Live-In Caregivers in Columbia, SC

About 1,426 Columbia residents are 85 or older. Live-in care is most often arranged for this age group, when help is needed through the day and someone should be close at night.

A live-in caregiver needs a private room. 53% of homes in Columbia have three or more bedrooms (69% in Richland County), while 16% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 5.1 rooms.

Of Columbia households headed by someone 65 or older, 7,432 own their home and 3,201 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 767 owners and 119 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $14.48 an hour (the South Carolina median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,137 a month (70% of the $4,477 monthly median income of Columbia households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $10,541 a month (235% of the $4,477 monthly median income of Columbia households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. South Carolina 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.