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

Local figures

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

11%

of residents 65+ have difficulty dressing or bathing (6.5% in Washington County)

262

residents 85 or older (3.6% of all residents)

37%

of residents 65+ report a disability (32% in Washington County)

$41,645

median yearly income of households headed by someone 65+

171 Washington residents 65 or older have difficulty dressing or bathing (11%; 6.5% in Washington County), and 355 have serious difficulty walking. Round-the-clock care is usually for people who need hands-on help at any hour.

About 262 residents are 85 or older (3.6% of the population).

If you are weighing home care against a nursing home, the nearest Medicare-certified ones are Halcyon House in Washington (0.6 mi) and United Presbyterian Home in Washington (0.8 mi).

Washington compared with Washington County and Iowa

Census figure	Washington	Washington County	Iowa
Residents 65+ with difficulty dressing or bathing	11%	6.5%	5.1%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty walking	23%	20%	17%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty remembering	4.6%	5.8%	5.8%
Residents 85 or older	3.6%	2.3%	2.3%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	39%	28%	31%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	7.8%	7.0%	8.4%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$41,645	$56,090	—

Older residents in towns around Washington

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Self-care difficulty (65+)
Kalona, IA	13 mi	684	2.5%
Mount Pleasant, IA	24 mi	1,634	9.7%
Fairfield, IA	25 mi	2,519	1.3%
Iowa City, IA	26 mi	9,354	4.8%
Coralville, IA	28 mi	3,097	4.8%
Tiffin, IA	28 mi	586	0.0%

Home health agencies serving Washington

Agency	Office	Distance	CMS quality stars	Services listed	Phone
Elara Caring	Centerville, IA	73 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, home health aides	(641) 437-1117
University Of Iowa Health Care Medical Center Downtown Home Health	Coralville, IA	28 mi	3.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(319) 358-2740
Johnson County Visiting Nurse Association	Iowa City, IA	25 mi	3 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(319) 337-9686
Optimae Home Health Services	Fairfield, IA	25 mi	2.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(641) 472-4464
Washington Co. Public Health	Washington, IA	0.4 mi	1.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, home health aides	(319) 653-7758

Nursing homes near Washington (to compare)

Nursing home	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Certified beds	Phone
Halcyon House	Washington, IA	0.6 mi	4 of 5	54	(319) 653-7264
United Presbyterian Home	Washington, IA	0.8 mi	5 of 5	55	(319) 653-5473
Parkview Home	Wayland, IA	11 mi	5 of 5	34	(319) 256-3525
Pleasantview Home	Kalona, IA	13 mi	3 of 5	66	(319) 656-2421

Straight-line miles from the center of Washington. 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 Washington

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, 364% of the $3,470 monthly median income of Washington 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 Washington: common questions

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

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, 364% of the $3,470 monthly median income of Washington 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 Washington

More senior care near Washington

24-Hour Home Care in nearby cities

Other care in Washington

More for Washington 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 Washington, IA