Overnight Caregivers in Americus, GA

About 95 Americus residents 65 or older have serious difficulty remembering, concentrating or making decisions (4.2%; 7.8% in Sumter County). Confusion at night is a common reason families arrange overnight care.

779 older residents live alone (34% of those in households). For them an overnight caregiver means someone in the house after dark.

The nearest emergency hospital is Phoebe Sumter Medical Center in Americus, about 4.4 mi away in a straight line; keep its number and the person’s medication list by the bed.

At $14.07 an hour (the Georgia median aide wage), a 10-hour overnight shift three nights a week comes to about $1,829 a month, and every night about $4,268 (128% of the $3,323 monthly median income of Americus households headed by someone 65+). Awake and asleep night shifts are often paid differently; agree it in writing. Georgia's state rate is lower than the federal one, so employers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act pay at least the federal $7.25 an hour (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.