Respite Care in West Columbia, SC

Most older adults in West Columbia live with someone: 61% 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 1,530 West Columbia residents aged 65 or older report a disability (41%) (35% in Lexington County). Many of them rely on a spouse or adult child day to day.

Medicare lists 26 hospices serving West Columbia ZIP codes. For someone on hospice, Medicare also covers short inpatient respite stays so the family caregiver can rest.

At the South Carolina median aide wage of $14.48 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,255 a month in wages, which is 32% of the $3,930 monthly median income of West Columbia households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. South Carolina has no state minimum wage law, so the federal minimum of $7.25 an hour applies to employers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act (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.