24-Hour Home Care in Albert Lea, MN: Round-the-Clock Care

Local figures

24-Hour Home Care in Albert Lea, MN: the local picture

5.9%

of residents 65+ have difficulty dressing or bathing (5.6% in Freeborn County)

967

residents 85 or older (5.3% of all residents)

30%

of residents 65+ report a disability (29% in Freeborn County)

$42,241

median yearly income of households headed by someone 65+

257 Albert Lea residents 65 or older have difficulty dressing or bathing (5.9%; 5.6% in Freeborn County), and 752 have serious difficulty walking. Round-the-clock care is usually for people who need hands-on help at any hour.

About 967 residents are 85 or older (5.3% of the population).

If you are weighing home care against a nursing home, the nearest Medicare-certified ones are Thorne Crest Retirement Center in Albert Lea (0.6 mi) and St Johns On Fountain Lake in Albert Lea (1.8 mi).

Albert Lea compared with Freeborn County and Minnesota

Census figure	Albert Lea	Freeborn County	Minnesota
Residents 65+ with difficulty dressing or bathing	5.9%	5.6%	5.4%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty walking	17%	16%	16%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty remembering	4.8%	4.5%	6.2%
Residents 85 or older	5.3%	3.8%	2.1%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	36%	31%	30%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	7.5%	6.8%	8.8%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$42,241	$49,381	—

Older residents in towns around Albert Lea

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Self-care difficulty (65+)
Austin, MN	19 mi	4,489	5.9%
Waseca, MN	30 mi	1,516	4.8%
Forest City, IA	31 mi	756	6.3%
Owatonna, MN	31 mi	5,174	4.8%
Clear Lake, IA	36 mi	2,089	8.8%
Mason City, IA	36 mi	6,215	4.0%

Home health agencies serving Albert Lea

Agency	Office	Distance	CMS quality stars	Services listed	Phone
Good Samaritan Society - Home Care	Preston, MN	63 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, home health aides	(507) 765-2700
Aveanna Home Health	Rochester, MN	51 mi	4 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, home health aides	(507) 282-2246
Home Health Care Inc	Golden Valley, MN	93 mi	4 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(763) 417-8888
Adara Home Health Inc	Buffalo, MN	108 mi	3 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(763) 682-3005
International Quality Homecare	Rochester, MN	51 mi	2 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, home health aides	(888) 995-4742

Nursing homes near Albert Lea (to compare)

Nursing home	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Certified beds	Phone
Thorne Crest Retirement Center	Albert Lea, MN	0.6 mi	1 of 5	52	(507) 205-9004
St Johns On Fountain Lake	Albert Lea, MN	1.8 mi	3 of 5	84	(507) 373-2040
Good Samaritan Society - Albert Lea	Albert Lea, MN	3.3 mi	4 of 5	80	(507) 379-2701
Lutheran Retirement Home	Northwood, IA	16 mi	3 of 5	42	(641) 324-1712

Straight-line miles from the center of Albert Lea. Medicare (CMS) data, October 2026; call ahead to confirm. We are not affiliated with these providers.

What it covers

What a 24-hour caregiver can help with

Someone awake and on duty at all hours
Personal care, meals and medication reminders through the day
Help at night without relying on one tired caregiver
Written handover notes between shifts

Cost

What 24-hour home care costs in Albert Lea

24-hour care is 168 paid hours a week. At $18.45 an hour (the Minnesota median aide wage) that is about $13,432 a month in wages before any overtime, 382% of the $3,520 monthly median income of Albert Lea households headed by someone 65+. Rates are agreed with each caregiver. Minnesota's minimum wage is $11.41 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 24-hour caregiver

24-hour care is the most hours a family can arrange at home, and the most costly. Each caregiver works a set shift, often two 12-hour or three 8-hour shifts a day, so nobody works all night after working all day. Minimum wage and overtime rules apply to each caregiver you employ directly; for workers who live in the home see DOL Fact Sheet 79B.

Questions worth asking: How do you hand over to the next caregiver? Can you work fixed shifts on the same days each week? Have you worked on a team caring for one client? More in our 24-hour home care guide.

CaregiverConnect does not run background checks. Check identity, references and any certification yourself before anyone starts. The Safety Center explains how.

Questions

24-Hour Home Care in Albert Lea: common questions

How much does 24-hour home care cost in Albert Lea?

24-hour care is 168 paid hours a week. At $18.45 an hour (the Minnesota median aide wage) that is about $13,432 a month in wages before any overtime, 382% of the $3,520 monthly median income of Albert Lea households headed by someone 65+. Rates are agreed with each caregiver. Minnesota's minimum wage is $11.41 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

How many caregivers does 24-hour care take?

A week has 168 hours. If each caregiver works about 40 hours, that is four or five people, plus someone to cover sickness and holidays. Fewer caregivers means very long weeks for each of them.

More near Albert Lea

More senior care near Albert Lea

24-Hour Home Care in nearby cities

Other care in Albert Lea

More for Albert Lea 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.

24-Hour Home Care in Albert Lea, MN