Athens, Georgia · Clarke County

Find In-Home Caregivers in Athens, GA

Senior care at home anywhere in Athens-Clarke County: list the tasks and the schedule, compare in-home caregivers near ZIP 30601, see each one's rate and how far away they are, then make the hire yourself with no agency markup.

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How to find an in-home caregiver in Athens

Athens and Clarke County share one consolidated government, Athens-Clarke County. For the city portion the Census Bureau reports 128,612 residents on July 1, 2025 (its 2020 base was 127,357), and 129,921 for the whole unified government. It is a young place on paper: the ACS 2020–2024 median age is 29.4, and 33,312 residents were enrolled in college or graduate school. The older population is still large in absolute terms. ACS counts 15,758 people aged 65 or older (12.4%), 4,647 of them between 75 and 84 and 1,328 aged 85-plus. About 12,187 Athens households (22.7%) have a member aged 65 or older, 3,551 women and 1,953 men in that age group head a household alone, and 31.5% of older residents report a disability.

Here you deal with the caregiver yourself. Post what your mother or father needs (help out of bed, showering, cooking, laundry, company through a long afternoon, a lift to an appointment on Prince Avenue or Baxter Street), which days and at what hours, plus what you will pay per hour, then message the people who answer. The caregivers listed above update as people join, nearest to 30601 first. Madison, the Morgan County seat, is roughly 25 miles from Athens in a straight line between ZIP centers; it is covered on a separate Madison, GA page; see every Georgia town on the Georgia page.

Where Medicaid may be involved, Georgia's Elderly and Disabled Waiver (still often called CCSP) pays for some in-home support, and the Northeast Georgia Regional Commission's aging office takes those referrals for Clarke County. A private hire can fill hours the waiver plan does not reach.

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Private in-home caregivers near Athens, GA

Independent caregivers with profiles on CaregiverConnect whose home base is within 50 miles. You agree on duties, schedule and pay directly with the person you hire.

Caregiver in Madison, GA

about 25 mi from Athens · 10+ yrs experience

HousekeepingErrandsMeal prepPersonal carepart-timeHas vehicle

$20/hrSee full profile

1 of 1 available caregiver within 50 miles of Athens, nearest first. Names, photos, bios, references and the Verified badge details are shown once you create a free family account; this public page keeps caregivers anonymous.

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What you can post

Types of in-home care families in Athens arrange

All non-medical. For nursing tasks (injections, wound care, catheters) you need a licensed home health agency, not a private caregiver.

Senior care at home · Personal care · Companion care · Dementia care · Respite care · Overnight and live-in · Post-surgery recovery · Part-time and flexible

Choosing well

Evaluating caregivers in Athens

No one at CaregiverConnect screens members, so the vetting is yours. One federal tool is the National Sex Offender Public Website, run by the U.S. Department of Justice with the states; it searches registries for all 50 states. For a Georgia criminal history report, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation pages were unreachable while this page was researched, so ask GBI or local law enforcement what a household employer may request. Ask anyone claiming CNA certification for the certificate itself.

Athens has features worth planning around. About one resident in eleven aged five or older (9.3%) speaks Spanish at home, so note in your posting when Spanish is the language your parent prefers. Six in ten Athens homes are rented (59.3%), so check with the landlord before a caregiver installs grab bars or a ramp. With a large student population, some applicants may have class schedules that change each term; ask how their availability shifts between semesters and during holidays. Hold the interview where your parent lives, call two previous clients or employers, and book one or two paid trial visits before any long arrangement.

Questions families here ask at interview

Can I look you up on the national sex offender registry and phone two people you have cared for before we agree on pay?
If your class or work schedule changes in January or August, how much notice will you give me?
Do you have a car and a clean license for trips to Piedmont Athens Regional or St. Mary's, or would you go with Dad on The Lift?
Mom prefers to speak Spanish. How comfortable are you holding a whole conversation with her in Spanish?
After a hospital stay, how have you helped a client follow the discharge instructions and therapy exercises at home?
What is your hourly rate for companionship versus bathing and toileting, and does it rise for nights or Sundays?

