Respite Care in Ellsworth, WI: Breaks for Family Caregivers

Local figures

Respite Care in Ellsworth, WI: the local picture

354

residents 65 or older (11% of Ellsworth)

59%

of residents 65+ in households live with someone, often a family caregiver

55%

of residents 65+ report a disability (23% in Pierce County)

9

Medicare-certified hospices serve Ellsworth ZIP codes

Most older adults in Ellsworth live with someone: 59% of residents 65 and older in households do. When one of them needs care, the person they live with usually provides most of it, and respite is what keeps that sustainable.

About 160 Ellsworth residents aged 65 or older report a disability (55%) (23% in Pierce County). Many of them rely on a spouse or adult child day to day.

Medicare lists 9 hospices serving Ellsworth ZIP codes. For someone on hospice, Medicare also covers short inpatient respite stays so the family caregiver can rest.

Ellsworth compared with Pierce County and Wisconsin

Census figure	Ellsworth	Pierce County	Wisconsin
Residents 65+ with a disability	55%	23%	28%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	41%	24%	30%
Residents 65 or older	11%	17%	19%
Residents 85 or older	2.4%	1.4%	2.1%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	6.5%	6.0%	9.1%
Households with no vehicle	1.2%	2.7%	6.4%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$29,050	$66,546	—

Older residents in towns around Ellsworth

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	65+ with a disability
River Falls, WI	11 mi	1,941	31%
Red Wing, MN	12 mi	3,493	30%
Prescott, WI	15 mi	884	14%
Baldwin, WI	16 mi	516	34%
Hastings, MN	18 mi	4,383	27%
Hudson, WI	20 mi	2,918	33%

Hospices serving Ellsworth

Hospice	Office	Distance	Phone
Adoray Home Health And Hospice	Baldwin, WI	17 mi	(715) 629-1888
St Croix Hospice Hudson	Hudson, WI	21 mi	(534) 200-4502
Lakeview Hospice	Oak Park Heights, MN	29 mi	(651) 430-3320
Minnesota Hospice LLC	Lakeville, MN	38 mi	(952) 898-1022
Allina Health Hospice & Palliative Care	Minneapolis, MN	40 mi	(651) 635-9173

Nursing homes near Ellsworth (ask about short stays)

Nursing home	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Certified beds	Phone
Ellsworth Health Services	Ellsworth, WI	0.4 mi	5 of 5	50	(715) 273-5821
Kinnic Health And Rehabilitation Center	River Falls, WI	11 mi	2 of 5	68	(715) 426-6000
Spring Valley Health And Rehab Center	Spring Valley, WI	12 mi	1 of 5	40	(715) 778-5545
St Crispin Living Community	Red Wing, MN	14 mi	4 of 5	64	(651) 388-1234

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

What it covers

What a respite caregiver can help with

Taking over the usual routine while you are away
Meals, medication reminders and personal care
Company and activities
Overnight cover for a weekend or a trip

Cost

What respite care costs in Ellsworth

At the Wisconsin median aide wage of $17.47 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,514 a month in wages, which is 63% of the $2,421 monthly median income of Ellsworth households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Wisconsin'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 IRIS in Wisconsin: how a family member gets paid as a caregiver.

Before you hire

What to know before hiring a respite caregiver

Family caregivers carry most long-term care in the U.S., and burnout is a common reason a home arrangement breaks down. The federal National Family Caregiver Support Program funds respite through local Area Agencies on Aging, and the ARCH National Respite Locator lists respite programs by state.

Questions worth asking: Can you do a short paid visit first, while I am home? Are you available at short notice if I am ill? Can you stay overnight, and what do you charge for it? More in our respite care guide.

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

Questions

Respite Care in Ellsworth: common questions

Which hospices serve Ellsworth?

Medicare lists 9 hospices for Ellsworth ZIP codes, including Adoray Home Health And Hospice, St Croix Hospice Hudson, Lakeview Hospice.

How much does respite care cost in Ellsworth?

At the Wisconsin median aide wage of $17.47 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,514 a month in wages, which is 63% of the $2,421 monthly median income of Ellsworth households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Wisconsin's minimum wage is $7.25 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Does Medicaid or Medicare pay for respite care?

Medicare pays for short inpatient respite stays only for people on its hospice benefit (Medicare.gov); the hospices on this page serve Ellsworth. Many state Medicaid home and community-based programs, veterans’ programs and the National Family Caregiver Support Program fund respite. Our guide IRIS in Wisconsin: how a family member gets paid as a caregiver covers Wisconsin.

More near Ellsworth

More senior care near Ellsworth

Respite Care in nearby cities

Other care in Ellsworth

More for Ellsworth families

Sources

Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year (small-place figures carry wide margins of error); 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.

Respite Care in Ellsworth, WI