Stroke Recovery Care in New Bedford, MA: Help at Home

Local figures

Stroke Recovery Support in New Bedford, MA: the local picture

11 mi

to the nearest hospital with an emergency department (Fall River)

23%

of residents 65+ have serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs (20% in Bristol County)

10%

of residents 65+ have difficulty dressing or bathing (8.2% in Bristol County)

32

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

Hospitals with an emergency department near New Bedford: Southcoast Hospitals Group in Fall River (11 mi); Saint Anne's Hospital in Fall River (12 mi); Falmouth Hospital in Falmouth (18 mi). With stroke signs, call 911 rather than driving.

1,514 New Bedford residents 65 or older have difficulty dressing or bathing (10%; 8.2% in Bristol County), and 3,440 have serious difficulty walking: the two kinds of help most often needed in the weeks after a stroke.

New Bedford compared with Bristol County and Massachusetts

Census figure	New Bedford	Bristol County	Massachusetts
Residents 65+ with difficulty dressing or bathing	10%	8.2%	7.2%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty walking	23%	20%	18%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty remembering	9.4%	7.7%	7.5%
Residents 65 or older	15%	18%	18%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	41%	30%	29%
Households with no vehicle	17%	9.5%	12%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$39,345	$54,856	—

Older residents in towns around New Bedford

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Self-care difficulty (65+)
Acushnet Center, MA	2.3 mi	816	11%
Smith Mills, MA	3.3 mi	976	14%
Bliss Corner, MA	3.9 mi	1,499	9.0%
Mattapoisett Center, MA	7.2 mi	719	1.9%
North Westport, MA	9.0 mi	861	5.8%
Fall River, MA	9.2 mi	15,169	12%

Hospitals near New Bedford

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Southcoast Hospitals Group	Fall River, MA	11 mi	4 of 5	(508) 679-3131
Saint Anne's Hospital	Fall River, MA	12 mi	3 of 5	(508) 674-5600
Falmouth Hospital	Falmouth, MA	18 mi	4 of 5	(508) 548-5300
Brown University Health Morton Hospital	Taunton, MA	19 mi	1 of 5	(508) 828-7000

Home health agencies serving New Bedford

Agency	Office	Distance	CMS quality stars	Services listed	Phone
Elara Caring	Braintree, MA	38 mi	5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(617) 969-7517
Centerwell Home Health	Fall River, MA	10 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work	(508) 672-0675
Pivot Point Homecare Services LLC	Westborough, MA	55 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(508) 873-1358
Amedisys Home Health Care	Wakefield, MA	58 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(978) 685-2818
Community Nurse, Inc	Fairhaven, MA	2.9 mi	4 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(508) 992-6278

Straight-line miles from the center of New Bedford. 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 New Bedford

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 52% of the $3,279 monthly median income of New Bedford 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 New Bedford: common questions

How much does stroke recovery support cost in New Bedford?

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 52% of the $3,279 monthly median income of New Bedford 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 New Bedford

More senior care near New Bedford

Stroke Recovery Support in nearby cities

Other care in New Bedford

More for New Bedford 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 New Bedford, MA