24-Hour Home Care in Ames, IA: Round-the-Clock Care

Local figures

24-Hour Home Care in Ames, IA: the local picture

3.9%

of residents 65+ have difficulty dressing or bathing (4.3% in Story County)

1,000

residents 85 or older (1.5% of all residents)

27%

of residents 65+ report a disability (26% in Story County)

$71,689

median yearly income of households headed by someone 65+

285 Ames residents 65 or older have difficulty dressing or bathing (3.9%; 4.3% in Story County), and 996 have serious difficulty walking. Round-the-clock care is usually for people who need hands-on help at any hour.

About 1,000 residents are 85 or older (1.5% of the population).

If you are weighing home care against a nursing home, the nearest Medicare-certified ones are Accura Healthcare Of Ames, LLC in Ames (2.0 mi) and Green Hills Health Care Center in Ames (2.0 mi).

Ames compared with Story County and Iowa

Census figure	Ames	Story County	Iowa
Residents 65+ with difficulty dressing or bathing	3.9%	4.3%	5.1%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty walking	14%	14%	17%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty remembering	3.9%	3.8%	5.8%
Residents 85 or older	1.5%	1.7%	2.3%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	31%	30%	31%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	6.5%	5.6%	8.4%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$71,689	$69,964	—

Older residents in towns around Ames

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Self-care difficulty (65+)
Nevada, IA	7.8 mi	1,242	3.8%
Huxley, IA	9.1 mi	525	8.2%
Story City, IA	11 mi	722	7.8%
Boone, IA	13 mi	2,272	5.3%
Madrid, IA	15 mi	566	9.5%
Polk City, IA	18 mi	874	0.0%

Home health agencies serving Ames

Agency	Office	Distance	CMS quality stars	Services listed	Phone
Centerwell Home Health	Urbandale, IA	28 mi	5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, home health aides	(515) 277-0977
Aveanna Healthcare	West Des Moines, IA	33 mi	5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, home health aides	(515) 497-7700
Mercyone Des Moines Home Care	Des Moines, IA	30 mi	4 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(515) 643-8383
St Anthony Regional Hospital And Nursing Home	Carroll, IA	64 mi	4 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, home health aides	(712) 794-5279
Aspire Home Healthcare, LLC	Morton Grove, IL	299 mi	4 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(312) 788-8014

Nursing homes near Ames (to compare)

Nursing home	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Certified beds	Phone
Accura Healthcare Of Ames, LLC	Ames, IA	2.0 mi	3 of 5	75	(515) 232-3426
Green Hills Health Care Center	Ames, IA	2.0 mi	5 of 5	56	(515) 296-5000
Northridge Village	Ames, IA	2.8 mi	5 of 5	38	(515) 232-1000
Rolling Green Village Care Center	Nevada, IA	8.7 mi	3 of 5	58	(515) 382-6556

Straight-line miles from the center of Ames. 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 Ames

24-hour care is 168 paid hours a week. At $17.34 an hour (the Iowa median aide wage) that is about $12,624 a month in wages before any overtime, 211% of the $5,974 monthly median income of Ames households headed by someone 65+. Rates are agreed with each caregiver. Iowa's minimum wage is $7.25 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 Ames: common questions

How much does 24-hour home care cost in Ames?

24-hour care is 168 paid hours a week. At $17.34 an hour (the Iowa median aide wage) that is about $12,624 a month in wages before any overtime, 211% of the $5,974 monthly median income of Ames households headed by someone 65+. Rates are agreed with each caregiver. Iowa's minimum wage is $7.25 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 Ames

More senior care near Ames

24-Hour Home Care in nearby cities

Other care in Ames

More for Ames 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 Ames, IA