South Carolina Aging Statistics & Resource Guide
The South Carolina Aging Statistics & Resource Guide contains key information, links and statistics for senior citizens in South Carolina. With an aging population and the average cost of care averaging between $20.00 an hour for home care to $7,604 a month for skilled nursing care, South Carolina is typically less expensive than the national average. This guide also contains helpful contact information for county offices, Alzheimer’s Disease organizations and government agencies that offer assistance to caregivers and senior citizens.
South Carolina Key Statistics
- 24.3% of the South Carolina population is aged 60 or over with 11.5% of seniors aged 65+ living alone.
- With no social security or inheritance tax, it is one of the most tax friendly states for retirees, with the highest income tax set at 7% and an average property tax set at $601 per $100,000 in home value.
- 48.9% of certified nursing home beds were rated four or five-stars over a three-month period compared to a US national average of 47.3%.
- The median household income for a South Carolina senior (65+) is $41,017.
- 95,000 people aged 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s in South Carolina.
Choosing Long Term Care in South Carolina
- South Carolina Home Care Agencies Directory: The average hourly home care rate in South Carolina is $20.00, making South Carolina less expensive than the national average ($22.50) for home care.
- South Carolina Adult Day Care Directory: The average cost of adult day care in South Carolina is $1,343 per month making South Carolina less expensive than the national average ($1,625) for adult day care.
- South Carolina Assisted Living Directory: The average cost of assisted living in South Carolina is $3,500 per month making South Carolina less expensive than the national average ($4,051) for assisted living.
- South Carolina Skilled Nursing Directory: The average cost of skilled nursing in South Carolina is $7,604 per month making South Carolina less expensive than the national average ($8,517) for skilled nursing.
South Carolina Senior Services
South Carolina Department on Aging
Address: 1301 Gervais Street, Suite 350, Columbia, SC 29201
Phone: (803) 734-9900
Toll Free: 1-800-868-9095
Fax: (803) 734-9886
South Carolina State Plan on Aging
South Carolina Elder Justice and Advocacy
South Carolina Department of Social Services
Address: 1535 Confederate Avenue, Columbia, SC 29201-1915
To report Elder Abuse call the SCDSS Hotline at 1-888-227-3487
South Carolina Support for Caregivers
South Carolina Senior Disaster Preparedness
South Carolina Health Care Fraud
For more information or to volunteer please contact the South Carolina Department on Aging at 1-800-868-9095 or your local Area Agency on Aging.
South Carolina Long-Term Care Ombudsman
If you suspect abuse or neglect in a long term care facility, please call the SCDOA Long Term Care Ombudsman at 1-800-868-9095
South Carolina Medicaid Elderly & Disabled Waiver Programme
South Carolina Medicare and Insurance Counseling
- State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP)
- Insurance Counseling Assistance and Referrals for Elders (I-Care) program
- Healthy Connections Prime Ombudsman
South Carolina Elderly Nutrition & Wellness
- Evidence Based Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (Title III-D)
- Food and Nutrition
- Senior Nutrition
- Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP)
- Healthy Bucks
- SC SNAP Education and Obesity Prevention Program
South Carolina Prescription Assistance
South Carolina Senior and Healthcare Transportation
- 5 Points Wheels
- Aiken County Best Friend Express
- Aiken County Pony Express
- AllCare Transportation
- Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA)
- City of Anderson Transit
- Coast RTA
- Daybreak Adult Care Transportation
- Greenlink
- Harbison Wheels
- Horry County Council on Aging Transportation
- Lexington County Recreation & Aging Commission Medical Transportation
- Neighbor to Neighbor
- Palmetto Breeze Transit
- Pee Dee Regional Transportation Authority (PDRTA)
- Ride It Out
- Senior Action Medical Transportation (Non-Emergency)
- Senior Express Transportation
- Senior Solutions Transportation
- South Carolina Healthy Connections Medicaid Transportation
- Spartanburg’s Public Transit System
- The COMET
- Tri-County Link
- York County Council on Aging Transportation
South Carolina Area Agencies on Aging
Appalachian Area Agency on Aging (Anderson, Cherokee, Greenville, Oconee, Pickens and Spartanburg)
Address: SC Appalachian Council of Governments, 30 Century Circle, Greenville, SC 29607
Phone: 864-242-9733
Upper Savannah Area Agency on Aging (Abbeville, Edgefield, Greenwood, Laurens, McCormick and Saluda)
Address: Upper Savannah Council of Governments, 430 Helix Road, Greenwood, SC 29646
Toll-Free: 800-922-7729
Phone: 864-941-8069
Catawba Area Agency on Aging (Chester, Lancaster, York and Union)
Address: 2051 Ebenezer Road, Suite B, Post Office Box 4618, Rock Hill, SC 29732
Phone: 803-329-9670
Toll-Free: (800) 662-8330
Central Midlands Area Agency on Aging (Fairfield, Lexington, Newberry, Richland)
Address: Central Midlands Council of Governments, 236 Stoneridge Drive, Columbia, SC 29210
Phone: 803-376-5390
Toll-Free: 866-394-4166
Lower Savannah Area Agency on Aging (Aiken, Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Calhoun and Orangeburg)
Address: Lower Savannah Council of Governments, 2748 Wagener Road, Aiken, SC 29801
Phone: 803-649-7981
Santee-Lynches Area Agency on Aging (Clarendon, Kershaw, Lee and Sumter)
Address: Santee-Lynches Regional Council of Governments, 39 E. Calhoun Street, Sumter, SC 29150
Phone: 803-775-7381
Pee Dee Area Agency on Aging – Vantage Point (Chesterfield, Darlington, Dillon, Florence, Marion, and Marlboro)
Address: Caresouth Carolina, Inc., 216 South 2nd Street, Hartsville, SC 29551
Phone: 843-383-8632
Waccamaw Area Agency on Aging (Georgetown, Horry, and Williamsburg)
Address: Waccamaw Regional Council of Governments, 1230 Highmarket Street, Georgetown, SC 29440
Phone: 843-546-8502
Trident Area Agency on Aging (Berkeley, Charleston, and Dorchester)
Address: 4450 Leeds Place West, Suite B, North Charleston, SC 29405
Phone: 843-554-2275
Lowcountry Area Agency on Aging (Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton, and Jasper)
Address: Lowcountry Council of Governments, 634 Campground Road, Yemassee, SC 29945
Phone: 843-473-3991
Toll-Free: 877-846-8148
Resources
National Healthcare, Caregiving & Senior Living Resources
- The Official U.S. Government Site for Medicare
- Administration for Community Living
- National Council for Aging Care
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
- The National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care
- Pioneer Network: Culture Change in Long-Term Care
- The Center for Social Gerontology
South Carolina Healthcare, Caregiving & Senior Living Resources
- ElderCare Trust Fund
- Geriatric Physician Loan Forgiveness
- Legal Assistance for Seniors
- Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP)
- SC Vulnerable Adult Guardian Ad Litem
- Senior Centers
- Adult Advocacy
- Assisted Living and Nursing Homes
- Emergency Financial Assistance
- In-Home Care
- Transportation
Alzheimer’s Organizations & Resources
- Alzheimers Foundation of America
- Alzheimers Association
- Alzheimers Resource Centre
- Alzheimers Association – South Carolina
- South Carolina Chapter – Alzheimer’s Association
