Get paid to care for family in Shelby County
Most of the 42,300 people in Shelby County who are 65 or older are cared for at home, by a relative. Alabama Medicaid can pay you for that work.
Shelby County at a glance
- Aged 65+
- 42,300
- Aged 85+
- 4,150
- Rank in AL
- 5th
- Median age
- 40.6
18% of residents
when daily help usually starts
of 67 counties, by residents 65+
close to the national average
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Population Estimates (Vintage 2024). Shelby County is a metro county (Rural-Urban Continuum Code 1).
- 50 + DC
- states covered
- 3,144
- counties with local data
- $0
- it is always free to apply
- 2 min
- to see if you qualify
Population figures from the U.S. Census Bureau · Rules from each state's published Medicaid program
Care in Shelby
What being a paid caregiver looks like here
About 42,300 people in Shelby County are 65 or older — 18% of everyone who lives here. That tracks with Alabama as a whole. Roughly 4,150 are 85 or older, the age when daily help usually starts. Agencies operate in Shelby County, though families still run into gaps: no weekend coverage, a new aide every few weeks, hours that don't match real life.
Statewide, 955,900 people in Alabama are 65 or older — 19% of the state, across 67 counties.
What Alabama pays family caregivers
$2,320/month
Your exact pay is set by the program and your care plan. We'll tell you your real number before you enroll.
Source: Alabama Medicaid program data · Updated September 2026
Alabama's programs at a glance
- Personal Choices
- E&D Waiver
- ACT Waiver
- SAIL Waiver
- Spouse paid?
- Sometimes
- Parent paid for a child?
- Not right now
- Waitlist
- Some programs have no waitlist.
These rules are set by the state, so they are the same in every county. Read the full Alabama guide →
Towns and cities in Shelby County
Alabama sets eligibility, not your town — so a family in Alabaster and a family at the far edge of the county apply the same way. The largest communities in Shelby County:
- Alabaster34,460
- Hoover27,590
- Pelham25,396
- Helena19,622
- Calera18,452
- Chelsea17,293
- Montevallo7,761
- Columbiana4,904
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Subcounty Population Estimates.
How families in Shelby apply
You do not need a county office to start. Families in Shelby County start with Alabama's program:
Contact your local Area Agency on Aging via AgeLine 1-800-243-5463 (or 1-877-425-2243), or submit Form 204/205 to your Medicaid District Office; enrollees then opt into Personal Choices.
Or skip the phone tag — our free 2-minute check tells you which Alabama program fits your family, then we help with the forms.
See if you qualify →Shelby questions, answered honestly
Can I get paid to care for a family member in Shelby County?
Yes. Alabama runs real Medicaid programs — like Personal Choices — that pay family caregivers, and they cover families in Shelby County. We help you enroll, and applying costs you nothing.
How much do family caregivers earn in Shelby County?
Reported figures in Alabama are around $2,320/month, but rates vary — the program sets your exact pay. We'll tell you your real number before you enroll.
Where do families in Shelby County apply?
Families in Shelby County start with the state, not the county. Contact your local Area Agency on Aging via AgeLine 1-800-243-5463 (or 1-877-425-2243), or submit Form 204/205 to your Medicaid District Office; enrollees then opt into Personal Choices.
Can I get paid to care for my spouse in Shelby County?
Sometimes — it depends on the program. The fine print for Alabama: limited — Personal Choices allows sons, daughters, adult grandchildren, nieces/nephews and 'in some cases, spouses'; caregiver must be 18+ and pass background screening
How many people in Shelby County might need this?
42,300 residents of Shelby County are 65 or older and about 4,150 are 85 or older, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2024 population estimates. Most of them are cared for at home by a relative rather than in a facility. Alabama's programs exist to pay for exactly that care.
Which towns in Shelby do you cover?
All of Shelby County — including Alabaster, Hoover, Pelham, Helena and Calera. Eligibility is set by Alabama, not by your town, so where you live inside the county does not change whether you qualify.
Program facts come from Alabama's published Medicaid program rules · Population figures from the U.S. Census Bureau · Updated September 2026. Rules change — always confirm with the program.
Guides
For families in Shelby County
Start with the Alabama caregiver program, then read how the pieces fit together.
Find out in 2 minutes
Answer 5 easy questions. See your programs and pay before you share any contact info.