Post-Surgery and Hospital Discharge Care in Tybee Island, GA

The nearest hospital with an emergency department is Georgia Regional Hosp Savannah in Savannah, about 11 mi away in a straight line, followed by Savannah Health Services LLC Dba Memorial Health University Medical Center (12 mi). Plan the ride home on discharge day and the rides back for follow-up visits.

Medicare lists 6 certified home health agencies whose service area includes Tybee Island. If the surgeon orders home health, one of them sends the nurse or therapist; a private caregiver covers the hours in between.

At the Georgia median aide wage of $14.07 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,219 a month in wages, which is 13% of the $9,072 monthly median income of Tybee Island households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. 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.