24-Hour Home Care in Columbia, MS: Round-the-Clock Care

Local figures

24-Hour Home Care in Columbia, MS: the local picture

19%

of residents 65+ have difficulty dressing or bathing (15% in Marion County)

229

residents 85 or older (3.5% of all residents)

59%

of residents 65+ report a disability (49% in Marion County)

$32,930

median yearly income of households headed by someone 65+

215 Columbia residents 65 or older have difficulty dressing or bathing (19%; 15% in Marion County), and 406 have serious difficulty walking. Round-the-clock care is usually for people who need hands-on help at any hour.

About 229 residents are 85 or older (3.5% of the population).

If you are weighing home care against a nursing home, the nearest Medicare-certified ones are Myrtles Nursing Center, LLC in Columbia (0.0 mi) and The Grove in Columbia (0.8 mi).

Columbia compared with Marion County and Mississippi

Census figure	Columbia	Marion County	Mississippi
Residents 65+ with difficulty dressing or bathing	19%	15%	8.8%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty walking	35%	30%	28%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty remembering	17%	15%	11%
Residents 85 or older	3.5%	1.8%	1.7%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	39%	27%	30%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	17%	11%	15%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$32,930	$41,138	—

Older residents in towns around Columbia

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Self-care difficulty (65+)
West Hattiesburg, MS	26 mi	709	15%
Hattiesburg, MS	30 mi	6,399	12%
Bogalusa, LA	33 mi	2,047	19%
Poplarville, MS	34 mi	332	0.0%
Franklinton, LA	34 mi	592	26%
Petal, MS	35 mi	1,713	16%

Home health agencies serving Columbia

Agency	Office	Distance	CMS quality stars	Services listed	Phone
Adoration Home Health	Collins, MS	33 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(601) 765-8316
Forrest General Home Care Of Marion General	Columbia, MS	1.1 mi	3.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(601) 740-2201
Mississippi Homecare	Hattiesburg, MS	26 mi	3.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(601) 268-8450
Forrest General Home Care	Hattiesburg, MS	26 mi	3.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(601) 288-4344
Enhabit Home Health & Hospice	Hattiesburg, MS	26 mi	3.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(601) 268-0408

Nursing homes near Columbia (to compare)

Nursing home	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Certified beds	Phone
Myrtles Nursing Center, LLC	Columbia, MS	0.0 mi	2 of 5	98	(601) 731-1745
The Grove	Columbia, MS	0.8 mi	2 of 5	86	(601) 736-4747
Columbia Rehabilitation And Healthcare Center	Columbia, MS	1.7 mi	3 of 5	119	(601) 736-9557
Billdora Senior Care	Tylertown, MS	22 mi	3 of 5	60	(601) 876-2173

Straight-line miles from the center of Columbia. 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 Columbia

24-hour care is 168 paid hours a week. At $11.47 an hour (the Mississippi median aide wage) that is about $8,350 a month in wages before any overtime, 304% of the $2,744 monthly median income of Columbia households headed by someone 65+. Rates are agreed with each caregiver. Mississippi has no state minimum wage law, so the federal minimum of $7.25 an hour applies to employers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act (U.S. Department of Labor).

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 Medicaid programs for family caregivers: who can be paid, and the rules in 12 states.

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 Columbia: common questions

How much does 24-hour home care cost in Columbia?

24-hour care is 168 paid hours a week. At $11.47 an hour (the Mississippi median aide wage) that is about $8,350 a month in wages before any overtime, 304% of the $2,744 monthly median income of Columbia households headed by someone 65+. Rates are agreed with each caregiver. Mississippi has no state minimum wage law, so the federal minimum of $7.25 an hour applies to employers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act (U.S. Department of Labor).

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 Columbia

More senior care near Columbia

24-Hour Home Care in nearby cities

Other care in Columbia

More for Columbia 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 Columbia, MS