24-Hour Home Care in Cape Girardeau, MO

Local figures

24-Hour Home Care in Cape Girardeau, MO: the local picture

4.8%

of residents 65+ have difficulty dressing or bathing (5.2% in Cape Girardeau County)

1,053

residents 85 or older (2.6% of all residents)

36%

of residents 65+ report a disability (33% in Cape Girardeau County)

$47,405

median yearly income of households headed by someone 65+

349 Cape Girardeau residents 65 or older have difficulty dressing or bathing (4.8%; 5.2% in Cape Girardeau County), and 1,797 have serious difficulty walking. Round-the-clock care is usually for people who need hands-on help at any hour.

About 1,053 residents are 85 or older (2.6% of the population).

If you are weighing home care against a nursing home, the nearest Medicare-certified ones are Chateau Girardeau in Cape Girardeau (0.6 mi) and Life Care Center Of Cape Girardeau in Cape Girardeau (0.7 mi).

Cape Girardeau compared with Cape Girardeau County and Missouri

Census figure	Cape Girardeau	Cape Girardeau County	Missouri
Residents 65+ with difficulty dressing or bathing	4.8%	5.2%	6.4%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty walking	25%	21%	21%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty remembering	10%	8.2%	8.0%
Residents 85 or older	2.6%	1.9%	2.0%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	38%	32%	30%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	14%	11%	10%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$47,405	$49,089	—

Older residents in towns around Cape Girardeau

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Self-care difficulty (65+)
Scott City, MO	6.0 mi	562	9.1%
Jackson, MO	7.2 mi	2,688	5.5%
Chaffee, MO	11 mi	540	5.4%
Anna, IL	20 mi	999	4.2%
Sikeston, MO	29 mi	3,549	10%
Charleston, MO	30 mi	656	4.0%

Home health agencies serving Cape Girardeau

Agency	Office	Distance	CMS quality stars	Services listed	Phone
Elara Caring	Dexter, MO	42 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(866) 243-0042
Amedisys Home Health Of Missouri	Poplar Bluff, MO	60 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, home health aides	(573) 727-9687
Centerwell Home Health	Rolla, MO	128 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(573) 341-3456
Adoration Home Health	Sikeston, MO	29 mi	4 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, home health aides	(573) 472-2234
Visiting Nurse Association Of Southeast Missouri, Inc	Kennett, MO	79 mi	4 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(573) 888-5892

Nursing homes near Cape Girardeau (to compare)

Nursing home	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Certified beds	Phone
Chateau Girardeau	Cape Girardeau, MO	0.6 mi	3 of 5	75	(573) 335-1281
Life Care Center Of Cape Girardeau	Cape Girardeau, MO	0.7 mi	1 of 5	120	(573) 335-2086
Lutheran Home, The	Cape Girardeau, MO	1.1 mi	5 of 5	274	(573) 335-0158
Ratliff Care Center	Cape Girardeau, MO	1.8 mi	3 of 5	46	(573) 335-5810

Straight-line miles from the center of Cape Girardeau. 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 Cape Girardeau

24-hour care is 168 paid hours a week. At $15.90 an hour (the Missouri median aide wage) that is about $11,575 a month in wages before any overtime, 293% of the $3,950 monthly median income of Cape Girardeau households headed by someone 65+. Rates are agreed with each caregiver. Missouri's minimum wage is $15.00 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 Services in Missouri: how a relative becomes a paid caregiver.

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 Cape Girardeau: common questions

How much does 24-hour home care cost in Cape Girardeau?

24-hour care is 168 paid hours a week. At $15.90 an hour (the Missouri median aide wage) that is about $11,575 a month in wages before any overtime, 293% of the $3,950 monthly median income of Cape Girardeau households headed by someone 65+. Rates are agreed with each caregiver. Missouri's minimum wage is $15.00 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 Cape Girardeau

More senior care near Cape Girardeau

24-Hour Home Care in nearby cities

Other care in Cape Girardeau

More for Cape Girardeau 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.