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

Local figures

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

76

residents 85 or older (2.5% of all residents)

214

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (76%)

66%

of Tama homes have 3 or more bedrooms (67% in Tama County)

$7.25

Iowa minimum wage per hour

About 76 Tama 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. 66% of homes in Tama have three or more bedrooms (67% in Tama County), while 12% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 5.9 rooms.

Of Tama households headed by someone 65 or older, 214 own their home and 66 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 23 owners and 6 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Tama compared with Tama County and Iowa

Census figure	Tama	Tama County	Iowa
Residents 85 or older	2.5%	3.3%	2.3%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	23%	27%	31%
Residents 65+ with a disability	19%	24%	30%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	7.5%	9.6%	8.4%
Residents 65 or older	16%	21%	18%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	27%	11%	9.1%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$57,574	$51,037	—

Older residents in towns around Tama

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Grinnell, IA	18 mi	2,034	290
Marshalltown, IA	18 mi	4,563	698
Marengo, IA	29 mi	577	72
Grundy Center, IA	29 mi	629	150
Newton, IA	30 mi	3,381	699
Vinton, IA	31 mi	1,156	173

Emergency hospitals near Tama

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Grinnell Regional Medical Center	Grinnell, IA	18 mi	2 of 5	(641) 236-7511
Unitypoint Health - Marshalltown	Marshalltown, IA	18 mi	3 of 5	(641) 754-5151
Compass Memorial Healthcare	Marengo, IA	29 mi	4 of 5	(319) 642-5543

Straight-line miles from the center of Tama. 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 Tama

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 (78% of the $4,798 monthly median income of Tama 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 (263% of the $4,798 monthly median income of Tama 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 Tama: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Tama?

Grinnell Regional Medical Center in Grinnell, about 18 mi in a straight line from the center of Tama (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (641) 236-7511. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Tama?

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 (78% of the $4,798 monthly median income of Tama 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 (263% of the $4,798 monthly median income of Tama 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 Tama?

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 Tama 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 Tama

More senior care near Tama

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Tama

More for Tama 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 Tama, IA