Adult Disability Care in Portage, IN: In-Home Support

Local figures

Disability Care for Adults in Portage, IN: the local picture

11%

of residents aged 18 to 64 have a disability (9.7% in Porter County)

1,225

residents aged 18 to 64 have difficulty doing errands alone

3.1%

of households have no vehicle (3.4% in Porter County)

44

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

About 2,704 Portage residents aged 18 to 64 report a disability (11%; 9.7% in Porter County).

1,225 of them have difficulty doing errands such as shopping or visiting a doctor alone, the kind of help a support caregiver gives.

3.1% of Portage households have no vehicle (3.4% in Porter County); say in your posting if you need a caregiver who drives.

Portage compared with Porter County and Indiana

Census figure	Portage	Porter County	Indiana
Residents 18 to 64 with a disability	11%	9.7%	12%
Residents 18 to 64 with difficulty doing errands alone	5.1%	3.8%	4.4%
Households with no vehicle	3.1%	3.4%	6.2%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	11%	7.3%	10%
Residents 65+ with a disability	23%	26%	33%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	10%	7.1%	9.1%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$46,417	$59,706	—

Older residents in towns around Portage

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Disability (18 to 64)
Lake Station, IN	4.0 mi	1,648	16%
South Haven, IN	4.2 mi	957	12%
Porter, IN	5.6 mi	1,030	10%
Chesterton, IN	6.4 mi	2,544	7.2%
Hobart, IN	7.4 mi	4,478	11%
Gary, IN	8.7 mi	12,880	20%

Home health agencies serving Portage

Agency	Office	Distance	CMS quality stars	Services listed	Phone
Powers Home Health Services	Hobart, IN	5.9 mi	5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, home health aides	(219) 947-6105
Elara Caring	Valparaiso, IN	11 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(219) 246-5171
Enhabit Home Health	Schererville, IN	16 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work	(219) 864-9988
Elara Caring	Kokomo, IN	93 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(765) 452-1411
At Home Quality Care	Chesterton, IN	7.0 mi	4 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(219) 395-9100

Straight-line miles from the center of Portage. 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 Portage

At the Indiana median aide wage of $16.86 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,461 a month in wages, which is 38% of the $3,868 monthly median income of Portage households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Indiana'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 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 Portage: common questions

How much does disability care for adults cost in Portage?

At the Indiana median aide wage of $16.86 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,461 a month in wages, which is 38% of the $3,868 monthly median income of Portage households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Indiana'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 Medicaid programs for family caregivers: who can be paid, and the rules in 12 states covers Indiana.

More near Portage

More senior care near Portage

Disability Care for Adults in nearby cities

Other care in Portage

More for Portage 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 Portage, IN