24-Hour Home Care in Emerald Isle, NC: Round-the-Clock Care

Local figures

24-Hour Home Care in Emerald Isle, NC: the local picture

4.8%

of residents 65+ have difficulty dressing or bathing (7.9% in Carteret County)

68

residents 85 or older (1.7% of all residents)

23%

of residents 65+ report a disability (34% in Carteret County)

$85,444

median yearly income of households headed by someone 65+

70 Emerald Isle residents 65 or older have difficulty dressing or bathing (4.8%; 7.9% in Carteret County), and 168 have serious difficulty walking. Round-the-clock care is usually for people who need hands-on help at any hour.

About 68 residents are 85 or older (1.7% of the population).

If you are weighing home care against a nursing home, the nearest Medicare-certified ones are Croatan Ridge Nursing And Rehabilitation Center in Newport (13 mi) and Crystal Bluffs Rehabilitation And Health Care Cent in Morehead City (16 mi).

Emerald Isle compared with Carteret County and North Carolina

Census figure	Emerald Isle	Carteret County	North Carolina
Residents 65+ with difficulty dressing or bathing	4.8%	7.9%	6.6%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty walking	12%	19%	21%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty remembering	3.5%	7.5%	7.9%
Residents 85 or older	1.7%	2.6%	1.7%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	17%	28%	28%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	5.5%	7.9%	11%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$85,444	$61,173	—

Older residents in towns around Emerald Isle

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Self-care difficulty (65+)
Cape Carteret, NC	2.6 mi	722	5.0%
Swansboro, NC	6.2 mi	895	4.4%
Newport, NC	11 mi	909	22%
Piney Green, NC	17 mi	1,645	6.9%
Morehead City, NC	17 mi	2,223	10%
Havelock, NC	18 mi	1,069	7.4%

Home health agencies serving Emerald Isle

Agency	Office	Distance	CMS quality stars	Services listed	Phone
Well Care Home Health	Wilmington, NC	57 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(910) 362-9405
Centerwell Home Health	Morehead City, NC	16 mi	4 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	—
Pruitthealth Home Health New Bern	New Bern, NC	32 mi	4 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, medical social work	(252) 514-6016
Carteret Health Care Home Health And Hospice	Morehead City, NC	16 mi	3 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(252) 499-6081
3HC	Goldsboro, NC	70 mi	3 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	—

Nursing homes near Emerald Isle (to compare)

Nursing home	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Certified beds	Phone
Croatan Ridge Nursing And Rehabilitation Center	Newport, NC	13 mi	4 of 5	64	(252) 223-2560
Crystal Bluffs Rehabilitation And Health Care Cent	Morehead City, NC	16 mi	5 of 5	92	(252) 726-0031
Embassy At Morehead City	Morehead City, NC	16 mi	not rated	42	(252) 515-7700
Cherry Point Bay Nursing And Rehabilitation Center	Havelock, NC	17 mi	2 of 5	70	(252) 444-4631

Straight-line miles from the center of Emerald Isle. 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 Emerald Isle

24-hour care is 168 paid hours a week. At $15.02 an hour (the North Carolina median aide wage) that is about $10,935 a month in wages before any overtime, 154% of the $7,120 monthly median income of Emerald Isle households headed by someone 65+. Rates are agreed with each caregiver. North Carolina's minimum wage is $7.25 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 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 Emerald Isle: common questions

How much does 24-hour home care cost in Emerald Isle?

24-hour care is 168 paid hours a week. At $15.02 an hour (the North Carolina median aide wage) that is about $10,935 a month in wages before any overtime, 154% of the $7,120 monthly median income of Emerald Isle households headed by someone 65+. Rates are agreed with each caregiver. North Carolina's minimum wage is $7.25 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 Emerald Isle

More senior care near Emerald Isle

24-Hour Home Care in nearby cities

Other care in Emerald Isle

More for Emerald Isle 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 Emerald Isle, NC