Home help for seniors in Switzerland: housework, shopping and company
Many older people want to stay in their own home. A helper can do the housework, go shopping, come along to appointments or simply keep them company. This guide explains what such help includes – and what needs trained staff – with indicative prices and the rules for households. You can post a job for yourself or for a parent, for free.
If you pay someone for household work, you are usually their employer: AHV from the first franc and accident insurance. Workpop doesn’t do this for you. Guide: AHV for side jobs and household work
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Indicative prices
- Household help for seniors, non-profit (one regional example)CHF 33–40 per hour
Source: Pro Senectute Rorschach & Unterrheintal · As of 1 January 2026
Indicative prices, varying by region and provider. Legal minimum wages and social contributions may apply on top.
You set the price, in line with minimum wages.
For household work, the federal standard employment contract (NAV Hauswirtschaft) sets a 2026 minimum wage of CHF 20.35 gross per hour (unskilled, excluding holiday pay). It applies from an average of 5 hours per week with the same employer, and not in the canton of Geneva. Source: seco.admin.ch
Check the rules for your canton and municipality.
What a helper can do
Home help makes daily life easier. The same person often comes on fixed days, which gives structure to the week and a familiar face at the door.
- Housework, laundry and ironing
- Shopping and small errands
- Cooking a simple meal together
- Walks, conversation and games
- Coming along to the doctor, the hairdresser or the bank
- Help with letters and forms
What needs trained staff
Household help and companionship for older people are fine. Care – including basic care such as help with washing, dressing or getting up – usually requires professional training and a cantonal authorisation.
For care at home, ask your doctor or the local Spitex organisation (home care services). Household help and company can support the daily routine around it.
How much does home help cost?
Non-profit services are a useful reference. Pro Senectute Rorschach & Unterrheintal, for example, charges CHF 35 per hour for new clients without supplementary benefits (EL). It charges CHF 33 with supplementary benefits or for existing clients, and CHF 40 for "Haushilfe Plus". Sundays, public holidays and nights cost CHF 49.50 (2026 rates). Prices differ by region.
For household work, the federal standard employment contract (NAV Hauswirtschaft) sets a 2026 minimum wage of CHF 20.35 gross per hour (unskilled, excluding holiday pay). It applies from an average of 5 hours per week with the same employer, and not in the canton of Geneva. Some cantons have their own minimum wage (2026, gross per hour): Geneva CHF 24.59, Basel-Stadt CHF 22.20, Jura CHF 21.40, Neuchâtel CHF 21.35, Ticino CHF 20.00–20.50.
Tips for families
Meet the helper together first. Workpop does not check criminal records, so ask for references and read the reviews, which are only possible after a completed contract. Agree fixed days, the tasks and who holds a key.
For shopping, agree how it is paid – for example cash in advance and the receipt afterwards. Never hand over bank cards with the PIN or e-banking passwords. A notebook at home, where the helper writes down what was done and anything unusual, keeps the whole family informed.
Posting on Workpop is free and there is no commission. When you agree, you both get a digital contract, and the helper is paid directly.
AHV and accident insurance
AHV/IV/EO stands for the Swiss old-age, survivors', disability and income-compensation insurance. In general, a private household that pays someone for household work – such as cleaning, babysitting, gardening, homework help or helping older people – is their employer and must settle AHV/IV/EO contributions from the first franc. It must also insure the helper against accidents with an approved insurer (not Suva).
Workpop does not do this for you: check your obligations with your cantonal AHV compensation office.
What to agree on first
- Tasks: housework, shopping, company
- Fixed days and hours
- Keys and who to call in an emergency
- How shopping is paid, with receipts
- Hourly rate and how you pay
- No personal care without training
- AHV registration and accident insurance (the household's duty)
Time of year
Help is needed all year. Plan ahead for winter, when snow and ice make shopping harder, and for the times when family members are away on holiday.
Open jobs: Home help for seniors
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Post a job: senior careFrequently asked questions
Can a helper wash or dress my mother?
Care – including basic care such as help with washing, dressing or getting up – usually requires professional training and a cantonal authorisation. For this, ask your doctor or the local Spitex organisation. A helper can do the housework, shopping and keep her company.How much does home help for seniors cost?
As an example, Pro Senectute Rorschach & Unterrheintal charges CHF 33–40 per hour for household help (2026). Minimum wages set a floor: CHF 20.35 gross per hour under the federal NAV for household work from 5 hours a week with the same employer (not in Geneva), plus some cantonal minimum wages.Who pays AHV for home help?
In general, the household that pays the helper is their employer and must settle AHV contributions from the first franc and take out accident insurance. Check with your cantonal AHV compensation office.How should the helper pay for shopping?
Agree it beforehand – for example cash in advance and the receipt afterwards. Never hand over a bank card with its PIN, or e-banking passwords.
Free to post, no commission: get offers and choose at your own pace. You set the price, in line with minimum wages.
Post a job: senior care