A guide for families
Start with what your parent would welcome help with. Make a private first-visit brief together, then compare household Helper profiles in Switzerland.
A first visit might focus on one ordinary task: the weekly shopping.
A first conversation
Your parent wants help with shopping but still chooses what to buy. Would they go along or hand over a list? Agree how purchases would be paid for, what happens if an item is unavailable and who keeps the receipts.
Start with a possible household task. No names, addresses or health details are needed here.
A private planning tool
Start with a possible household task. No names, addresses or health details are needed here.
Worked example, not a personal plan
List, payment, receipts and whether they want to go along.
Browse profiles to see how Helpers describe their services.
You can browse Helper profiles for shopping or errands while you plan. Check each profile’s listed services and service area. For prices, see our guide to household support costs.
Agree with your parent on the Helper and task before arranging a visit. Helping with the search does not by itself authorise an adult child to act or sign for the household. The household is the contractual employer. How Helpore works.
Yes. You can prepare a brief for one first visit without deciding on a regular schedule. Compare profiles and the services they list.
The shopping example is one option. For other household support, decide what would actually happen:
Agree on rooms or surfaces and what should be left untouched.
Agree on the dish, ingredients and tidying.
Ask how your parent would actually like to spend the time.
Ask about the visit length and anything the Helper should leave alone. If your parent changes their mind, update the brief or wait.
This guide concerns everyday household tasks and company, not nursing, treatment, medication management or personal care such as help with washing or dressing. For those needs, contact a qualified home care provider. The Federal Office of Public Health explains covered care services. Our insurance guide covers the separate question of payment.
If a visit takes place, ask your parent what worked and what they would change. If they want another one, agree on the next scope together.
From Helpore’s housing analysis
Between 2013 and 2025, the share of occupied single family homes with a resident aged 65 or over rose in all 26 cantons. These are housing figures, not a measure of whether anyone needs help.
Share of occupied single family homes with a resident aged 65 or over
+6.28 percentage points
2013: 271,923 of 840,158 homes. 2025: 337,198 of 872,500 homes.
Switzerland: 32.37% 2013, 38.65% 2025.
Sources: Federal Statistical Office data · Download the data table
Scroll sideways to see every column.
| Canton | 2013 | 2025 | Change (percentage points) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| With 65+ | All occupied single family homes | Share | With 65+ | All occupied single family homes | Share | ||
| Switzerland | 271,923 | 840,158 | 32.37% | 337,198 | 872,500 | 38.65% | +6.28 |
| Zurich | 36,243 | 113,003 | 32.07% | 43,671 | 112,906 | 38.68% | +6.61 |
| Bern | 34,203 | 100,183 | 34.14% | 41,286 | 103,696 | 39.81% | +5.67 |
| Lucerne | 8,262 | 29,488 | 28.02% | 10,543 | 29,848 | 35.32% | +7.30 |
| Uri | 1,135 | 3,639 | 31.19% | 1,397 | 3,772 | 37.04% | +5.85 |
| Schwyz | 4,060 | 13,940 | 29.12% | 5,115 | 13,710 | 37.31% | +8.18 |
| Obwalden | 908 | 3,078 | 29.50% | 1,180 | 3,141 | 37.57% | +8.07 |
| Nidwalden | 727 | 2,258 | 32.20% | 944 | 2,174 | 43.42% | +11.23 |
| Glarus | 2,573 | 7,610 | 33.81% | 3,153 | 7,671 | 41.10% | +7.29 |
| Zug | 2,028 | 6,325 | 32.06% | 2,370 | 6,052 | 39.16% | +7.10 |
| Fribourg | 9,855 | 37,934 | 25.98% | 13,837 | 41,487 | 33.35% | +7.37 |
| Solothurn | 14,338 | 42,895 | 33.43% | 18,256 | 45,194 | 40.39% | +6.97 |
| Basel-Stadt | 3,427 | 8,810 | 38.90% | 3,662 | 8,811 | 41.56% | +2.66 |
| Basel-Landschaft | 16,203 | 43,768 | 37.02% | 18,717 | 44,648 | 41.92% | +4.90 |
| Schaffhausen | 3,442 | 10,615 | 32.43% | 4,485 | 11,319 | 39.62% | +7.20 |
| Appenzell Ausserrhoden | 2,484 | 7,897 | 31.45% | 3,129 | 8,212 | 38.10% | +6.65 |
| Appenzell Innerrhoden | 701 | 2,165 | 32.38% | 812 | 2,352 | 34.52% | +2.15 |
| St. Gallen | 18,661 | 60,591 | 30.80% | 22,782 | 61,873 | 36.82% | +6.02 |
| Graubünden | 6,566 | 19,181 | 34.23% | 8,252 | 20,154 | 40.94% | +6.71 |
| Aargau | 29,454 | 95,393 | 30.88% | 37,580 | 98,661 | 38.09% | +7.21 |
| Thurgau | 10,531 | 36,784 | 28.63% | 14,649 | 39,485 | 37.10% | +8.47 |
| Ticino | 15,916 | 43,612 | 36.49% | 18,625 | 42,659 | 43.66% | +7.17 |
| Vaud | 20,545 | 62,837 | 32.70% | 25,691 | 67,311 | 38.17% | +5.47 |
| Valais | 12,249 | 40,053 | 30.58% | 16,303 | 46,523 | 35.04% | +4.46 |
| Neuchâtel | 4,273 | 12,953 | 32.99% | 5,132 | 13,280 | 38.64% | +5.66 |
| Geneva | 8,530 | 22,226 | 38.38% | 9,926 | 23,545 | 42.16% | +3.78 |
| Jura | 4,609 | 12,920 | 35.67% | 5,701 | 14,016 | 40.67% | +5.00 |
The study explains the figures; the other guides cover costs, employment and insurance.
Gilberto de la Fuente