Live-In Caregivers in Fort Scott, KS: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Fort Scott, KS: the local picture

211

residents 85 or older (2.8% of all residents)

925

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (73%)

51%

of Fort Scott homes have 3 or more bedrooms (56% in Bourbon County)

$7.25

Kansas minimum wage per hour

About 211 Fort Scott 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. 51% of homes in Fort Scott have three or more bedrooms (56% in Bourbon County), while 12% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 5.8 rooms.

Of Fort Scott households headed by someone 65 or older, 925 own their home and 349 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 44 owners and 122 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Fort Scott compared with Bourbon County and Kansas

Census figure	Fort Scott	Bourbon County	Kansas
Residents 85 or older	2.8%	1.8%	2.0%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	41%	31%	30%
Residents 65+ with a disability	37%	37%	33%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	6.1%	8.2%	8.8%
Residents 65 or older	23%	20%	17%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	2.2%	3.0%	12%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$43,889	$48,265	—

Older residents in towns around Fort Scott

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Nevada, MO	19 mi	1,455	131
Girard, KS	23 mi	597	23
Frontenac, KS	26 mi	712	112
Pittsburg, KS	29 mi	2,600	288
Lamar, MO	33 mi	985	165
Butler, MO	36 mi	935	229

Emergency hospitals near Fort Scott

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Nevada Regional Medical Center	Nevada, MO	19 mi	not rated	(417) 667-3355
Girard Medical Center	Girard, KS	24 mi	2 of 5	(620) 724-8291
Cox Barton County Hospital	Lamar, MO	29 mi	not rated	(417) 682-6081

Straight-line miles from the center of Fort Scott. 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 Fort Scott

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $15.03 an hour (the Kansas median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,257 a month (89% of the $3,657 monthly median income of Fort Scott households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $10,942 a month (299% of the $3,657 monthly median income of Fort Scott households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Kansas'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 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 Fort Scott: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Fort Scott?

Nevada Regional Medical Center in Nevada, about 19 mi in a straight line from the center of Fort Scott (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (417) 667-3355. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Fort Scott?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $15.03 an hour (the Kansas median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,257 a month (89% of the $3,657 monthly median income of Fort Scott households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $10,942 a month (299% of the $3,657 monthly median income of Fort Scott households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Kansas's minimum wage is $7.25 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Live-in or 24-hour care in Fort Scott?

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 Fort Scott 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 Fort Scott

More senior care near Fort Scott

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Fort Scott

More for Fort Scott 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 Fort Scott, KS