Scheduling
How Many Caregivers Do You Need Per Client?
Divide weekly client hours by target hours per caregiver and add a 10 to 20% buffer. A 40-hour client needs two trained caregivers; a 24/7 client needs five or six.
How many caregivers do you need for your client hours?
Enter the client hours you cover each week. The calculator shows full-time equivalents and how many caregivers to keep on the roster.
Last reviewed October 17, 2026
What's the formula?
Caregivers needed = client hours per week ÷ target hours per caregiver × (1 + coverage buffer), rounded up. The minimum at 40 hours shows the floor with no slack at all; running at that number means every call-out becomes overtime or a missed visit.
| Client hours per week | At 32 hours each, 15% buffer |
|---|---|
| 40 | 2 caregivers |
| 100 | 4 caregivers |
| 168 (one 24/7 client) | 7 caregivers |
| 500 | 18 caregivers |
How Caregiver Scheduling handles this
Set each client's weekly pattern once and the calendar fills itself. When a visit opens up, it shows on the map next to the caregivers already working nearby, so you can see who can take it. See scheduling.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
A 24/7 client needs 168 hours of care a week, which is at least 4.2 full-time caregivers at 40 hours. In practice agencies keep five or six trained caregivers on that client so call-outs and time off don’t cause overtime.
Paid travel between clients counts toward overtime. Scheduling caregivers around 32 care hours leaves room for travel and extra shifts without pushing them past 40.
Most agencies use 10% to 20%. Use the higher end if your turnover is high or many clients need consistent caregivers who must be trained on their care plan.
Related guides
Scheduling
How to Schedule Caregivers: A System for Small Agencies
Schedule recurring visits first, then backups, geography and a 40-hour check, then post open shifts. A repeatable weekly process with the overtime math.
Scheduling
How Do You Fill an Open Home Care Shift in Under an Hour?
Offer the shift to the client's backup first, then to nearby qualified caregivers under 40 hours, all at once, with time, area, tasks and pay in the message.
Scheduling
24-Hour Home Care Shifts: Live-In vs. Two 12-Hour Shifts vs. Three 8s
Three ways to staff a 24/7 client, how many paid hours each one costs, when sleep time can legally be excluded, and which pattern fits which client.
Scheduling
Caregiver Call-Out Policy: How to Handle Call-Outs (With Template)
A call-out and no-call no-show policy for home care agencies, the coverage process that gets a replacement to the client, and the sick leave and bonus rules that constrain it.
These free tools are made by the team behind Caregiver Scheduling, caregiver scheduling software for home care agencies.
Simple pricing
From $199 /month
Up to 10 caregivers on Starter, 50 on Growth.
More than 50 caregivers? We'll put together a custom Scale plan for your agency.