Mobility Assistance in Iowa, LA: Help Walking & Transfers

Local figures

Mobility Assistance in Iowa, LA: the local picture

21%

of residents 65+ have serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs (22% in Calcasieu Parish)

27

residents 85 or older (0.8% of all residents)

11 mi

to the nearest hospital with an emergency department (Lake Charles)

35%

of residents 65+ report a disability (35% in Calcasieu Parish)

About 137 Iowa residents 65 or older have serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs (21%; 22% in Calcasieu Parish). That is the Census measure closest to needing mobility help.

27 residents are 85 or older. Ask any caregiver who will help with transfers how they were trained.

Home health agencies serving Iowa that list physical therapy include Lamm Family Care Home Health and Centerwell Home Health; therapy at home needs a doctor’s order.

Iowa compared with Calcasieu Parish and Louisiana

Census figure	Iowa	Calcasieu Parish	Louisiana
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty walking	21%	22%	25%
Residents 85 or older	0.8%	1.6%	1.7%
Residents 65+ with difficulty dressing or bathing	4.9%	8.3%	8.6%
Residents 65+ with a disability	35%	35%	38%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	19%	30%	31%
Households with no vehicle	5.3%	7.2%	8.4%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$51,171	$47,011	—

Older residents in towns around Iowa

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Walking difficulty (65+)
Welsh, LA	12 mi	570	43%
Lake Charles, LA	12 mi	13,747	23%
Moss Bluff, LA	13 mi	2,510	18%
Westlake, LA	15 mi	1,137	7.7%
Prien, LA	17 mi	1,009	31%
Sulphur, LA	21 mi	3,603	19%

Home health agencies serving Iowa (therapy needs a doctor’s order)

Agency	Office	Distance	CMS quality stars	Services listed	Phone
Lamm Family Care Home Health	Crowley, LA	38 mi	5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(337) 783-0000
Allegiance Home Health Of South Louisiana	Eunice, LA	41 mi	5 of 5	—	(337) 576-2978
Centerwell Home Health	Jennings, LA	21 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy	(337) 616-3077
Elara Caring	Jennings, LA	21 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(337) 824-5453
Jeff Davis Md Homecare	Jennings, LA	21 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(337) 824-1188
Allegiance Home Health Of Southwest Louisiana, LLC	Deridder, LA	43 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(337) 462-3747

Emergency hospitals near Iowa

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Christus Ochsner St Patrick Hospital	Lake Charles, LA	11 mi	3 of 5	(337) 436-2511
Lake Charles Memorial Hospital	Lake Charles, LA	11 mi	3 of 5	(337) 494-3000

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

What it covers

What a caregiver for mobility help can help with

Steadying walks inside and outside the home
Transfers: bed, chair, toilet, shower and car
Help with walkers, canes and wheelchairs
The home exercises a physical therapist set

Cost

What mobility assistance costs in Iowa

At the Louisiana median aide wage of $10.83 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $939 a month in wages, which is 22% of the $4,264 monthly median income of Iowa households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Louisiana has no state minimum wage law, so the federal minimum of $7.25 an hour applies to employers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act (U.S. Department of Labor).

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 caregiver for mobility help

Falls are the leading cause of injury for adults 65 and older, and over 14 million, or 1 in 4, older adults report falling every year (CDC).

Questions worth asking: Which transfers are you trained to do safely? Have you used a gait belt, walker or wheelchair with clients? What would you do if my parent started to fall? More in our mobility assistance guide.

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

Questions

Mobility Assistance in Iowa: common questions

How much does mobility assistance cost in Iowa?

At the Louisiana median aide wage of $10.83 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $939 a month in wages, which is 22% of the $4,264 monthly median income of Iowa households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Louisiana has no state minimum wage law, so the federal minimum of $7.25 an hour applies to employers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act (U.S. Department of Labor).

What does a caregiver do to help with mobility?

Walks beside the person, helps them stand and sit, transfers them to bed, chair, toilet, shower or car, and keeps walkways clear. They do not replace a physical therapist.

More near Iowa

More senior care near Iowa

Mobility Assistance in nearby cities

Other care in Iowa

More for Iowa 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.

Mobility Assistance at Home in Iowa, LA