What is the hourly cost of non-medical home care for an elderly person? Please answer with a rate and area.?

Question

My mother is 90 years old and in excellent health except for having broken her hip in March. She needs help with bathing, laundry, meal preparation and a few day to day things. We are looking to hire someone for a couple of hours a day for 5 days of the week. What should we expect to pay for that kind of care? She lives in a rural area of South Carolina.

Answer 1

Idaho $20.00 an hour with cooking etc.  If you expect meal prep and shopping this cannot be done in 2 hours a day, expecially if you have laundry and cleaning and showers. I worked in a group home for several months and all I got done was cooking and cleaning the messes up and dishes and worked 12 and 14 hour days.  One person still takes time.  Hope this helps some.  I also have certs in CPR/first aid and unlicensed medicine assistance.

Answer 2

I'm using an agency to provide some care for my Mother (74) . It's a 4 hr. minimum for $78.00. More if they are taking her to a Dr. appt. So far  it is working well.  The agency does background checks on the employees.

Answer 3

I work for an Elder Law firm in New Jersey.  Home health care aides here vary in wages anywhere from $13 to $25/per hour, depending on the individual's needs and amount of care needed.  I think it would be better for you to contact the South Carolina Department of Aging or go on-line to SC.Gov and on the homepage click on Aging and Disability Services Directory.

Answer 4

I guarantee you that it is not easy to find someone.  Unfortunately, the most likely source (SAHM) isn't likely to look for this type of job.  Have you checked with your local Social Services?  While we did have to pay for her services, the county vetted folks to be sure that they were safe to enter the home of an elderly person.  Also, some counties consider bathing a handicapped person to require certain qualifications and training due to the medical issue.

I did meal prep for my grandmother (wheelchair bound) for more than a year by preparing meals that could be frozen. All she had to do was take them from the freezer and stick them into the microwave or toaster oven.  

As far as cost, I'd be paying at least $15 an hour now (I live in outer ring suburb of Mpls), paid directly to the county.  They handle the taxes then (thank goodness).  You see, you can't just pay them whatever an hour. You have to list them as an employee and pay federal and state employer taxes as well.  It is more like $8-9/hour (plus taxes) in rural MN.

Answer 5

In St.Louis Missouri the caregivers insist on a four hour minimum and they charge between 18.00 and $20.00/hr

Answer 6

In Oregon Washington it is about $20 an hour.

Answer 7

A friend of mine does that for a living, and she gets $18 per hour. Sarasota, FL. She really isn't qualified to do anything medical.

Answer 8

I checked on this yesterday

It was $16.50 per hour with an extra charge for any car trips

this is in Texas

That is about the going rate. When we had someone sit with my MOm 2 years ago it was $15 per hour