Live-In Caregivers in Elma, WA: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Elma, WA: the local picture

55

residents 85 or older (1.6% of all residents)

262

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (90%)

59%

of Elma homes have 3 or more bedrooms (61% in Grays Harbor County)

$17.13

Washington minimum wage per hour

About 55 Elma 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. 59% of homes in Elma have three or more bedrooms (61% in Grays Harbor County), while 10.0% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 5.5 rooms.

Of Elma households headed by someone 65 or older, 262 own their home and 28 rent. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Elma compared with Grays Harbor County and Washington

Census figure	Elma	Grays Harbor County	Washington
Residents 85 or older	1.6%	2.0%	1.8%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	37%	30%	26%
Residents 65+ with a disability	42%	40%	33%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	8.1%	10%	8.9%
Residents 65 or older	16%	23%	17%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	12%	10%	21%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$61,375	$49,629	—

Older residents in towns around Elma

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Montesano, WA	8.3 mi	963	117
Central Park, WA	14 mi	529	20
Aberdeen, WA	19 mi	3,211	433
Shelton, WA	21 mi	1,466	212
Rochester, WA	21 mi	1,061	118
Tumwater, WA	23 mi	4,204	457

Emergency hospitals near Elma

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Summit Pacific Medical Center	Elma, WA	0.5 mi	2 of 5	(360) 346-2222
Capital Medical Center	Olympia, WA	18 mi	3 of 5	(360) 956-2550
Grays Harbor Community Hospital	Aberdeen, WA	18 mi	3 of 5	(360) 532-8330

Straight-line miles from the center of Elma. Medicare (CMS) data, October 2026; call ahead to confirm. We are not affiliated with these providers.

What it covers

What a live-in caregiver can help with

Help across the day: meals, housekeeping, personal care
Someone in the home overnight if help is needed
Medication reminders and appointment rides
Companionship and a steady routine

Cost

What live-in care costs in Elma

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $22.95 an hour (the Washington median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $4,973 a month (97% of the $5,115 monthly median income of Elma households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $16,708 a month (327% of the $5,115 monthly median income of Elma households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Washington's minimum wage is $17.13 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 live-in caregiver

Put the arrangement in writing: hours on duty, sleep time, days off, the room and pay (federal rules: DOL Fact Sheet 79B).

Questions worth asking: Have you lived in with a client before, and for how long? What days off and sleep time do you need? How do you handle being woken at night? More in our live-in caregivers guide.

CaregiverConnect does not run background checks. Check identity, references and any certification yourself before anyone starts. The Safety Center explains how.

Questions

Live-In Caregivers in Elma: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Elma?

Summit Pacific Medical Center in Elma, about 0.5 mi in a straight line from the center of Elma (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (360) 346-2222. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Elma?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $22.95 an hour (the Washington median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $4,973 a month (97% of the $5,115 monthly median income of Elma households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $16,708 a month (327% of the $5,115 monthly median income of Elma households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Washington's minimum wage is $17.13 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Live-in or 24-hour care in Elma?

A live-in caregiver sleeps in the home and has protected sleep and break time. 24-hour care uses two or three caregivers in shifts so someone is always awake; in Elma it costs more than three times as much a month (see the cost section above). Choose shifts if help is needed several times a night.

More near Elma

More senior care near Elma

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Elma

More for Elma 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.

Live-In Caregivers in Elma, WA