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Organising private senior care

Employing a caregiver yourself or going through an agency – the differences, honestly explained.

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If you’re looking for private care at home, you’ll quickly come across two options: finding a caregiver yourself and employing them directly, or having the care arranged through an agency. Both are legal, and both are common in Switzerland. But they differ considerably in who carries the responsibility when things don’t go to plan. This page sets out the differences openly, prices included: at seniorencare24, private senior care starts at CHF 5’080 per month for five days of care a week and at CHF 7’530 for seven days. To get to know us, there is a 13-day trial from CHF 3’700.

Employing a caregiver privately: what it involves

If you employ a caregiver directly, you become their employer. That brings with it an employment contract under Swiss law, registration with the AHV (the Swiss old-age and survivors’ insurance, OASI) and payment of social security contributions, accident insurance, compliance with working and rest hours and, for caregivers from abroad, sorting out their permit situation.

Then there are the practicalities: who does the searching, who checks the references and, above all, who steps in when the caregiver falls ill, goes on holiday or the relationship doesn’t work out? With direct employment, this responsibility lies entirely with the family. In a situation that is already stressful, this is exactly the point at which many people pull the plug.

To be clear: direct employment is not the wrong way to go. If you have the time, the patience and some administrative routine, and you know someone suitable, it can work well. It only becomes a problem if the obligations are underestimated – or if care is arranged without a contract and social security contributions. That isn’t a way of saving money; it’s undeclared work, with liability risks for the family.

Through an agency: what seniorencare24 takes on

With an agency, the care is just as private – one dedicated person in your own home, not a changing roster of staff. What falls away is the employer role: the contract, social insurance, permits and arranging cover are all handled by us. seniorencare24 holds a SECO licence for staff leasing (SECO is the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs); all caregivers are employed under Swiss law, including insurance and social security contributions.

  • Personal selection: we suggest suitable profiles and you have a say – with a video call beforehand if you wish.

  • Replacement guarantee if your caregiver is unavailable, on holiday or not the right fit.

  • 24-hour emergency hotline, including outside office hours.

  • Uniform prices throughout Switzerland, wherever you live.

  • Medical nursing is coordinated with the local Spitex (the Swiss home nursing service); seniorencare24 is a member of Spitex Schweiz.

Try it for 13 days before you commit

This decision isn’t easy for anyone, and nobody can know for sure in advance whether having someone new living in the home will work. That’s why we offer a trial: 13 days of full care from CHF 3’700, with no long-term commitment. After that, care can continue without a break. According to our own market overview, seniorencare24 is the only provider in Switzerland to offer a trial like this.

To find out what happens next, see no-obligation trial. How care works in everyday life is explained under 24-hour care at home. And our comparison of care options helps you work out which type of care suits you in the first place.

Frequently asked questions about private senior care

A caregiver supports daily life in your own home rather than in an institution – housework, meals, shopping, companionship and simply being there, including at night. “Private” doesn’t mean “outside the rules”: the caregiver is employed either by you or, as with seniorencare24, by the agency – with a Swiss employment contract, AHV contributions and accident insurance. In both cases, medical nursing remains with Spitex.

First, establish what is actually needed: how many hours a day does someone need to be there, and how much of that is nursing rather than care? Then decide between direct employment and an agency. With us, the next step is an initial consultation, after which we suggest suitable profiles and you have a say. In urgent cases, care can start the same day.

At seniorencare24, from CHF 5’080 per month for five days of care a week and from CHF 7’530 for seven days – the same price throughout Switzerland, all-inclusive. To get to know us, there are 13 days from CHF 3’700. With direct employment, you pay employer contributions and insurance on top of the wage, plus your own time spent on finding someone, administration and arranging cover.

Yes, that is possible and legal – provided there is an employment contract under Swiss law, AHV and accident insurance contributions are paid, working and rest hours are respected and, for caregivers from abroad, the permit has been sorted out. You then carry the employer’s obligations and organise cover for holidays and illness yourself. If you’d rather not, go through an agency.

We arrange caregivers for individuals and for couples living in the same household. In the initial consultation, we discuss the needs, the preferred language and the situation at home; if there is a dementia diagnosis, we take this into account when selecting a caregiver. A note on terminology: we arrange care, not nursing – we coordinate the medical tasks with the local Spitex.

Then we replace them. The replacement guarantee applies if your caregiver is unavailable due to illness or holidays, and also if you are not happy with the person assigned. With direct employment, you would have to find a replacement yourself at short notice.