Live-In Caregivers in Oelwein, IA: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Oelwein, IA: the local picture

176

residents 85 or older (3.0% of all residents)

808

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (89%)

62%

of Oelwein homes have 3 or more bedrooms (66% in Fayette County)

$7.25

Iowa minimum wage per hour

About 176 Oelwein 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. 62% of homes in Oelwein have three or more bedrooms (66% in Fayette County), while 10% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 6 rooms.

Of Oelwein households headed by someone 65 or older, 808 own their home and 99 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 99 owners and 11 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Oelwein compared with Fayette County and Iowa

Census figure	Oelwein	Fayette County	Iowa
Residents 85 or older	3.0%	3.1%	2.3%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	38%	33%	31%
Residents 65+ with a disability	34%	32%	30%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	9.4%	9.0%	8.4%
Residents 65 or older	23%	23%	18%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	0.9%	3.8%	9.1%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$37,656	$45,738	—

Older residents in towns around Oelwein

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Independence, IA	14 mi	1,287	159
Jesup, IA	16 mi	368	81
Evansdale, IA	23 mi	998	14
Waterloo, IA	26 mi	11,387	1,233
Manchester, IA	27 mi	1,331	243
Waverly, IA	28 mi	1,954	315

Emergency hospitals near Oelwein

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Mercyone Oelwein Medical Center	Oelwein, IA	0.7 mi	not rated	(319) 283-6000
Buchanan County Health Center	Independence, IA	14 mi	not rated	(319) 332-0999
Community Memorial Hospital Medical Center	Sumner, IA	16 mi	not rated	(563) 578-3275

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

What it covers

What a live-in caregiver can help with

Help across the day: meals, housekeeping, personal care
Someone in the home overnight if help is needed
Medication reminders and appointment rides
Companionship and a steady routine

Cost

What live-in care costs in Oelwein

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 (120% of the $3,138 monthly median income of Oelwein 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 (402% of the $3,138 monthly median income of Oelwein 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.

Before you hire

What to know before hiring a live-in caregiver

Put the arrangement in writing: hours on duty, sleep time, days off, the room and pay (federal rules: DOL Fact Sheet 79B).

Questions worth asking: Have you lived in with a client before, and for how long? What days off and sleep time do you need? How do you handle being woken at night? More in our live-in caregivers guide.

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

Questions

Live-In Caregivers in Oelwein: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Oelwein?

Mercyone Oelwein Medical Center in Oelwein, about 0.7 mi in a straight line from the center of Oelwein (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (319) 283-6000. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Oelwein?

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 (120% of the $3,138 monthly median income of Oelwein 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 (402% of the $3,138 monthly median income of Oelwein 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).

Live-in or 24-hour care in Oelwein?

A live-in caregiver sleeps in the home and has protected sleep and break time. 24-hour care uses two or three caregivers in shifts so someone is always awake; in Oelwein it costs more than three times as much a month (see the cost section above). Choose shifts if help is needed several times a night.

More near Oelwein

More senior care near Oelwein

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Oelwein

More for Oelwein 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.

Live-In Caregivers in Oelwein, IA