Hospice Support in Portage, WI: Caregivers at Home

Local figures

Hospice Support in Portage, WI: the local picture

13

Medicare-certified hospices serve Portage ZIP codes

265

residents 85 or older (2.6% of all residents)

41%

of residents 65+ in households live alone (27% in Columbia County)

38%

of residents 65+ report a disability (25% in Columbia County)

Medicare lists 13 hospices whose service area includes Portage ZIP codes, the nearest offices being St Croix Hospice Baraboo in Baraboo (15 mi) and Ssm Health At Home Hospice in Baraboo (15 mi).

571 Portage residents 65 or older live alone (41% of those in households). Someone on hospice who lives alone usually needs added hours of help between the hospice team’s visits.

Portage compared with Columbia County and Wisconsin

Census figure	Portage	Columbia County	Wisconsin
Residents 85 or older	2.6%	1.9%	2.1%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	41%	27%	30%
Residents 65+ with a disability	38%	25%	28%
Residents 65+ with difficulty dressing or bathing	13%	4.0%	5.3%
Residents 65 or older	15%	20%	19%
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+	Live alone (65+)
Poynette, WI	11 mi	379	35%
Lake Wisconsin, WI	14 mi	1,234	23%
Baraboo, WI	15 mi	2,610	38%
Lake Delton, WI	16 mi	781	29%
Lodi, WI	17 mi	877	21%
Wisconsin Dells, WI	17 mi	555	51%

Hospices serving Portage

Hospice	Office	Distance	Phone
St Croix Hospice Baraboo	Baraboo, WI	15 mi	(608) 448-4200
Ssm Health At Home Hospice	Baraboo, WI	15 mi	(877) 356-4514
Hillside Hospice	Beaver Dam, WI	32 mi	(920) 887-4050
Heartland Hospice Madison	Madison, WI	33 mi	(608) 819-0033
Moments Hospice Of Madison	Madison, WI	33 mi	(608) 384-3710
Agrace Hospicecare	Madison, WI	36 mi	(608) 276-4660

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 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 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 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 Portage: common questions

How much does hospice support 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).

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 Portage

More senior care near Portage

Hospice Support 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 Hospice Support in Portage, WI