No Stupid Questions

Actual live-in nurses are pretty rare and very expensive, but I think you're overestimating how common they are.

Most of what you see is just caretakers who come during the week on a set schedule, which is usually a lot more affordable than nursing homes because you're paying for someone's labor versus labor + living accomodations.

To answer your second question, it would cost whatever rate the nurse agreed to work for. It would have to be pretty competitive. In most cases, having to live at the patient's house isn't seen as a benefit of the job.

In the country I live at the moment, it is common to have a lady living in the house of an elderly person in good health but not enough to do their own cleaning or groceries. It is helpful and reassuring in case the older person falls and it also keep them company.

Those companions/helpers are often foreign (Ukrainiens at the moment) and are not expensive as you can imagine. However they receive food and lodging in addition to their agreed salary.

It seems to be beneficial relationships in more than one way as they keep company to each other and the helpers might even improve the local language with the person they care for.

This is a solution that I'm considering for my mother who has been very independent all her life and would rather throw herself out of the window rather than going to an expensive nursing home where "everybody are just waiting to die" (her words). I'd imagine the slight diminution of privacy is worth it.

This really depends on the country you live in.

In my country it's free to get a nurse visiting you twice a day when you're disabled (including old age related disability). You'd also get massive financial aid for a live-in person, but they'd normally be a family member who would get a government salary + possible adaptations to their normal job (eg always working from home).

Hospice is a last resort and it's incredibly expensive.

I can’t answer your question but… a few years ago I remember a story where there was an elderly lady who spent all her time on cruise ships as it turned out to be no more expensive than going to a care home and had a similar level of services. (I think this was either the UK or Canada but don’t quote me on that.)

You're referring to a live-in nurse situation, or hospice?