Stroke Recovery Care in Merrillville, IN: Help at Home

Local figures

Stroke Recovery Support in Merrillville, IN: the local picture

2.3 mi

to the nearest hospital with an emergency department (Merrillville)

25%

of residents 65+ have serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs (21% in Lake County)

7.8%

of residents 65+ have difficulty dressing or bathing (6.9% in Lake County)

51

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

Hospitals with an emergency department near Merrillville: Regional Mental Health Center in Merrillville (2.3 mi); Franciscan Health Crown Point in Crown Point (3.9 mi); Uchicago Medicine Northwest Indiana in Crown Point (3.9 mi). With stroke signs, call 911 rather than driving.

558 Merrillville residents 65 or older have difficulty dressing or bathing (7.8%; 6.9% in Lake County), and 1,809 have serious difficulty walking: the two kinds of help most often needed in the weeks after a stroke.

Merrillville compared with Lake County and Indiana

Census figure	Merrillville	Lake County	Indiana
Residents 65+ with difficulty dressing or bathing	7.8%	6.9%	6.3%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty walking	25%	21%	21%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty remembering	6.3%	6.8%	7.3%
Residents 65 or older	21%	18%	17%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	41%	29%	30%
Households with no vehicle	8.4%	7.2%	6.2%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$38,614	$53,273	—

Older residents in towns around Merrillville

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Self-care difficulty (65+)
Hobart, IN	3.6 mi	4,478	8.1%
Crown Point, IN	4.6 mi	6,282	6.6%
Winfield, IN	5.1 mi	970	10%
Ross, IN	5.2 mi	1,051	9.6%
Schererville, IN	6.5 mi	6,515	6.0%
Griffith, IN	6.7 mi	2,974	3.4%

Hospitals near Merrillville

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Regional Mental Health Center	Merrillville, IN	2.3 mi	not rated	(219) 769-4005
Franciscan Health Crown Point	Crown Point, IN	3.9 mi	3 of 5	(219) 757-6100
Uchicago Medicine Northwest Indiana	Crown Point, IN	3.9 mi	not rated	(312) 755-4706
St Mary Medical Center Inc	Hobart, IN	5.0 mi	3 of 5	(219) 947-6196

Home health agencies serving Merrillville

Agency	Office	Distance	CMS quality stars	Services listed	Phone
Powers Home Health Services	Hobart, IN	5.0 mi	5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, home health aides	(219) 947-6105
Enhabit Home Health	Schererville, IN	7.5 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work	(219) 864-9988
Community Home Health Services	Munster, IN	11 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(219) 836-6716
Elara Caring	Valparaiso, IN	13 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(219) 246-5171
Greatland Home Health	Highland, IN	9.0 mi	4 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work	(219) 595-5081

Straight-line miles from the center of Merrillville. 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 Merrillville

At the Indiana median aide wage of $16.86 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,461 a month in wages, which is 45% of the $3,218 monthly median income of Merrillville households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Indiana'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 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 Merrillville: common questions

How much does stroke recovery support cost in Merrillville?

At the Indiana median aide wage of $16.86 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,461 a month in wages, which is 45% of the $3,218 monthly median income of Merrillville households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Indiana's minimum wage is $7.25 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 Merrillville

More senior care near Merrillville

Stroke Recovery Support in nearby cities

Other care in Merrillville

More for Merrillville 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 Merrillville, IN