Stroke Recovery Care in Muscle Shoals, AL: Help at Home

Local figures

Stroke Recovery Support in Muscle Shoals, AL: the local picture

0.9 mi

to the nearest hospital with an emergency department (Muscle Shoals)

21%

of residents 65+ have serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs (25% in Colbert County)

6.3%

of residents 65+ have difficulty dressing or bathing (9.6% in Colbert County)

6

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

Hospitals with an emergency department near Muscle Shoals: North Alabama Shoals Hospital in Muscle Shoals (0.9 mi); Helen Keller Hospital in Sheffield (3.7 mi); North Alabama Medical Center in Florence (6.2 mi). With stroke signs, call 911 rather than driving.

187 Muscle Shoals residents 65 or older have difficulty dressing or bathing (6.3%; 9.6% in Colbert County), and 612 have serious difficulty walking: the two kinds of help most often needed in the weeks after a stroke.

Muscle Shoals compared with Colbert County and Alabama

Census figure	Muscle Shoals	Colbert County	Alabama
Residents 65+ with difficulty dressing or bathing	6.3%	9.6%	7.9%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty walking	21%	25%	25%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty remembering	7.5%	11%	9.8%
Residents 65 or older	18%	20%	18%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	30%	29%	29%
Households with no vehicle	2.0%	4.6%	5.4%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$42,463	$41,996	—

Older residents in towns around Muscle Shoals

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Self-care difficulty (65+)
Sheffield, AL	3.7 mi	2,392	12%
Tuscumbia, AL	4.2 mi	1,963	9.5%
Florence, AL	6.2 mi	7,294	10%
Underwood-Petersville, AL	9.9 mi	787	16%
Russellville, AL	17 mi	1,593	19%
Moulton, AL	27 mi	967	14%

Hospitals near Muscle Shoals

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
North Alabama Shoals Hospital	Muscle Shoals, AL	0.9 mi	not rated	(256) 386-1601
Helen Keller Hospital	Sheffield, AL	3.7 mi	2 of 5	(256) 386-4556
North Alabama Medical Center	Florence, AL	6.2 mi	2 of 5	(256) 768-8400
Russellville Hospital	Russellville, AL	17 mi	4 of 5	(256) 332-1611

Home health agencies serving Muscle Shoals

Agency	Office	Distance	CMS quality stars	Services listed	Phone
Preferred Home Health	Florence, AL	6.2 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(256) 246-9972
Amedisys Home Health Of Florence	Florence, AL	6.2 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(256) 766-1817
Centerwell Home Health	Moulton, AL	29 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(256) 974-2741
Keller Home Care	Red Bay, AL	34 mi	3.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work	(256) 356-8160
Enhabit Home Health	Decatur, AL	38 mi	3.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(256) 355-5746

Straight-line miles from the center of Muscle Shoals. 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 Muscle Shoals

At the Alabama median aide wage of $13.39 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,160 a month in wages, which is 33% of the $3,539 monthly median income of Muscle Shoals households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Alabama 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.

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 Muscle Shoals: common questions

How much does stroke recovery support cost in Muscle Shoals?

At the Alabama median aide wage of $13.39 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,160 a month in wages, which is 33% of the $3,539 monthly median income of Muscle Shoals households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Alabama 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).

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 Muscle Shoals

More senior care near Muscle Shoals

Stroke Recovery Support in nearby cities

Other care in Muscle Shoals

More for Muscle Shoals 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 Muscle Shoals, AL