24-Hour Home Care in Merrimac, VA: Round-the-Clock Care

Local figures

24-Hour Home Care in Merrimac, VA: the local picture

17%

of residents 65+ have difficulty dressing or bathing (5.7% in Montgomery County)

226

residents 85 or older (8.3% of all residents)

41%

of residents 65+ report a disability (26% in Montgomery County)

$47,083

median yearly income of households headed by someone 65+

138 Merrimac residents 65 or older have difficulty dressing or bathing (17%; 5.7% in Montgomery County), and 250 have serious difficulty walking. Round-the-clock care is usually for people who need hands-on help at any hour.

About 226 residents are 85 or older (8.3% of the population).

If you are weighing home care against a nursing home, the nearest Medicare-certified ones are The Wybe And Marietje Kroontje Health Care Center in Blacksburg (0.4 mi) and Heritage Hall Blacksburg in Blacksburg (0.9 mi).

Merrimac compared with Montgomery County and Virginia

Census figure	Merrimac	Montgomery County	Virginia
Residents 65+ with difficulty dressing or bathing	17%	5.7%	6.7%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty walking	31%	16%	19%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty remembering	5.3%	5.6%	7.4%
Residents 85 or older	8.3%	1.1%	1.7%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	67%	29%	27%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	8.6%	7.4%	8.8%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$47,083	$71,528	—

Older residents in towns around Merrimac

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Self-care difficulty (65+)
Blacksburg, VA	2.5 mi	3,474	3.3%
Christiansburg, VA	3.9 mi	4,364	5.9%
Radford, VA	9.1 mi	1,601	14%
Dublin, VA	16 mi	319	6.1%
Pearisburg, VA	19 mi	680	13%
Salem, VA	21 mi	5,016	7.4%

Home health agencies serving Merrimac

Agency	Office	Distance	CMS quality stars	Services listed	Phone
Centerwell Home Health	Roanoke, VA	30 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(540) 362-7578
Carilion Home Care Services	Radford, VA	9.0 mi	3 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(540) 633-9330
Warm Hearth At Home Inc	Christiansburg, VA	4.1 mi	2 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, home health aides	(540) 443-3428

Nursing homes near Merrimac (to compare)

Nursing home	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Certified beds	Phone
The Wybe And Marietje Kroontje Health Care Center	Blacksburg, VA	0.4 mi	1 of 5	60	(540) 443-3400
Heritage Hall Blacksburg	Blacksburg, VA	0.9 mi	4 of 5	179	(540) 951-7000
Radford Health And Rehab Center	Radford, VA	9.3 mi	4 of 5	90	(540) 633-6533
Highland Ridge Rehab Center	Dublin, VA	15 mi	1 of 5	132	(540) 674-4193

Straight-line miles from the center of Merrimac. 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 Merrimac

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, 270% of the $3,924 monthly median income of Merrimac 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 Merrimac: common questions

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

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, 270% of the $3,924 monthly median income of Merrimac 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 Merrimac

More senior care near Merrimac

24-Hour Home Care in nearby cities

Other care in Merrimac

More for Merrimac 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 Merrimac, VA