small team around each person and keep it as steady as we can. Caregivers learn the routine, the preferences, the words that work and the topics that upset. When someone is out sick, the cover caregiver gets those notes before they arrive.
What dementia care includes
Personal care
Bathing, dressing, grooming and toileting, done at the person's pace with the same steps each time.
Safety and supervision
Watching for wandering, falls and unsafe cooking, and keeping exits and stairs safe.
Meals and hydration
Simple, familiar meals, finger foods when utensils get hard, and steady fluids.
Routine and engagement
Walks, music, photos, folding laundry, and the small jobs that give a day shape.
Calm redirection
Steering away from distress without arguing or correcting, especially in late afternoon.
Overnight care
An awake caregiver through the night for night waking, toileting and wandering.
Signs it may be time for help
- Meals skipped, or the same food left uneaten in the fridge
- Medication missed or taken twice
- Getting lost on a familiar route, or leaving the house at night
- Stove left on, doors left unlocked
- Bathing or changing clothes much less often
- More agitation or confusion in late afternoon and evening
- A spouse or family caregiver who is exhausted or not sleeping
What it costs
| Schedule | Rate | About |
|---|---|---|
| One 6-hour visit | $40/hour | $240 a visit |
| 20 hours a week | $40/hour | $3,464 a month |
| 40 hours a week | $40/hour | $6,928 a month |
| Awake overnight care | $38/hour | Caregiver stays awake all night |
Monthly figures use 4.33 weeks a month, before weekend and holiday rates (+$3/hour). See the full rate card.
Questions families ask
How much does in-home dementia care cost in Massachusetts?
Westmark's dementia care rate is $40 an hour, with a six-hour standard visit, so one visit is $240. Twenty hours a week is about $3,464 a month. Awake overnight care is $38 an hour. Weekends and holidays add $3 an hour. There are no deposits or contracts.
Can someone with dementia stay at home safely?
Often yes, for a long time, if the home is set up safely and someone is there during the hours that are hardest. Many families start with daytime visits and add awake overnight care if night waking or wandering begins. Westmark assesses the home for free and tells you honestly if home care is no longer the right fit.
Will my parent have the same caregiver each visit?
We build a small, consistent team around each person with dementia and keep it as stable as we can, because familiar faces reduce confusion and agitation. When a regular caregiver is ill, we send cover and introduce them with notes on the person's routine.
What can a caregiver do about sundowning?
Caregivers keep late-afternoon routines calm and predictable: daylight and activity earlier in the day, a quiet environment as evening comes, gentle redirection instead of arguing, and noting patterns for the family and doctor. Scheduling a visit across late afternoon and evening is often the most useful change a family can make. More on sundowning.
Can Westmark caregivers give dementia medication?
No. Westmark is non-medical, so caregivers give medication reminders and can hand over a prepared dose, but do not administer medication or decide doses. They will tell you if pills are being refused or missed.