Parkinson's Care in Ithaca, NY: In-Home Caregivers

Local figures

Parkinson’s Care in Ithaca, NY: the local picture

12%

of residents 65+ have serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs (15% in Tompkins County)

3.0%

of residents 65+ have serious difficulty remembering, concentrating or deciding (5.7% in Tompkins County)

3,318

residents 65 or older (10% of Ithaca)

3

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

393 Ithaca residents 65 or older have serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs (12%; 15% in Tompkins County). The Census does not count Parkinson’s itself; these figures describe the kinds of help people locally need.

94 have serious difficulty remembering or concentrating (3.0%).

Medicare lists 3 home health agencies serving Ithaca ZIP codes; when a doctor orders it, they provide skilled nursing and therapy at home.

Ithaca compared with Tompkins County and New York

Census figure	Ithaca	Tompkins County	New York
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty walking	12%	15%	21%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty remembering	3.0%	5.7%	8.2%
Residents 65+ with difficulty dressing or bathing	1.7%	4.5%	8.3%
Residents 65 or older	10%	16%	18%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	39%	30%	29%
Households with no vehicle	27%	14%	29%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$76,893	$74,031	—

Older residents in towns around Ithaca

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Walking difficulty (65+)
Cayuga Heights, NY	1.8 mi	1,254	14%
South Hill, NY	2.4 mi	508	28%
Northeast Ithaca, NY	2.6 mi	473	20%
Lansing, NY	3.3 mi	322	0.0%
Munsons Corners, NY	18 mi	410	18%
Cortland, NY	20 mi	2,194	24%

Home health agencies serving Ithaca

Agency	Office	Distance	CMS quality stars	Services listed	Phone
Vns Ithaca Tompkins Co Chha	Ithaca, NY	0.4 mi	4 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(607) 273-0466
Guthrie Home Health	Cortland, NY	19 mi	3 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work	(607) 756-3646
Hcr Home Care	East Syracuse, NY	49 mi	3 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(315) 280-0681

Nursing homes near Ithaca

Nursing home	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Certified beds	Phone
Beechtree Center For Rehabilitation And Nursing	Ithaca, NY	0.5 mi	2 of 5	120	(607) 273-4166
Oak Hill Rehabilitation And Nursing Care Center	Ithaca, NY	1.0 mi	2 of 5	60	(607) 272-8282
Cayuga Nursing And Rehabilitation Center	Ithaca, NY	2.0 mi	2 of 5	160	(607) 273-8072

Straight-line miles from the center of Ithaca. 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 Ithaca

At the New York median aide wage of $19.05 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,651 a month in wages, which is 26% of the $6,408 monthly median income of Ithaca households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. New York's minimum wage is $17.00 in New York City, Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester counties, $16.00 in the rest of the state (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 CDPAP in New York: how to get paid to care for a family member.

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 Ithaca: common questions

How much does Parkinson’s care cost in Ithaca?

At the New York median aide wage of $19.05 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,651 a month in wages, which is 26% of the $6,408 monthly median income of Ithaca households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. New York's minimum wage is $17.00 in New York City, Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester counties, $16.00 in the rest of the state (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 Ithaca

More senior care near Ithaca

Parkinson’s Care in nearby cities

Other care in Ithaca

More for Ithaca 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 Ithaca, NY