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

Local figures

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

16%

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

326

residents aged 18 to 64 have difficulty doing errands alone

7.0%

of households have no vehicle (4.4% in Columbia County)

8

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

About 957 Portage residents aged 18 to 64 report a disability (16%; 11% in Columbia County).

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

7.0% of Portage households have no vehicle (4.4% in Columbia County); say in your posting if you need a caregiver who drives.

Portage compared with Columbia County and Wisconsin

Census figure	Portage	Columbia County	Wisconsin
Residents 18 to 64 with a disability	16%	11%	10%
Residents 18 to 64 with difficulty doing errands alone	5.6%	4.1%	3.7%
Households with no vehicle	7.0%	4.4%	6.4%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	5.3%	4.5%	9.0%
Residents 65+ with a disability	38%	25%	28%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	8.9%	7.7%	9.1%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$38,264	$57,885	—

Older residents in towns around Portage

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Disability (18 to 64)
Poynette, WI	11 mi	379	9.3%
Lake Wisconsin, WI	14 mi	1,234	6.4%
Baraboo, WI	15 mi	2,610	13%
Lake Delton, WI	16 mi	781	13%
Lodi, WI	17 mi	877	6.2%
Wisconsin Dells, WI	17 mi	555	8.0%

Home health agencies serving Portage

Agency	Office	Distance	CMS quality stars	Services listed	Phone
Aveanna Home Health	Baraboo, WI	15 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, home health aides	(608) 356-7570
Interim Healthcare Of Wisconsin	Madison, WI	36 mi	3.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(608) 238-0268
Aspirus At Home	Wausau, WI	99 mi	3.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(715) 847-2600
Ssm Health At Home Home Health-Wisconsin	Madison, WI	36 mi	3 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(800) 924-2273
Commonheart Home Health	Waukesha, WI	71 mi	2.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(920) 261-7108

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 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 47% of the $3,189 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. 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 Portage: common questions

How much does disability care for adults cost in Portage?

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 47% of the $3,189 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. 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 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, WI