CNA Home Care in Altoona, IA: Nursing Assistants

Local figures

Nursing Assistants in Altoona, IA: the local picture

6+

Medicare-certified nursing homes within 25 miles

511

certified beds in the 6 nearest nursing homes

$17.34

median hourly wage of home care aides in Iowa (BLS, May 2025)

$7.25

Iowa minimum wage per hour

The nearest Medicare-certified nursing homes to Altoona are Altoona Nursing And Rehabilitation Center in Altoona (0.4 mi), Prairie Vista Village in Altoona (1.2 mi), Parkridge Specialty Care in Pleasant Hill (3.5 mi). Nursing homes employ many of the area’s CNAs, and CNAs who want home care work often come from them.

Aides in Iowa earn a median $17.34 an hour (BLS, May 2025, home health and personal care aides). Iowa's minimum wage is $7.25 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Altoona has about 311 residents aged 85 or older, the group most likely to need hands-on help with bathing, transfers and toileting.

Altoona compared with Polk County and Iowa

Census figure	Altoona	Polk County	Iowa
Residents 85 or older	1.4%	1.5%	2.3%
Residents 65+ with a disability	32%	31%	30%
Residents 65 or older	17%	14%	18%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	32%	32%	31%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	7.6%	7.5%	8.4%
Households with no vehicle	3.7%	5.8%	5.4%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$48,263	$59,099	—

Older residents in towns around Altoona

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Bondurant, IA	3.5 mi	577	25
Pleasant Hill, IA	3.8 mi	2,222	146
Mitchellville, IA	6.0 mi	263	23
Saylorville, IA	7.9 mi	705	17
Ankeny, IA	8.3 mi	8,466	858
Des Moines, IA	8.6 mi	27,045	3,313

Nursing homes near Altoona

Nursing home	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Certified beds	Phone
Altoona Nursing And Rehabilitation Center	Altoona, IA	0.4 mi	1 of 5	106	(515) 967-4267
Prairie Vista Village	Altoona, IA	1.2 mi	5 of 5	46	(515) 967-8700
Parkridge Specialty Care	Pleasant Hill, IA	3.5 mi	1 of 5	90	(515) 265-5348
Valley View Village	Des Moines, IA	5.1 mi	3 of 5	79	(515) 265-2571
Trinity Center At Luther Park	Des Moines, IA	6.3 mi	1 of 5	120	(515) 262-5639
Azria Health Park Place	Des Moines, IA	7.0 mi	1 of 5	70	(515) 262-9303

Home health agencies serving Altoona

Agency	Office	Distance	CMS quality stars	Services listed	Phone
Centerwell Home Health	Urbandale, IA	13 mi	5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, home health aides	(515) 277-0977
Aveanna Healthcare	West Des Moines, IA	17 mi	5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, home health aides	(515) 497-7700
Elara Caring	Chariton, IA	44 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(641) 774-2339
Mercyone Des Moines Home Care	Des Moines, IA	8.5 mi	4 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(515) 643-8383

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

What it covers

What a nursing assistant can help with

Bathing, dressing, grooming and toileting
Safe transfers, repositioning and walking
Help with eating and fluids
Taking and noting vital signs if asked

Cost

What CNAs costs in Altoona

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 37% of the $4,022 monthly median income of Altoona 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 nursing assistant

To be certified, a nurse aide completes a state-approved training program of at least 75 hours, including 16 hours of supervised practical training, and passes a competency exam (42 CFR 483.152). The state then lists them on its nurse aide registry, which you can search online in most states.

Questions worth asking: Which state certified you, and is it current? Where have you worked as a CNA? Are you comfortable with lifts, catheters and incontinence care? More in our nursing assistants guide.

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

Questions

Nursing Assistants in Altoona: common questions

What nursing homes are near Altoona?

The closest Medicare-certified nursing homes are Altoona Nursing And Rehabilitation Center in Altoona (0.4 mi, 1 of 5 overall); Prairie Vista Village in Altoona (1.2 mi, 5 of 5 overall); Parkridge Specialty Care in Pleasant Hill (3.5 mi, 1 of 5 overall). Ratings are from Medicare Care Compare.

How much does CNAs cost in Altoona?

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 37% of the $4,022 monthly median income of Altoona 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).

Can a CNA give medication?

Generally no. A CNA can remind someone to take medication. Giving medication is usually reserved for licensed nurses, or for aides with a separate state medication certification.

More near Altoona

More senior care near Altoona

Nursing Assistants in nearby cities

Other care in Altoona

More for Altoona 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.

Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) for Home Care in Altoona, IA