Hospice Support in Southside, AL: Caregivers at Home

Local figures

Hospice Support in Southside, AL: the local picture

14

Medicare-certified hospices serve Southside ZIP codes

171

residents 85 or older (1.8% of all residents)

14%

of residents 65+ in households live alone (30% in Etowah County)

31%

of residents 65+ report a disability (37% in Etowah County)

Medicare lists 14 hospices whose service area includes Southside ZIP codes, the nearest offices being Compassus-Gadsden in Southside (0.6 mi) and Enhabit Hospice Rainbow City in Rainbow City (5.0 mi).

277 Southside residents 65 or older live alone (14% of those in households). Someone on hospice who lives alone usually needs added hours of help between the hospice team’s visits.

Southside compared with Etowah County and Alabama

Census figure	Southside	Etowah County	Alabama
Residents 85 or older	1.8%	1.7%	1.7%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	14%	30%	29%
Residents 65+ with a disability	31%	37%	38%
Residents 65+ with difficulty dressing or bathing	9.5%	8.7%	7.9%
Residents 65 or older	21%	20%	18%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	7.2%	12%	12%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$63,447	$44,181	—

Older residents in towns around Southside

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Live alone (65+)
Rainbow City, AL	4.6 mi	1,947	31%
Glencoe, AL	6.3 mi	1,184	32%
Gadsden, AL	8.0 mi	6,020	38%
Attalla, AL	8.8 mi	1,350	39%
Hokes Bluff, AL	11 mi	1,091	22%
Alexandria, AL	12 mi	650	18%

Hospices serving Southside

Hospice	Office	Distance	Phone
Compassus-Gadsden	Southside, AL	0.6 mi	(256) 782-3560
Enhabit Hospice Rainbow City	Rainbow City, AL	5.0 mi	(256) 203-8508
Aveanna Hospice Of Gadsden	Gadsden, AL	12 mi	(256) 547-3050
Prohealth Hospice-Gadsden	Gadsden, AL	12 mi	(256) 494-8170
Southerncare New Beacon - Anniston	Anniston, AL	23 mi	(205) 236-5334
Shepherd's Cove Hospice	Albertville, AL	32 mi	(256) 891-7724

Straight-line miles from the center of Southside. 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 Southside

At the Alabama median aide wage of $13.39 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,160 a month in wages, which is 22% of the $5,287 monthly median income of Southside households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Alabama has no state minimum wage law, so the federal minimum of $7.25 an hour applies to employers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act (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.

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 Southside: common questions

How much does hospice support cost in Southside?

At the Alabama median aide wage of $13.39 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,160 a month in wages, which is 22% of the $5,287 monthly median income of Southside households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Alabama has no state minimum wage law, so the federal minimum of $7.25 an hour applies to employers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act (U.S. Department of Labor).

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 Southside

More senior care near Southside

Hospice Support in nearby cities

Other care in Southside

More for Southside 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 Southside, AL