Personal Care in Merrimac, VA: Help With Bathing & Dressing

Local figures

Personal Care in Merrimac, VA: the local picture

17%

of residents 65+ have difficulty dressing or bathing (5.7% in Montgomery County)

31%

of residents 65+ have serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs (16% in Montgomery County)

226

residents 85 or older (8.3% of all residents)

3

Medicare-certified home health agencies list Merrimac ZIP codes in their service area

About 138 Merrimac residents aged 65 or older have difficulty dressing or bathing (17%; 5.7% in Montgomery County). The Census Bureau calls this a self-care difficulty, and it is what personal care is for.

250 have serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs (31%), so many personal care visits also mean help getting to the bathroom or shower safely.

226 of the 968 older residents are 85 or older; needs for hands-on help rise with age.

Merrimac compared with Montgomery County and Virginia

Census figure	Merrimac	Montgomery County	Virginia
Residents 65+ with difficulty dressing or bathing	17%	5.7%	6.7%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty walking	31%	16%	19%
Residents 85 or older	8.3%	1.1%	1.7%
Residents 65+ with a disability	41%	26%	31%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	67%	29%	27%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	8.6%	7.4%	8.8%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$47,083	$71,528	—

Older residents in towns around Merrimac

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Self-care difficulty (65+)
Blacksburg, VA	2.5 mi	3,474	3.3%
Christiansburg, VA	3.9 mi	4,364	5.9%
Radford, VA	9.1 mi	1,601	14%
Dublin, VA	16 mi	319	6.1%
Pearisburg, VA	19 mi	680	13%
Salem, VA	21 mi	5,016	7.4%

Home health agencies with aides serving Merrimac

Agency	Office	Distance	CMS quality stars	Services listed	Phone
Centerwell Home Health	Roanoke, VA	30 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(540) 362-7578
Carilion Home Care Services	Radford, VA	9.0 mi	3 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(540) 633-9330
Warm Hearth At Home Inc	Christiansburg, VA	4.1 mi	2 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, home health aides	(540) 443-3428

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

What it covers

What a personal care aide can help with

Bathing or showering, with a shower chair if needed
Dressing and undressing
Toileting and incontinence care
Grooming: hair, shaving and oral care

Cost

What personal care costs in Merrimac

At the Virginia median aide wage of $14.57 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,263 a month in wages, which is 32% of the $3,924 monthly median income of Merrimac households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Virginia's minimum wage is $12.77 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 Consumer directed care in Virginia: how relatives are paid to give care through CCC Plus.

Before you hire

What to know before hiring a personal care aide

The Census Bureau asks whether a person has difficulty dressing or bathing, which it calls a self-care difficulty; it is the clearest sign that someone needs personal care. Medicare does not pay for personal care when it is the only care needed (Medicare.gov), but many state Medicaid programs do for people who qualify.

Questions worth asking: How do you protect a client’s dignity during bathing and toileting? Are you trained in safe transfers? Can you keep the same morning or evening hours each day? More in our personal care guide.

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

Questions

Personal Care in Merrimac: common questions

How much does personal care cost in Merrimac?

At the Virginia median aide wage of $14.57 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,263 a month in wages, which is 32% of the $3,924 monthly median income of Merrimac households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Virginia's minimum wage is $12.77 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

What is the difference between personal care and companion care?

Companion care is company and help around the house. Personal care is hands-on help with the body: bathing, dressing, toileting and grooming. Many caregivers offer both; say in your posting which you need.

More near Merrimac

More senior care near Merrimac

Personal Care in nearby cities

Other care in Merrimac

More for Merrimac 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.

In-Home Personal Care in Merrimac, VA