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

Local figures

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

5.9%

of residents 65+ have difficulty dressing or bathing (5.1% in Webster County)

723

residents 85 or older (2.9% of all residents)

28%

of residents 65+ report a disability (28% in Webster County)

$43,944

median yearly income of households headed by someone 65+

248 Fort Dodge residents 65 or older have difficulty dressing or bathing (5.9%; 5.1% in Webster County), and 795 have serious difficulty walking. Round-the-clock care is usually for people who need hands-on help at any hour.

About 723 residents are 85 or older (2.9% of the population).

If you are weighing home care against a nursing home, the nearest Medicare-certified ones are Marian Home in Fort Dodge (0.5 mi) and Fort Dodge Health And Rehabilitation in Fort Dodge (1.1 mi).

Fort Dodge compared with Webster County and Iowa

Census figure	Fort Dodge	Webster County	Iowa
Residents 65+ with difficulty dressing or bathing	5.9%	5.1%	5.1%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty walking	19%	17%	17%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty remembering	7.1%	5.8%	5.8%
Residents 85 or older	2.9%	2.8%	2.3%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	45%	40%	31%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	11%	9.6%	8.4%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$43,944	$44,701	—

Older residents in towns around Fort Dodge

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Self-care difficulty (65+)
Humboldt, IA	15 mi	1,089	7.8%
Eagle Grove, IA	18 mi	653	3.7%
Webster City, IA	19 mi	1,463	8.0%
Clarion, IA	27 mi	539	12%
Boone, IA	35 mi	2,272	5.3%
Jefferson, IA	36 mi	1,307	5.6%

Home health agencies serving Fort Dodge

Agency	Office	Distance	CMS quality stars	Services listed	Phone
Unitypoint At Home	Fort Dodge, IA	0.3 mi	4 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(515) 574-6416
Mercyone Des Moines Home Care	Des Moines, IA	70 mi	4 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(515) 643-8383
Freedom In Home Services, LLC	Omaha, NE	128 mi	4 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(402) 934-2224
Dignity Care Group, Inc.	Omaha, NE	128 mi	3 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work	(402) 401-6689
Iowa Home Care, L L C	Webster City, IA	18 mi	2.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(515) 576-2273

Nursing homes near Fort Dodge (to compare)

Nursing home	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Certified beds	Phone
Marian Home	Fort Dodge, IA	0.5 mi	5 of 5	90	(515) 576-1138
Fort Dodge Health And Rehabilitation	Fort Dodge, IA	1.1 mi	1 of 5	65	(515) 576-7226
Friendship Haven, Inc	Fort Dodge, IA	3.5 mi	4 of 5	155	(515) 573-2121
Humboldt County Memorial Hospital	Humboldt, IA	16 mi	5 of 5	28	(515) 332-4200

Straight-line miles from the center of Fort Dodge. 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 Fort Dodge

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, 345% of the $3,662 monthly median income of Fort Dodge 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 Fort Dodge: common questions

How much does 24-hour home care cost in Fort Dodge?

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, 345% of the $3,662 monthly median income of Fort Dodge 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 Fort Dodge

More senior care near Fort Dodge

24-Hour Home Care in nearby cities

Other care in Fort Dodge

More for Fort Dodge 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 Fort Dodge, IA