Parkinson's Care in Altoona, IA: In-Home Caregivers

Local figures

Parkinson’s Care in Altoona, IA: the local picture

15%

of residents 65+ have serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs (18% in Polk County)

5.4%

of residents 65+ have serious difficulty remembering, concentrating or deciding (6.0% in Polk County)

3,684

residents 65 or older (17% of Altoona)

14

Medicare-certified home health agencies list Altoona ZIP codes in their service area

545 Altoona residents 65 or older have serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs (15%; 18% in Polk County). The Census does not count Parkinson’s itself; these figures describe the kinds of help people locally need.

192 have serious difficulty remembering or concentrating (5.4%).

Medicare lists 14 home health agencies serving Altoona ZIP codes; when a doctor orders it, they provide skilled nursing and therapy at home.

Altoona compared with Polk County and Iowa

Census figure	Altoona	Polk County	Iowa
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty walking	15%	18%	17%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty remembering	5.4%	6.0%	5.8%
Residents 65+ with difficulty dressing or bathing	5.2%	5.5%	5.1%
Residents 65 or older	17%	14%	18%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	32%	32%	31%
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+	Walking difficulty (65+)
Bondurant, IA	3.5 mi	577	11%
Pleasant Hill, IA	3.8 mi	2,222	12%
Mitchellville, IA	6.0 mi	263	9.3%
Saylorville, IA	7.9 mi	705	9.4%
Ankeny, IA	8.3 mi	8,466	14%
Des Moines, IA	8.6 mi	27,045	23%

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
Angels Care Home Health Of Iowa	Des Moines, IA	10 mi	3.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(515) 252-2847
Unitypoint At Home	Urbandale, IA	13 mi	3.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(515) 557-3100

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

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 caregiver experienced with Parkinson’s can help with

Medication reminders on the schedule the doctor set
Help walking, turning and getting up safely
Dressing and buttons when hands are stiff or shaky
Meals prepared the way the care team advises

Cost

What Parkinson’s care 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 caregiver experienced with Parkinson’s

Parkinson’s disease affects more than 1.1 million people in the U.S., and nearly 90,000 are diagnosed each year, according to the Parkinson’s Foundation. Its Helpline, 1-800-473-4636, answers questions from people with Parkinson’s and their families.

Questions worth asking: Have you cared for someone with Parkinson’s? What helped most? How do you keep medication reminders exactly on time? How do you help someone who freezes while walking? More in our parkinson’s care guide.

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

Questions

Parkinson’s Care in Altoona: common questions

How much does Parkinson’s care 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).

What should a Parkinson’s caregiver know?

Look for someone who has helped people with stiffness, slowness or tremor, keeps a strict routine, and knows safe transfers. Ask for a reference from a family of someone with Parkinson’s.

More near Altoona

More senior care near Altoona

Parkinson’s Care 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.

In-Home Parkinson’s Care in Altoona, IA