Companion Care in Perry, FL: Senior Companions at Home

Local figures

Companion Care in Perry, FL: the local picture

1,258

residents 65 or older (18% of Perry)

40%

of residents 65+ in households live alone (30% in Taylor County)

7.5%

of residents 5+ speak a language other than English at home

14%

of households have no vehicle (8.0% in Taylor County)

About 460 residents of Perry aged 65 or older live alone, 40% of older residents in households (30% in Taylor County). They are the people companion care is usually for: mostly independent, but on their own for long stretches of the day.

14% of Perry households have no vehicle (8.0% in Taylor County). A companion who drives can turn a week at home into appointments, shopping and visits.

Of the 1,258 Perry residents aged 65 or older, 170 are 85 or older (14%). Before the first visit with someone in that oldest group, ask the family about hearing, eyesight, walking and any memory changes, so the visit is planned around them.

610 Perry households headed by someone 65 or older own their home and 234 rent. A companion visiting a house may also help with mail, light chores and keeping an eye on things; in an apartment building, ask whether visitors sign in.

About 219 older Perry residents (19%) live below the poverty line (12% in Taylor County). For them, Medicaid home and community-based services or the local Area Agency on Aging may cover some companion or homemaker hours, depending on the state program; private pay is not the only route.

About 7.5% of Perry residents aged 5 and over speak a language other than English at home. The most common are other languages (265), Spanish (153), German or West Germanic languages (48). If the person you care for is more at ease in one of these languages, say so in your posting; many caregivers list the languages they speak.

Perry compared with Taylor County and Florida

Census figure	Perry	Taylor County	Florida
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	40%	30%	25%
Residents 65 or older	18%	21%	21%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	7.5%	6.2%	31%
Households with no vehicle	14%	8.0%	6.0%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	19%	12%	12%
Residents 65+ with a disability	39%	36%	31%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$32,828	$39,083	—

Older residents in towns around Perry

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Live alone (65+)
Madison, FL	27 mi	351	41%
Monticello, FL	35 mi	725	40%
Live Oak, FL	38 mi	1,092	37%
Woodville, FL	43 mi	748	21%
Jasper, FL	45 mi	236	34%
Tallahassee, FL	47 mi	23,684	37%

Hospitals near Perry (for rides to appointments)

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Doctors Memorial Hospital Inc	Perry, FL	4.5 mi	not rated	(850) 584-0800
Madison County Memorial Hospital	Madison, FL	28 mi	not rated	(850) 973-2271

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

What it covers

What a companion caregiver can help with

Conversation, cards, puzzles and shared hobbies
Walks and outings to the park, library or senior center
Company at meals, and help preparing them
Rides or escort to appointments, church and visits

Cost

What companion care costs in Perry

At the Florida median aide wage of $16.25 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,408 a month in wages, which is 51% of the $2,736 monthly median income of Perry households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Florida's minimum wage rose to $15.00 an hour on September 30, 2026, under Article X, Section 24 of the Florida Constitution.

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 How to get paid to take care of a family member in Florida: SMMC LTC and the PDO.

Before you hire

What to know before hiring a companion caregiver

Isolation is a health risk, not only a mood. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine found that nearly one in four Americans aged 65 and older living in the community is socially isolated, and linked isolation to higher risks of dementia, heart disease and early death (2020 report).

Questions worth asking: What do you enjoy doing with the people you care for? Are you comfortable driving, and is your car insured for passengers? How do you handle a client who does not want company at first? More in our companion care guide.

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

Questions

Companion Care in Perry: common questions

How many seniors live alone in Perry?

About 460 residents aged 65 or older, 40% of older residents in households (Census ACS 2020–2024) (30% in Taylor County).

How much does companion care cost in Perry?

At the Florida median aide wage of $16.25 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,408 a month in wages, which is 51% of the $2,736 monthly median income of Perry households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Florida's minimum wage rose to $15.00 an hour on September 30, 2026, under Article X, Section 24 of the Florida Constitution.

What does a companion caregiver do in Perry?

A companion keeps an older adult company and helps around the visit: conversation, activities, walks, meals, errands, rides and reminders. It suits someone who is mostly independent but lonely, or a family that wants someone to check in on weekdays.

More near Perry

More senior care near Perry

Companion Care in nearby cities

Other care in Perry

More for Perry 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.

Companion Care for Seniors in Perry, FL