Adult Disability Care in Merrill, WI: In-Home Support

Local figures

Disability Care for Adults in Merrill, WI: the local picture

9.0%

of residents aged 18 to 64 have a disability (11% in Lincoln County)

252

residents aged 18 to 64 have difficulty doing errands alone

7.6%

of households have no vehicle (4.7% in Lincoln County)

5

Medicare-certified home health agencies list Merrill ZIP codes in their service area

About 501 Merrill residents aged 18 to 64 report a disability (9.0%; 11% in Lincoln County).

252 of them have difficulty doing errands such as shopping or visiting a doctor alone, the kind of help a support caregiver gives.

7.6% of Merrill households have no vehicle (4.7% in Lincoln County); say in your posting if you need a caregiver who drives.

Merrill compared with Lincoln County and Wisconsin

Census figure	Merrill	Lincoln County	Wisconsin
Residents 18 to 64 with a disability	9.0%	11%	10%
Residents 18 to 64 with difficulty doing errands alone	4.5%	3.9%	3.7%
Households with no vehicle	7.6%	4.7%	6.4%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	3.5%	2.4%	9.0%
Residents 65+ with a disability	35%	30%	28%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	22%	12%	9.1%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$37,153	$51,661	—

Older residents in towns around Merrill

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Disability (18 to 64)
Maine, WI	8.5 mi	519	7.4%
Wausau, WI	15 mi	7,741	13%
Rib Mountain, WI	20 mi	1,821	12%
Tomahawk, WI	21 mi	659	19%
Weston, WI	21 mi	3,060	10%
Rothschild, WI	22 mi	999	8.9%

Home health agencies serving Merrill

Agency	Office	Distance	CMS quality stars	Services listed	Phone
Compassus Home Health	Marshfield, WI	43 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(715) 301-7260
Aspirus At Home	Wausau, WI	15 mi	3.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(715) 847-2600
Interim Healthcare Of Wausau	Wausau, WI	15 mi	3.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(715) 842-7707
North Shore At Home	Gurnee, IL	213 mi	3 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(847) 360-7660
Transitions Home Health Of Central Wisconsin	Stevens Point, WI	46 mi	2 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(715) 544-2322

Straight-line miles from the center of Merrill. Medicare (CMS) data, October 2026; call ahead to confirm. We are not affiliated with these providers.

What it covers

What a disability support caregiver can help with

Personal care, on the person’s terms
Cooking, shopping and housekeeping
Getting to work, school, appointments and activities
Keeping routines the person sets

Cost

What disability care for adults costs in Merrill

At the Wisconsin median aide wage of $17.47 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,514 a month in wages, which is 49% of the $3,096 monthly median income of Merrill households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Wisconsin'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 IRIS in Wisconsin: how a family member gets paid as a caregiver.

Before you hire

What to know before hiring a disability support caregiver

Many state Medicaid programs let adults with disabilities direct their own care: they, or a representative, hire and supervise the caregiver.

Questions worth asking: Have you supported adults with a disability like mine (or my family member’s)? How do you support someone to do things themselves? Can you drive to work, school or day programs? More in our disability care for adults guide.

CaregiverConnect does not run background checks. Check identity, references and any certification yourself before anyone starts. The Safety Center explains how.

Questions

Disability Care for Adults in Merrill: common questions

How much does disability care for adults cost in Merrill?

At the Wisconsin median aide wage of $17.47 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,514 a month in wages, which is 49% of the $3,096 monthly median income of Merrill households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Wisconsin's minimum wage is $7.25 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Can an adult with a disability hire their own caregiver?

Yes. Many state Medicaid programs offer self-direction, where the person or a representative hires and supervises the caregiver. Our guide IRIS in Wisconsin: how a family member gets paid as a caregiver covers Wisconsin.

More near Merrill

More senior care near Merrill

Disability Care for Adults in nearby cities

Other care in Merrill

More for Merrill 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.

In-Home Support for Adults With Disabilities in Merrill, WI