Live-In Caregivers in Ridgway, PA: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Ridgway, PA: the local picture

175

residents 85 or older (4.4% of all residents)

416

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (79%)

71%

of Ridgway homes have 3 or more bedrooms (74% in Elk County)

$7.25

Pennsylvania minimum wage per hour

About 175 Ridgway 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. 71% of homes in Ridgway have three or more bedrooms (74% in Elk County), while 11% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 6.3 rooms.

Of Ridgway households headed by someone 65 or older, 416 own their home and 110 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 97 owners and 11 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Ridgway compared with Elk County and Pennsylvania

Census figure	Ridgway	Elk County	Pennsylvania
Residents 85 or older	4.4%	2.9%	2.4%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	38%	31%	30%
Residents 65+ with a disability	30%	29%	32%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	11%	6.0%	9.9%
Residents 65 or older	19%	24%	19%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	1.5%	1.6%	12%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$41,837	$47,629	—

Older residents in towns around Ridgway

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
St. Marys, PA	11 mi	3,353	284
Kane, PA	17 mi	783	119
Treasure Lake, PA	18 mi	1,697	179
Marienville, PA	20 mi	391	64
DuBois, PA	21 mi	1,391	177
Brookville, PA	26 mi	929	164

Emergency hospitals near Ridgway

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Penn Highlands Elk	Saint Marys, PA	9.1 mi	4 of 5	(814) 788-8000
Upmc Kane	Kane, PA	16 mi	not rated	(814) 837-8585
Penn Highlands Dubois	Dubois, PA	21 mi	2 of 5	(814) 371-2200

Straight-line miles from the center of Ridgway. 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 Ridgway

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $14.14 an hour (the Pennsylvania median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,064 a month (88% of the $3,486 monthly median income of Ridgway households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $10,294 a month (295% of the $3,486 monthly median income of Ridgway households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Pennsylvania'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 Ridgway: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Ridgway?

Penn Highlands Elk in Saint Marys, about 9.1 mi in a straight line from the center of Ridgway (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (814) 788-8000. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Ridgway?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $14.14 an hour (the Pennsylvania median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,064 a month (88% of the $3,486 monthly median income of Ridgway households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $10,294 a month (295% of the $3,486 monthly median income of Ridgway households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Pennsylvania'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 Ridgway?

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 Ridgway 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 Ridgway

More senior care near Ridgway

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Ridgway

More for Ridgway 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 Ridgway, PA