Hospice Support in Elmira, NY: Caregivers at Home

Local figures

Hospice Support in Elmira, NY: the local picture

3

Medicare-certified hospices serve Elmira ZIP codes

431

residents 85 or older (1.6% of all residents)

42%

of residents 65+ in households live alone (35% in Chemung County)

43%

of residents 65+ report a disability (33% in Chemung County)

Medicare lists 3 hospices whose service area includes Elmira ZIP codes, the nearest offices being Carefirst / Southern Tier Hospice And Palliative in Painted Post (17 mi) and Hospice At Lourdes, The in Vestal (41 mi).

1,613 Elmira residents 65 or older live alone (42% of those in households). Someone on hospice who lives alone usually needs added hours of help between the hospice team’s visits.

Elmira compared with Chemung County and New York

Census figure	Elmira	Chemung County	New York
Residents 85 or older	1.6%	2.5%	2.2%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	42%	35%	29%
Residents 65+ with a disability	43%	33%	32%
Residents 65+ with difficulty dressing or bathing	8.2%	7.1%	8.3%
Residents 65 or older	16%	20%	18%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	16%	9.5%	13%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$40,678	$47,458	—

Older residents in towns around Elmira

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Live alone (65+)
West Elmira, NY	1.8 mi	1,071	20%
Southport, NY	2.1 mi	1,629	29%
Elmira Heights, NY	2.4 mi	705	44%
Horseheads, NY	5.3 mi	1,639	46%
Big Flats, NY	7.0 mi	1,435	42%
Horseheads North, NY	7.1 mi	414	36%

Hospices serving Elmira

Hospice	Office	Distance	Phone
Carefirst / Southern Tier Hospice And Palliative	Painted Post, NY	17 mi	(607) 962-3100
Hospice At Lourdes, The	Vestal, NY	41 mi	(607) 798-5692
Chautauqua Hospice And Palliative Care	Lakewood, NY	129 mi	(716) 338-0033

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

What it covers

What a caregiver for hospice support can help with

Comfort, company and a calm presence
Gentle personal care and repositioning
Small meals and fluids as the person wants
Telling the hospice nurse about changes

Cost

What hospice support costs in Elmira

At the New York median aide wage of $19.05 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,651 a month in wages, which is 49% of the $3,390 monthly median income of Elmira households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. New York's minimum wage is $17.00 in New York City, Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester counties, $16.00 in the rest of the state (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 CDPAP in New York: how to get paid to care for a family member.

Before you hire

What to know before hiring a caregiver for hospice support

Under Medicare, hospice is for someone whose doctors certify a life expectancy of six months or less and who chooses comfort care instead of treatment to cure the illness. Medicare does not cover room and board for hospice care at home (Medicare.gov).

Questions worth asking: Have you cared for someone at the end of life? How do you work with a hospice nurse? Can you sit overnight in the last days if needed? More in our hospice support guide.

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

Questions

Hospice Support in Elmira: common questions

How much does hospice support cost in Elmira?

At the New York median aide wage of $19.05 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,651 a month in wages, which is 49% of the $3,390 monthly median income of Elmira households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. New York's minimum wage is $17.00 in New York City, Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester counties, $16.00 in the rest of the state (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Who qualifies for hospice under Medicare?

Someone whose hospice doctor (and regular doctor, if they have one) certifies a life expectancy of six months or less, and who accepts comfort care instead of curative treatment (Medicare.gov).

More near Elmira

More senior care near Elmira

Hospice Support in nearby cities

Other care in Elmira

More for Elmira 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 Hospice Support in Elmira, NY