24-Hour Home Care in Fort Smith, AR: Round-the-Clock Care

Local figures

24-Hour Home Care in Fort Smith, AR: the local picture

13%

of residents 65+ have difficulty dressing or bathing (11% in Sebastian County)

1,843

residents 85 or older (2.1% of all residents)

43%

of residents 65+ report a disability (44% in Sebastian County)

$44,235

median yearly income of households headed by someone 65+

1,765 Fort Smith residents 65 or older have difficulty dressing or bathing (13%; 11% in Sebastian County), and 4,261 have serious difficulty walking. Round-the-clock care is usually for people who need hands-on help at any hour.

About 1,843 residents are 85 or older (2.1% of the population).

If you are weighing home care against a nursing home, the nearest Medicare-certified ones are Covington Court Health And Rehabilitation Center in Fort Smith (1.4 mi) and Chapel Ridge Health And Rehab in Fort Smith (1.4 mi).

Fort Smith compared with Sebastian County and Arkansas

Census figure	Fort Smith	Sebastian County	Arkansas
Residents 65+ with difficulty dressing or bathing	13%	11%	8.5%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty walking	31%	31%	26%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty remembering	13%	11%	9.9%
Residents 85 or older	2.1%	2.2%	1.8%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	32%	28%	29%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	13%	12%	12%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$44,235	$44,729	—

Older residents in towns around Fort Smith

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Self-care difficulty (65+)
Barling, AR	5.5 mi	990	20%
Van Buren, AR	7.1 mi	4,133	5.7%
Pocola, OK	8.7 mi	924	15%
Roland, OK	8.9 mi	411	14%
Greenwood, AR	12 mi	1,906	9.7%
Alma, AR	13 mi	782	5.1%

Home health agencies serving Fort Smith

Agency	Office	Distance	CMS quality stars	Services listed	Phone
Kindred At Home 1	Fort Smith, AR	0.6 mi	4 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy	(479) 452-0424
Adoration Home Health	Van Buren, AR	7.6 mi	4 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work	(479) 474-4892
The Home Health Team	Richardson, TX	213 mi	3.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, home health aides	(214) 613-0400
Access Home Health	Fort Smith, AR	0.6 mi	3 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work	(479) 441-5850
Elite Home Health	Fort Smith, AR	2.5 mi	3 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(479) 435-7194

Nursing homes near Fort Smith (to compare)

Nursing home	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Certified beds	Phone
Covington Court Health And Rehabilitation Center	Fort Smith, AR	1.4 mi	5 of 5	140	(479) 646-5700
Chapel Ridge Health And Rehab	Fort Smith, AR	1.4 mi	4 of 5	74	(479) 452-1541
Methodist Health And Rehab	Fort Smith, AR	1.5 mi	3 of 5	145	(479) 452-1611
The Blossoms At Fort Smith Rehab & Nursing Center	Fort Smith, AR	3.3 mi	1 of 5	130	(479) 646-3454

Straight-line miles from the center of Fort Smith. 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 Fort Smith

24-hour care is 168 paid hours a week. At $13.30 an hour (the Arkansas median aide wage) that is about $9,682 a month in wages before any overtime, 263% of the $3,686 monthly median income of Fort Smith households headed by someone 65+. Rates are agreed with each caregiver. Arkansas's minimum wage is $11.00 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 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 Fort Smith: common questions

How much does 24-hour home care cost in Fort Smith?

24-hour care is 168 paid hours a week. At $13.30 an hour (the Arkansas median aide wage) that is about $9,682 a month in wages before any overtime, 263% of the $3,686 monthly median income of Fort Smith households headed by someone 65+. Rates are agreed with each caregiver. Arkansas's minimum wage is $11.00 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 Fort Smith

More senior care near Fort Smith

24-Hour Home Care in nearby cities

Other care in Fort Smith

More for Fort Smith 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 Fort Smith, AR