Stroke Recovery Care in Amherst Town, MA: Help at Home

Local figures

Stroke Recovery Support in Amherst Town, MA: the local picture

6.6 mi

to the nearest hospital with an emergency department (Northampton)

10%

of residents 65+ have serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs (15% in Hampshire County)

6.4%

of residents 65+ have difficulty dressing or bathing (4.5% in Hampshire County)

4

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

Hospitals with an emergency department near Amherst Town: Cooley Dickinson Hospital Inc,The in Northampton (6.6 mi); Holyoke Medical Center in Holyoke (13 mi); Baystate Wing Hospital in Palmer (16 mi). With stroke signs, call 911 rather than driving.

242 Amherst Town residents 65 or older have difficulty dressing or bathing (6.4%; 4.5% in Hampshire County), and 393 have serious difficulty walking: the two kinds of help most often needed in the weeks after a stroke.

Amherst Town compared with Hampshire County and Massachusetts

Census figure	Amherst Town	Hampshire County	Massachusetts
Residents 65+ with difficulty dressing or bathing	6.4%	4.5%	7.2%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty walking	10%	15%	18%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty remembering	5.7%	5.9%	7.5%
Residents 65 or older	10%	19%	18%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	29%	28%	29%
Households with no vehicle	15%	7.4%	12%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$97,722	$67,196	—

Older residents in towns around Amherst Town

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Self-care difficulty (65+)
Northampton, MA	8.9 mi	6,331	5.6%
Easthampton, MA	11 mi	3,843	2.1%
Holyoke, MA	13 mi	7,606	17%
Chicopee, MA	13 mi	10,770	10%
Ware, MA	15 mi	1,106	7.2%
Palmer Town, MA	16 mi	2,587	3.6%

Hospitals near Amherst Town

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Cooley Dickinson Hospital Inc,The	Northampton, MA	6.6 mi	2 of 5	(413) 582-2000
Holyoke Medical Center	Holyoke, MA	13 mi	4 of 5	(413) 534-2500
Baystate Wing Hospital	Palmer, MA	16 mi	4 of 5	(413) 283-7651
Mercy Medical Ctr	Springfield, MA	17 mi	2 of 5	(413) 748-9000

Home health agencies serving Amherst Town

Agency	Office	Distance	CMS quality stars	Services listed	Phone
Vna & Hospice Of Cooley Dickinson	Northampton, MA	6.9 mi	3.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(413) 584-1060
Holyoke Visiting Nurse Assoc	Holyoke, MA	13 mi	3.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(413) 887-5543
Encompass Health Home Health	Ludlow, MA	13 mi	3 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy	(413) 610-2324
Excel Home Care Services Inc	Wilbraham, MA	17 mi	2.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy	(413) 583-2005

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

What it covers

What a caregiver for stroke recovery can help with

Help with bathing, dressing and meals
Safe walking and transfers
Rides to rehabilitation and follow-up appointments
Practising the exercises therapists set

Cost

What stroke recovery support costs in Amherst Town

At the Massachusetts median aide wage of $19.67 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,705 a month in wages, which is 21% of the $8,144 monthly median income of Amherst Town households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Massachusetts's minimum wage is $15.00 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 Medicaid programs for family caregivers: who can be paid, and the rules in 12 states.

Before you hire

What to know before hiring a caregiver for stroke recovery

More than 795,000 people in the U.S. have a stroke every year, about 610,000 of them for the first time (CDC). Many go home to recover.

Questions worth asking: Have you cared for someone after a stroke? How do you help with one-sided weakness during transfers? Can you drive to rehabilitation appointments? More in our stroke recovery support guide.

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

Questions

Stroke Recovery Support in Amherst Town: common questions

How much does stroke recovery support cost in Amherst Town?

At the Massachusetts median aide wage of $19.67 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,705 a month in wages, which is 21% of the $8,144 monthly median income of Amherst Town households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Massachusetts's minimum wage is $15.00 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

What does a caregiver do after a stroke?

Helps with personal care, meals and moving safely, takes the person to therapy, helps them practise what therapists set, and keeps the family informed. Medical and therapy decisions stay with the care team.

More near Amherst Town

More senior care near Amherst Town

Stroke Recovery Support in nearby cities

Other care in Amherst Town

More for Amherst Town 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.

Stroke Recovery Support at Home in Amherst Town, MA