Guides › Patient attendant at home: the complete guide
Patient attendant at home: the complete guide
What a caretaker does (and does not do), 10-hour, 12-hour or 24-hour shifts, male or female, what it costs, and how to choose between an attendant and a nurse.
1Bedridden patient care at home
- Turn every 2 hours Back, left side, right side. Use pillows between knees and behind the back.
- Keep skin clean and dry Sponge bath daily, change diapers promptly, moisturise dry skin.
- Check pressure points Back of head, shoulders, hips, heels and tailbone, every day.
- Feed sitting up Head end raised at least 30–45 degrees, and for 30 minutes after meals.
- Move the joints Gentle movement of arms and legs as the doctor or nurse showed you.
Hospital bed, air mattress, commode chair, wheelchair, bedside table.
Injections, drips, tube feeding, tracheostomy, wounds or bed sores.
- New redness that does not fade, or a broken skin patch
- Coughing or choking during feeds
- Fever, drowsiness or not passing urine
2Attendant services we provide
Bathing, oral care, grooming, dressing, diaper and toilet help.
Turning, transfers to chair or commode, walking support.
Feeding, medicine reminders, company and supervision.
Night care, fall prevention, hospital visit escort.
3Choose shift and attendant
- Bathing, feeding, diaper change
- Walking help and exercises
- Company and medicines reminders
- Everything in the day shift
- Night turning and toilet help
- Calls family if anything changes
- Round-the-clock help
- Family gives food and a place to rest
- Relief attendant on off days
Ranges are typical Delhi NCR rates from public listings (Nov 2026). 10-hour shift rate on request. Your exact rate comes in writing before the attendant starts.
4What an attendant does
Bathing, sponge bath, oral care, hair, nails, dressing.
Diaper change, bedpan, commode help, keeping the patient dry.
Meals and water on time, Ryles tube feeds as taught by the nurse.
Turning every 2 hours, bed to chair, walking with support.
Talking, reading, keeping the patient calm and oriented.
Medicine reminders and noting BP or sugar if trained.
An attendant does not give injections, IV drips, or handle tracheostomy or ventilator care. For those, book a nurse.
5Attendant or nurse?
| Need | Attendant | Nurse |
|---|---|---|
| Bathing, feeding, turning | ✓ | ✓ |
| Medicine reminders | ✓ | ✓ |
| Injections, IV, dressing | — | ✓ |
| Catheter, Ryles tube care | Feeds only | ✓ |
| Oxygen, BiPAP, suction | Basic, if trained | ✓ |
| Ventilator, tracheostomy | — | ICU nurse |
6How we check every attendant
- Identity and address Government ID and address checked, police verification where available.
- Training Patient handling, hygiene, feeding and bed sore prevention checked before the first duty.
- References Previous families or employers called.
- Supervision A coordinator calls you in the first days.
7How booking works
- Call or WhatsApp Tell us about the patient and the shift you need.
- Quote Written quote with the shift, rate and off days.
- Attendant matched Usually within 24 hours.
- Not happy? Tell us and we replace the attendant.
For live-in care: food, a place to rest, and a short break each day.
A checked attendant, relief on off days, and replacement if needed.
Questions families ask
Can a male attendant care for a female patient?
We usually match the attendant’s gender to the patient for personal care. Tell us your preference.
How many hours is a day shift?
10 or 12 hours. Live-in care covers 24 hours with breaks.
Written for families by the MedStay team. Follow your own doctor’s prescription.