Live-In Caregivers in Ames, IA

About 1,000 Ames residents are 85 or older. Live-in care is most often arranged for this age group, when help is needed through the day and someone should be close at night.

A live-in caregiver needs a private room. 49% of homes in Ames have three or more bedrooms (57% in Story County), while 21% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 4.9 rooms.

Of Ames households headed by someone 65 or older, 3,627 own their home and 1,205 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 471 owners and 222 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $17.34 an hour (the Iowa median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,757 a month (63% of the $5,974 monthly median income of Ames households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $12,624 a month (211% of the $5,974 monthly median income of Ames households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. 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.