Short, plain-English episodes for families sorting out senior care in the Austin area. Hosts Marcus and Dana walk through assisted living, memory care, nursing homes, in-home care, Texas Medicaid (STAR+PLUS) and the costs and rules that are specific to Texas, with the local angle: Austin, Round Rock, Cedar Park, Georgetown, San Marcos and the rest of Central Texas. Every episode is based on a sourced guide at austinsenioradvisor.com, where a Austin Senior Advisor can also help your family for free. Hosts Marcus and Dana are AI-generated voices.
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Episode 1 · October 26, 2026 · 5 min
Live-In Home Care: Costs, Overtime & Sleep-Time Rules
Thinking about a live-in caregiver for a parent in Austin? Marcus and Dana explain what live-in home care really is, how it differs from 24-hour shift care, why the federal overtime rule makes agency live-in care cost more than a private hire, how sleep time is paid, what the Texas median of $30 an hour adds up to, and whether Medicare or Texas Medicaid will help pay.
- What counts as live-in under U.S. Department of Labor rules (7 days, or 5 days and 120+ hours a week)
- Live-in vs. 24-hour shift care, and why agencies must pay overtime past 40 hours
- Sleep-time rules: written agreements, interrupted nights, and the 5-hour rule
- Texas median $30 an hour (CareScout 2025) and the $21,600-a-month round-the-clock math
- Medicare, STAR+PLUS, Community First Choice, and hiring privately: wage, records and taxes
Read the full guide, with sources → · Download the audio (MP3)
