Hospice Support in Plains, PA: Caregivers at Home

Local figures

Hospice Support in Plains, PA: the local picture

9

Medicare-certified hospices serve Plains ZIP codes

60

residents 85 or older (1.4% of all residents)

28%

of residents 65+ in households live alone (33% in Luzerne County)

42%

of residents 65+ report a disability (32% in Luzerne County)

Medicare lists 9 hospices whose service area includes Plains ZIP codes, the nearest offices being Pathways Healthcare in Kingston (2.0 mi) and Commonwealth Hospice Of Berwick in Forty Fort (2.0 mi).

270 Plains residents 65 or older live alone (28% of those in households). Someone on hospice who lives alone usually needs added hours of help between the hospice team’s visits.

Plains compared with Luzerne County and Pennsylvania

Census figure	Plains	Luzerne County	Pennsylvania
Residents 85 or older	1.4%	2.5%	2.4%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	28%	33%	30%
Residents 65+ with a disability	42%	32%	32%
Residents 65+ with difficulty dressing or bathing	10%	6.3%	6.6%
Residents 65 or older	23%	20%	19%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	13%	11%	9.9%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$62,341	$49,926	—

Older residents in towns around Plains

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Live alone (65+)
Forty Fort, PA	1.1 mi	698	23%
Kingston, PA	2.0 mi	2,496	45%
Swoyersville, PA	2.1 mi	1,373	29%
Wyoming, PA	2.1 mi	705	51%
Wilkes-Barre, PA	2.4 mi	6,791	41%
Luzerne, PA	2.5 mi	735	47%

Hospices serving Plains

Hospice	Office	Distance	Phone
Pathways Healthcare	Kingston, PA	2.0 mi	(570) 288-1013
Commonwealth Hospice Of Berwick	Forty Fort, PA	2.0 mi	(570) 231-5407
Hospice Of The Sacred Heart	Moosic, PA	11 mi	(570) 706-2400
Residential Healthcare Of NE Pa, LLC	Moosic, PA	11 mi	(888) 923-5842
Allied Services Hospice LLC	Clarks Summit, PA	17 mi	(570) 341-4320
Traditional Hospice	Dunmore, PA	17 mi	(570) 207-9286

Straight-line miles from the center of Plains. 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 Plains

At the Pennsylvania median aide wage of $14.14 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,225 a month in wages, which is 24% of the $5,195 monthly median income of Plains households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Pennsylvania'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 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 Plains: common questions

How much does hospice support cost in Plains?

At the Pennsylvania median aide wage of $14.14 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,225 a month in wages, which is 24% of the $5,195 monthly median income of Plains households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Pennsylvania's minimum wage is $7.25 an hour (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 Plains

More senior care near Plains

Hospice Support in nearby cities

Other care in Plains

More for Plains 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 Plains, PA