Dementia Care in Pleasant Hill, IA: In-Home Alzheimer's Care

Local figures

Dementia Care in Pleasant Hill, IA: the local picture

146

residents 85 or older (1.3% of all residents)

2,222

residents 65 or older (20% of Pleasant Hill)

26%

of residents 65+ report a disability (31% in Polk County)

6+

Medicare-certified nursing homes within 25 miles

Pleasant Hill has about 146 residents aged 85 or older among 2,222 aged 65 or older. The risk of Alzheimer’s rises steeply with age, and the Alzheimer’s Association estimates that about a third of people 85 and older have Alzheimer’s dementia.

26% of residents 65 and older report a disability (31% in Polk County). The Census counts cognitive difficulty as one kind, alongside hearing, vision, walking, self-care and living independently.

26% of older Pleasant Hill residents in households live alone. For someone with memory loss who lives alone, a few hours of daily check-ins are often the first step.

Pleasant Hill compared with Polk County and Iowa

Census figure	Pleasant Hill	Polk County	Iowa
Residents 85 or older	1.3%	1.5%	2.3%
Residents 65 or older	20%	14%	18%
Residents 65+ with a disability	26%	31%	30%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	26%	32%	31%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	6.9%	7.5%	8.4%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	7.1%	15%	9.1%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$67,957	$59,099	—

Older residents in towns around Pleasant Hill

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Altoona, IA	3.8 mi	3,684	311
Des Moines, IA	5.7 mi	27,045	3,313
Carlisle, IA	5.9 mi	523	135
Bondurant, IA	7.3 mi	577	25
Saylorville, IA	8.5 mi	705	17
Mitchellville, IA	8.7 mi	263	23

Nursing homes near Pleasant Hill

Nursing home	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Certified beds	Phone
Parkridge Specialty Care	Pleasant Hill, IA	0.6 mi	1 of 5	90	(515) 265-5348
Prairie Vista Village	Altoona, IA	3.3 mi	5 of 5	46	(515) 967-8700
Valley View Village	Des Moines, IA	3.4 mi	3 of 5	79	(515) 265-2571
Altoona Nursing And Rehabilitation Center	Altoona, IA	4.0 mi	1 of 5	106	(515) 967-4267
Trinity Center At Luther Park	Des Moines, IA	4.9 mi	1 of 5	120	(515) 262-5639
Azria Health Park Place	Des Moines, IA	5.4 mi	1 of 5	70	(515) 262-9303

Hospices serving Pleasant Hill

Hospice	Office	Distance	Phone
Everystep	Des Moines, IA	1.6 mi	(515) 274-3400
Mercyone Des Moines Hospice	Des Moines, IA	5.1 mi	(515) 643-8383
St Croix Hospice	Ankeny, IA	9.0 mi	(515) 276-2700
Hospice Of The Midwest, LLC	Johnston, IA	11 mi	(515) 218-2143

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

What it covers

What a dementia caregiver can help with

Keeping a predictable daily routine
Gentle help with bathing, dressing and toileting
Meals, hydration and medication reminders
Calming approaches for sundowning, agitation and repeated questions

Cost

What dementia care costs in Pleasant Hill

At the Iowa median aide wage of $17.34 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,503 a month in wages, which is 27% of the $5,663 monthly median income of Pleasant Hill households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. 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 dementia caregiver

An estimated 7.2 million Americans aged 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s dementia, according to the Alzheimer’s Association 2025 Facts and Figures. Most live at home, cared for by family. The Association’s 24/7 Helpline (1-800-272-3900) is free.

Questions worth asking: Tell me about someone with dementia you cared for. What worked? What do you do when a client becomes agitated in the late afternoon? How do you keep someone safe who tries to leave the house? More in our dementia care guide.

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

Questions

Dementia Care in Pleasant Hill: common questions

What nursing homes are near Pleasant Hill?

The closest Medicare-certified nursing homes are Parkridge Specialty Care in Pleasant Hill (0.6 mi, 1 of 5 overall); Prairie Vista Village in Altoona (3.3 mi, 5 of 5 overall); Valley View Village in Des Moines (3.4 mi, 3 of 5 overall). Ratings are from Medicare Care Compare.

How much does dementia care cost in Pleasant Hill?

At the Iowa median aide wage of $17.34 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,503 a month in wages, which is 27% of the $5,663 monthly median income of Pleasant Hill households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Iowa's minimum wage is $7.25 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

When does someone with dementia need care at home?

Common signs are missed meals or medication, getting lost in familiar places, unsafe cooking or driving, and a family caregiver who is exhausted. Many families start with a few hours a day and add hours, nights or live-in help as the disease progresses.

More near Pleasant Hill

More senior care near Pleasant Hill

Dementia Care in nearby cities

Other care in Pleasant Hill

More for Pleasant Hill 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.

In-Home Dementia and Alzheimer's Care in Pleasant Hill, IA