Stroke Recovery Care in Petal, MS: Help at Home

Local figures

Stroke Recovery Support in Petal, MS: the local picture

4.8 mi

to the nearest hospital with an emergency department (Hattiesburg)

33%

of residents 65+ have serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs (34% in Forrest County)

16%

of residents 65+ have difficulty dressing or bathing (12% in Forrest County)

7

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

Hospitals with an emergency department near Petal: Forrest General Hospital in Hattiesburg (4.8 mi); Merit Health Wesley in Hattiesburg (8.8 mi); Perry County General Hospital in Richton (19 mi). With stroke signs, call 911 rather than driving.

267 Petal residents 65 or older have difficulty dressing or bathing (16%; 12% in Forrest County), and 542 have serious difficulty walking: the two kinds of help most often needed in the weeks after a stroke.

Petal compared with Forrest County and Mississippi

Census figure	Petal	Forrest County	Mississippi
Residents 65+ with difficulty dressing or bathing	16%	12%	8.8%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty walking	33%	34%	28%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty remembering	18%	13%	11%
Residents 65 or older	15%	14%	17%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	26%	28%	30%
Households with no vehicle	2.7%	7.1%	6.3%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$56,833	$49,275	—

Older residents in towns around Petal

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Self-care difficulty (65+)
Hattiesburg, MS	5.6 mi	6,399	12%
West Hattiesburg, MS	8.8 mi	709	15%
Ellisville, MS	17 mi	850	23%
Laurel, MS	24 mi	2,504	13%
Wiggins, MS	34 mi	598	24%
Columbia, MS	35 mi	1,375	19%

Hospitals near Petal

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Forrest General Hospital	Hattiesburg, MS	4.8 mi	2 of 5	(601) 288-7000
Merit Health Wesley	Hattiesburg, MS	8.8 mi	2 of 5	(601) 268-8000
Perry County General Hospital	Richton, MS	19 mi	not rated	(601) 788-6316
South Central Reg Med Ctr	Laurel, MS	25 mi	1 of 5	(601) 426-4000

Home health agencies serving Petal

Agency	Office	Distance	CMS quality stars	Services listed	Phone
Adoration Home Health	Collins, MS	29 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(601) 765-8316
Mississippi Homecare	Hattiesburg, MS	8.8 mi	3.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(601) 268-8450
Forrest General Home Care	Hattiesburg, MS	8.8 mi	3.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(601) 288-4344
Enhabit Home Health & Hospice	Hattiesburg, MS	8.8 mi	3.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(601) 268-0408
Mississippi Homecare Of Richton	Richton, MS	19 mi	3 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(601) 788-2912

Straight-line miles from the center of Petal. 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 Petal

At the Mississippi median aide wage of $11.47 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $994 a month in wages, which is 21% of the $4,736 monthly median income of Petal households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Mississippi 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 Petal: common questions

How much does stroke recovery support cost in Petal?

At the Mississippi median aide wage of $11.47 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $994 a month in wages, which is 21% of the $4,736 monthly median income of Petal households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Mississippi 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 Petal

More senior care near Petal

Stroke Recovery Support in nearby cities

Other care in Petal

More for Petal 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 Petal, MS