CNA Home Care in Spencer, IA: Nursing Assistants

Local figures

Nursing Assistants in Spencer, IA: the local picture

6+

Medicare-certified nursing homes within 25 miles

395

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 Spencer are Spencer Post Acute Rehabilitation Center in Spencer (0.2 mi), St Luke Lutheran Nursing Home in Spencer (2.0 mi), Accura Healthcare Of Milford in Milford (13 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).

Spencer has about 423 residents aged 85 or older, the group most likely to need hands-on help with bathing, transfers and toileting.

Spencer compared with Clay County and Iowa

Census figure	Spencer	Clay County	Iowa
Residents 85 or older	3.7%	3.3%	2.3%
Residents 65+ with a disability	30%	31%	30%
Residents 65 or older	22%	22%	18%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	37%	34%	31%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	7.6%	8.3%	8.4%
Households with no vehicle	7.2%	5.5%	5.4%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$47,088	$50,774	—

Older residents in towns around Spencer

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Milford, IA	13 mi	802	47
Spirit Lake, IA	19 mi	1,217	284
Estherville, IA	24 mi	1,332	187
Emmetsburg, IA	24 mi	934	228
Jackson, MN	34 mi	714	150
Cherokee, IA	34 mi	1,189	232

Nursing homes near Spencer

Nursing home	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Certified beds	Phone
Spencer Post Acute Rehabilitation Center	Spencer, IA	0.2 mi	1 of 5	82	(712) 262-2344
St Luke Lutheran Nursing Home	Spencer, IA	2.0 mi	2 of 5	79	(712) 262-5931
Accura Healthcare Of Milford	Milford, IA	13 mi	4 of 5	46	(712) 338-4742
Ruthven Community Care Center	Ruthven, IA	13 mi	4 of 5	46	(712) 837-5411
Community Memorial Health Center	Hartley, IA	17 mi	3 of 5	62	(712) 728-2428
Accura Healthcare Of Spirit Lake	Spirit Lake, IA	19 mi	2 of 5	80	(712) 336-3300

Home health agencies serving Spencer

Agency	Office	Distance	CMS quality stars	Services listed	Phone
Avera @ Home	Estherville, IA	24 mi	4 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(712) 362-6169
Avera At Home Of Spencer Hospital	Spencer, IA	0.4 mi	3.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, home health aides	(712) 264-6380
Lakes Regional Healthcare Home Care	Spirit Lake, IA	19 mi	3 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, home health aides	(712) 336-8709
Sanford Home Health And Hospice Sheldon	Sheldon, IA	35 mi	2.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(712) 324-6420

Straight-line miles from the center of Spencer. 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 Spencer

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 38% of the $3,924 monthly median income of Spencer 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 Spencer: common questions

What nursing homes are near Spencer?

The closest Medicare-certified nursing homes are Spencer Post Acute Rehabilitation Center in Spencer (0.2 mi, 1 of 5 overall); St Luke Lutheran Nursing Home in Spencer (2.0 mi, 2 of 5 overall); Accura Healthcare Of Milford in Milford (13 mi, 4 of 5 overall). Ratings are from Medicare Care Compare.

How much does CNAs cost in Spencer?

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 38% of the $3,924 monthly median income of Spencer 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 Spencer

More senior care near Spencer

Nursing Assistants in nearby cities

Other care in Spencer

More for Spencer 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 Spencer, IA