In-Home Hospice Support in Ringgold, GA

Medicare lists 19 hospices whose service area includes Ringgold ZIP codes, the nearest offices being Caris Healthcare in Ringgold (1.9 mi) and Hearth Hospice in Fort Oglethorpe (7.4 mi).

438 Ringgold residents 65 or older live alone (62% of those in households). Someone on hospice who lives alone usually needs added hours of help between the hospice team’s visits.

At the Georgia median aide wage of $14.07 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,219 a month in wages, which is 52% of the $2,340 monthly median income of Ringgold households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Georgia's state rate is lower than the federal one, so employers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act pay at least the federal $7.25 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor).

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.