Live-In Caregivers in Medulla, FL: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Medulla, FL: the local picture

124

residents 85 or older (1.1% of all residents)

939

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (82%)

66%

of Medulla homes have 3 or more bedrooms (63% in Polk County)

$15.00

Florida minimum wage per hour

About 124 Medulla 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. 66% of homes in Medulla have three or more bedrooms (63% in Polk County), while 13% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 5.6 rooms.

Of Medulla households headed by someone 65 or older, 939 own their home and 200 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 45 owners and 42 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Medulla compared with Polk County and Florida

Census figure	Medulla	Polk County	Florida
Residents 85 or older	1.1%	2.1%	2.6%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	29%	24%	25%
Residents 65+ with a disability	28%	32%	31%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	9.3%	12%	12%
Residents 65 or older	15%	20%	21%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	20%	28%	31%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$62,981	$50,939	—

Older residents in towns around Medulla

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Lakeland Highlands, FL	1.8 mi	2,431	286
Fuller Heights, FL	2.5 mi	1,741	138
Willow Oak, FL	3.6 mi	462	29
Mulberry, FL	3.7 mi	1,496	268
Highland City, FL	6.3 mi	1,941	56
Lakeland, FL	6.9 mi	25,793	4,215

Emergency hospitals near Medulla

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Lakeland Regional Medical Center	Lakeland, FL	7.9 mi	1 of 5	(863) 687-1100
South Florida Baptist Hospital	Plant City, FL	10 mi	3 of 5	(813) 757-1200
Bartow Regional Medical Center	Bartow, FL	11 mi	3 of 5	(863) 533-8111

Straight-line miles from the center of Medulla. 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 Medulla

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $16.25 an hour (the Florida median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,521 a month (67% of the $5,248 monthly median income of Medulla households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $11,830 a month (225% of the $5,248 monthly median income of Medulla households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Florida's minimum wage rose to $15.00 an hour on September 30, 2026, under Article X, Section 24 of the Florida Constitution.

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 How to get paid to take care of a family member in Florida: SMMC LTC and the PDO.

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 Medulla: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Medulla?

Lakeland Regional Medical Center in Lakeland, about 7.9 mi in a straight line from the center of Medulla (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (863) 687-1100. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Medulla?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $16.25 an hour (the Florida median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,521 a month (67% of the $5,248 monthly median income of Medulla households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $11,830 a month (225% of the $5,248 monthly median income of Medulla households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Florida's minimum wage rose to $15.00 an hour on September 30, 2026, under Article X, Section 24 of the Florida Constitution.

Live-in or 24-hour care in Medulla?

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 Medulla 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 Medulla

More senior care near Medulla

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Medulla

More for Medulla 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 Medulla, FL