CNA Home Care in Ames, IA: Nursing Assistants

Local figures

Nursing Assistants in Ames, IA: the local picture

6+

Medicare-certified nursing homes within 25 miles

413

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 Ames are Accura Healthcare Of Ames, LLC in Ames (2.0 mi), Green Hills Health Care Center in Ames (2.0 mi), Northridge Village in Ames (2.8 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).

Ames has about 1,000 residents aged 85 or older, the group most likely to need hands-on help with bathing, transfers and toileting.

Ames compared with Story County and Iowa

Census figure	Ames	Story County	Iowa
Residents 85 or older	1.5%	1.7%	2.3%
Residents 65+ with a disability	27%	26%	30%
Residents 65 or older	11%	13%	18%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	31%	30%	31%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	6.5%	5.6%	8.4%
Households with no vehicle	7.2%	5.8%	5.4%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$71,689	$69,964	—

Older residents in towns around Ames

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Nevada, IA	7.8 mi	1,242	151
Huxley, IA	9.1 mi	525	29
Story City, IA	11 mi	722	186
Boone, IA	13 mi	2,272	257
Madrid, IA	15 mi	566	146
Polk City, IA	18 mi	874	29

Nursing homes near Ames

Nursing home	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Certified beds	Phone
Accura Healthcare Of Ames, LLC	Ames, IA	2.0 mi	3 of 5	75	(515) 232-3426
Green Hills Health Care Center	Ames, IA	2.0 mi	5 of 5	56	(515) 296-5000
Northridge Village	Ames, IA	2.8 mi	5 of 5	38	(515) 232-1000
Rolling Green Village Care Center	Nevada, IA	8.7 mi	3 of 5	58	(515) 382-6556
Story Medical Senior Care	Nevada, IA	9.7 mi	5 of 5	60	(515) 382-2111
Bethany Life	Story City, IA	11 mi	2 of 5	126	(515) 733-4325

Home health agencies serving Ames

Agency	Office	Distance	CMS quality stars	Services listed	Phone
Centerwell Home Health	Urbandale, IA	28 mi	5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, home health aides	(515) 277-0977
Aveanna Healthcare	West Des Moines, IA	33 mi	5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, home health aides	(515) 497-7700
Mercyone Des Moines Home Care	Des Moines, IA	30 mi	4 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(515) 643-8383
St Anthony Regional Hospital And Nursing Home	Carroll, IA	64 mi	4 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, home health aides	(712) 794-5279

Straight-line miles from the center of Ames. 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 Ames

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 25% of the $5,974 monthly median income of Ames 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 Ames: common questions

What nursing homes are near Ames?

The closest Medicare-certified nursing homes are Accura Healthcare Of Ames, LLC in Ames (2.0 mi, 3 of 5 overall); Green Hills Health Care Center in Ames (2.0 mi, 5 of 5 overall); Northridge Village in Ames (2.8 mi, 5 of 5 overall). Ratings are from Medicare Care Compare.

How much does CNAs cost in Ames?

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 25% of the $5,974 monthly median income of Ames 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 Ames

More senior care near Ames

Nursing Assistants in nearby cities

Other care in Ames

More for Ames 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 Ames, IA