Schedules and cost

What in-home care costs in Athens: hourly rates and schedules

Typical Athens requests fall into a handful of shapes: an early visit for a wash, getting dressed and breakfast; a midday block covering lunch, medications and light chores; an afternoon at the adult day program or a ride home from it; transport to doctors and to shop for groceries; and overnight or weekend cover so family members who work can rest.

Reference point	Hourly	Source
Employed aides, Athens-Clarke County, GA metro area (Clarke, Madison, Oconee and Oglethorpe counties)	$13.41 median	BLS OEWS, May 2025
Federal minimum wage	$7.25	effective July 24, 2009

Who is the employer. When you hire a caregiver directly, you are the employer. The Federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour (effective July 24, 2009); the federal minimum of $7.25 and federal overtime rules apply to directly employed caregivers unless the work is exempt companionship under the FLSA. Source: US Department of Labor, direct care workers; the state source is listed at the end of this page.

For its wage survey BLS draws the Athens-Clarke County metro around four counties: Clarke, Madison, Oconee and Oglethorpe. In May 2025 that metro had 1,150 home health and personal care aides (occupation 31-1120) earning a median of $13.41 an hour and a mean of $13.79, below the Georgia median of $14.07. The 1,110 nursing assistants in the metro had a $17.47 median. Georgia sets a $5.15 minimum for employers of six or more, yet the U.S. Department of Labor's state table notes that Georgia's law leaves out any employment the federal Fair Labor Standards Act covers, and for that work the $7.25 federal floor applies. Settle the rate before the first shift.

No agency tracks private rates. A caregiver you hire directly will usually expect more than the employed-aide median and less than an agency rate; every caregiver on this site lists an hourly rate on their profile, and the hiring guide covers taxes and overtime.

Local help

Caregiver resources for families in Athens

Northeast Georgia Area Agency on Aging and ADRC (Northeast Georgia Regional Commission)Aging line (706) 583-2546, toll-free 1-888-808-8020; ADRC 1-800-474-7540. Designated by the Department of Human Services in 1974 to serve 12 counties including Clarke. Takes Elderly and Disabled Waiver referrals and runs the Caregiver Program (respite in and out of the home, support groups, adult day care) and Older Americans Act services for people 60 and over, some with a wait list.
The Center at ACCA (formerly Athens Community Council on Aging)135 Hoyt Street, Athens 30601, (706) 549-4850, open weekdays from 8:00 to 5:00. A nonprofit offering Adult Day Health with nursing oversight and personal care, a Dementia Resource Center, Meals on Wheels for homebound Clarke County residents (weekday deliveries, frozen or shelf-stable meals for weekends when needed), rides to medical visits and errands, fee-based Age Well Care Management (706) 549-3471, and GeorgiaCares Medicare counseling.
The Lift (Athens-Clarke County Transit paratransit)Curb-to-curb rides within one mile of a fixed bus route for people whose mobility impairment keeps them off the regular bus; the application needs a doctor's signature. Currently fare free. Weekdays 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., weekends 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Book at 706-613-3435 by 5 p.m. the day before, up to 14 days ahead. Regular ACC Transit buses are fare free too (706-613-3430).
Adult Protective Services (Georgia DHS Division of Aging Services)Dial 1-866-552-4464 (the 1-866-55-AGING line) and choose option 3. Covers adults 18 through 64 who have a disability and anyone 65 or older living outside a long-term care facility, when abuse, neglect or exploitation is suspected. In an emergency dial 911.
Piedmont Athens Regional1199 Prince Avenue, Athens 30606, 706-475-7000. A 427-bed hospital with 24/7 emergency care, rehabilitation and therapy, and home health among its listed services.
St. Mary's Hospital (St. Mary's Health Care System, a member of Trinity Health)1230 Baxter Street, Athens 30606, 706-389-3000. 24/7 emergency department, a fifth-floor rehab center for physical, occupational and speech therapy, home health care for patients recovering at home, and a hospice program.

