24-Hour Home Care in Big Stone Gap, VA: Round-the-Clock Care

Local figures

24-Hour Home Care in Big Stone Gap, VA: the local picture

16%

of residents 65+ have difficulty dressing or bathing (12% in Wise County)

80

residents 85 or older (1.5% of all residents)

61%

of residents 65+ report a disability (54% in Wise County)

$50,795

median yearly income of households headed by someone 65+

122 Big Stone Gap residents 65 or older have difficulty dressing or bathing (16%; 12% in Wise County), and 368 have serious difficulty walking. Round-the-clock care is usually for people who need hands-on help at any hour.

About 80 residents are 85 or older (1.5% of the population).

If you are weighing home care against a nursing home, the nearest Medicare-certified ones are Heritage Hall Big Stone Gap in Big Stone Gap (1.4 mi) and Norton Community Hospital SNF Unit in Norton (8.6 mi).

Big Stone Gap compared with Wise County and Virginia

Census figure	Big Stone Gap	Wise County	Virginia
Residents 65+ with difficulty dressing or bathing	16%	12%	6.7%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty walking	48%	35%	19%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty remembering	12%	16%	7.4%
Residents 85 or older	1.5%	1.6%	1.7%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	30%	29%	27%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	25%	16%	8.8%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$50,795	$35,825	—

Older residents in towns around Big Stone Gap

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Self-care difficulty (65+)
Norton, VA	9.6 mi	761	6.9%
Wise, VA	13 mi	514	25%
Mount Carmel, TN	21 mi	1,272	7.5%
Church Hill, TN	24 mi	1,706	5.1%
Bloomingdale, TN	24 mi	2,040	13%
Kingsport, TN	27 mi	13,132	10%

Home health agencies serving Big Stone Gap

Agency	Office	Distance	CMS quality stars	Services listed	Phone
Ballad Health Homecare - Norton	Norton, VA	9.8 mi	5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(276) 973-9481
Ballad Health Homecare - Abingdon	Abingdon, VA	44 mi	5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(276) 525-1227
Adoration Home Health	Wise, VA	13 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(276) 523-4915
Amedisys Home Health Care	Abingdon, VA	44 mi	4 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(276) 619-2532
Centerwell Home Health	Abingdon, VA	44 mi	4 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(276) 623-0665

Nursing homes near Big Stone Gap (to compare)

Nursing home	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Certified beds	Phone
Heritage Hall Big Stone Gap	Big Stone Gap, VA	1.4 mi	4 of 5	180	(276) 523-3000
Norton Community Hospital SNF Unit	Norton, VA	8.6 mi	5 of 5	44	(276) 679-9100
Ridgecrest Manor Nursing & Rehabilitation	Duffield, VA	10 mi	4 of 5	120	(276) 431-2841
Heritage Hall Wise	Wise, VA	14 mi	4 of 5	97	(276) 328-2721

Straight-line miles from the center of Big Stone Gap. Medicare (CMS) data, October 2026; call ahead to confirm. We are not affiliated with these providers.

What it covers

What a 24-hour caregiver can help with

Someone awake and on duty at all hours
Personal care, meals and medication reminders through the day
Help at night without relying on one tired caregiver
Written handover notes between shifts

Cost

What 24-hour home care costs in Big Stone Gap

24-hour care is 168 paid hours a week. At $14.57 an hour (the Virginia median aide wage) that is about $10,607 a month in wages before any overtime, 251% of the $4,233 monthly median income of Big Stone Gap households headed by someone 65+. Rates are agreed with each caregiver. Virginia's minimum wage is $12.77 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Hiring directly, you agree the rate with the caregiver and usually become the household employer (U.S. Department of Labor rules). Some families qualify for programs that pay for care at home; see Consumer directed care in Virginia: how relatives are paid to give care through CCC Plus.

Before you hire

What to know before hiring a 24-hour caregiver

24-hour care is the most hours a family can arrange at home, and the most costly. Each caregiver works a set shift, often two 12-hour or three 8-hour shifts a day, so nobody works all night after working all day. Minimum wage and overtime rules apply to each caregiver you employ directly; for workers who live in the home see DOL Fact Sheet 79B.

Questions worth asking: How do you hand over to the next caregiver? Can you work fixed shifts on the same days each week? Have you worked on a team caring for one client? More in our 24-hour home care guide.

CaregiverConnect does not run background checks. Check identity, references and any certification yourself before anyone starts. The Safety Center explains how.

Questions

24-Hour Home Care in Big Stone Gap: common questions

How much does 24-hour home care cost in Big Stone Gap?

24-hour care is 168 paid hours a week. At $14.57 an hour (the Virginia median aide wage) that is about $10,607 a month in wages before any overtime, 251% of the $4,233 monthly median income of Big Stone Gap households headed by someone 65+. Rates are agreed with each caregiver. Virginia's minimum wage is $12.77 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

How many caregivers does 24-hour care take?

A week has 168 hours. If each caregiver works about 40 hours, that is four or five people, plus someone to cover sickness and holidays. Fewer caregivers means very long weeks for each of them.

More near Big Stone Gap

More senior care near Big Stone Gap

24-Hour Home Care in nearby cities

Other care in Big Stone Gap

More for Big Stone Gap families

Sources

Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year; CMS provider data (October 25, 2026); U.S. DOL state minimum wages (July 1, 2026); BLS OEWS May 2025 aide wages, which cover employed aides rather than private rates.

24-Hour Home Care in Big Stone Gap, VA