24-hour care
If you live at home and need support for many hours a day and at night, the hourly care provided by mobile nursing and care services may no longer be sufficient. In such cases, 24-hour care may be a solution. You can make use of this service for a short period of time, for example for two weeks after a hospital stay, or for several years. 24-hour caregivers help with eating and drinking, personal hygiene, dressing and undressing, getting up, walking, sitting down and lying down. They will keep you company, take you for walks and accompany you to errands and doctor's appointments.
Information on 24-hour care via telephone:
- Citizens' Service, telephone number +43 1 711 00 - 86 22 86
- Available from Monday to Friday, 8.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m.
General information can be found under the following Link:
Note: Although the term 24-hour (or 24h) nursing is more commonly used in Austria (“24-Stunden-Pflege”), the correct term for this service is 24-hour care. Caregivers do not need to have any nursing training. Nursing services can only be provided by qualified nursing professionals.
You can find more information on the nursing and care professions at:
Costs for 24-hour care
The costs of 24-hour care depend on whether you hire a caregiver as an employee or as a self-employed caregiver. If a caregiver works as an employee, taxes and social security contributions must be paid in addition to the agreed salary. If you hire a self-employed caregiver, they are responsible for paying tax and contributions themselves.
In addition, 24-hour care may incur travel costs as well as costs for accommodation and meals for the caregiver.
You can find more information under the following Link:
Funding for 24-hour care
Financial support is available for 24-hour care starting at care allowance level 3. The amount of the funding for 24-hour care depends on whether the caregiver is self-employed or employed. The funding is not affected by the assets of the person in need of care, but their income is taken into account. If their net income exceeds 2,500 euros per month, funding cannot be granted. Benefits such as care allowance, family allowance and other transfer payments are not taken into account.
Additional financial support may be available in some federal provinces.
What tasks can 24-hour care providers perform?
Caregivers may perform the following tasks:
- Household-related services: For example, preparing meals, running errands, doing housework, cleaning, and looking after plants and animals
- Assistance with managing everyday life: For example, organising daily routines and helping with everyday tasks
- Companionship: For example, providing company, engaging in conversation, helping to maintain social contacts and accompanying people to social activities
- Personal care (unless medically contraindicated): Help with eating and drinking, personal hygiene and using the toilet, with dressing and undressing, getting up, walking, sitting down, lying down
Information videos for various care situations
Are you a family caregiver and want to prepare yourself or the 24-hour caregiver for how to carry out certain tasks?
On the following page you will find informative videos in several languages on how to manage daily activities together with the person in need of care:
Certain activities can be delegated from medical or nursing staff to the 24-hour caregiver.
Note: The transfer of such activities must be recorded in writing. In addition, the caregiver must keep a record of the delegated activities. The activities may only be carried out at home, for the duration of the care, and the person being cared for or their legal representative must give their consent.
Caregivers may additionally:
- Carry out specific nursing activities if they have been delegated by a qualified nurse
- Carry out specific medical activities if they have been delegated by a doctor or a qualified nurse.
These activities may include:
- Administering medication and injections
- Applying and changing bandages and dressings
- Measuring blood sugar levels
- Simple light and heat applications
You can also find a lot of information on the general conditions at:
The following information sheet provides you with information on what caregivers are allowed to do:
Are you looking for reliable 24-hour care?
The Österreichische Qualitätszertifikat für Vermittlungsagenturen (ÖQZ) works to improve conditions for people in need of care and their relatives.
Certified recruitment agencies meet higher quality standards that go beyond the legal requirements.
Under the following link you will find a list of certified agencies:
Last update: September 30, 2025
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