Safety

Hiring safely in Athens

Before the first shift, put the arrangement on paper: schedule, hourly pay, overtime, the tasks, how you will reimburse gas or shopping, and the notice each side owes. Both of you should sign a weekly record of hours. Under Department of Labor Fact Sheet 79A, a family that employs a companion directly can use the companionship exemption only in weeks when hands-on care stays at or below 20 percent of hours worked; in any other week minimum wage and overtime are owed. Fact Sheet 79B says a live-in worker hired by the household may be exempt from overtime but must get at least $7.25 for every hour worked, and the employer must keep an exact record of those hours. Staffing agencies can claim neither exemption. APS takes reports at 1-866-552-4464 when you fear an Athens senior is being mistreated, left without needed care, or cheated out of money. Our hiring guide covers household-employer taxes.

A younger man supporting an older man's arm as they walk through a bright living room. Stock photograph; not a CaregiverConnect user.

How it works

How to hire a private caregiver in Athens (no agency)

CaregiverConnect is a marketplace, not an agency: you hire the caregiver directly, which is why there is no agency mark-up on their hourly rate. That also means screening is your responsibility, and we tell you how.

Describe the care you need
Your posting goes live
Review caregivers and applicants
Message and hire
Agree terms and pay directly

Pricing, plainly

What is free and what costs money

Browsing, posting and receiving applications are free. Messaging and confirming a hire are part of Family Premium ($24.99/month, cancel any time). No commission on what you pay the caregiver; see the pricing page.

Widen your search

Find caregivers near Athens

Caregivers set a travel radius, so a caregiver based in a neighbouring town may well cover your home. These pages show who is nearby.

Find caregivers in Madison, GA25 mi

Guides

Useful reading

How to hire a private caregiver: cost, screening, taxes and a written agreement · Medicaid programs for family caregivers: who can be paid, and the rules in 12 states

Sources (checked 2026-10-31):

Questions

Hiring a caregiver in Athens: frequently asked questions

How does someone in Athens-Clarke County apply for the Elderly and Disabled Waiver?

Start with the Northeast Georgia Area Agency on Aging, toll-free 1-888-808-8020 (local 706-583-2546), or the ADRC at 1-800-474-7540, where a certified options counselor can talk through whether the waiver fits. The regional commission says a person qualifies when a local assessment team finds they meet the elderly or disabled criteria, they would otherwise need a nursing home, they are or may become Medicaid-eligible, and their needs can be met at home within state cost limits. The Georgia Department of Community Health administers the program.

What does the waiver cover at home?

According to the regional commission, services include Personal Support Services (light housekeeping and basic personal care), home health nursing and therapy for homebound people, home-delivered meals, an emergency response system monitored around the clock, respite for the main family caregiver, adult day health and alternative living services. Whether a fee applies depends on the person.

Can a family member in Athens be paid to provide care?

The Northeast Georgia aging office does not publish a yes-or-no rule; its FAQ sends people who want to be paid as caregivers to the ADRC at 1-800-474-7540. Georgia's Department of Community Health sets the waiver rules, and its website was unreachable while we researched; confirm with the ADRC which relatives and services qualify.

What do in-home caregivers charge in Athens?

Each caregiver on CaregiverConnect names a rate. As a reference point, the BLS wage survey found Athens metro aides (occupation 31-1120) at a $13.41 hourly median in May 2025, and the federal $7.25 minimum is the legal floor for most household employment. If you will pay a different rate for overnights, weekends or personal care, write it down.

Is there adult day care or meal delivery in Athens?

Yes. The Center at ACCA on Hoyt Street runs Adult Day Health, with meals, activities, nursing oversight and help with personal care, and delivers Meals on Wheels on weekdays to homebound Clarke County residents, mostly people 60 and older. Call (706) 549-4850 to ask about cost and to arrange an assessment.

What transport options exist in Athens for a parent who no longer drives?

Athens-Clarke County Transit buses are fare free. If a mobility impairment keeps your parent off the bus, The Lift gives curb-to-curb rides within a mile of a bus route once a doctor signs the application; reserve at 706-613-3435. The Center at ACCA also arranges rides to medical visits and errands for older adults.

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