Parkinson's Care in Portage, WI: In-Home Caregivers

Local figures

Parkinson’s Care in Portage, WI: the local picture

29%

of residents 65+ have serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs (13% in Columbia County)

12%

of residents 65+ have serious difficulty remembering, concentrating or deciding (5.5% in Columbia County)

1,520

residents 65 or older (15% of Portage)

8

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

404 Portage residents 65 or older have serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs (29%; 13% in Columbia County). The Census does not count Parkinson’s itself; these figures describe the kinds of help people locally need.

162 have serious difficulty remembering or concentrating (12%).

Medicare lists 8 home health agencies serving Portage ZIP codes; when a doctor orders it, they provide skilled nursing and therapy at home.

Portage compared with Columbia County and Wisconsin

Census figure	Portage	Columbia County	Wisconsin
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty walking	29%	13%	16%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty remembering	12%	5.5%	5.7%
Residents 65+ with difficulty dressing or bathing	13%	4.0%	5.3%
Residents 65 or older	15%	20%	19%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	41%	27%	30%
Households with no vehicle	7.0%	4.4%	6.4%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$38,264	$57,885	—

Older residents in towns around Portage

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Walking difficulty (65+)
Poynette, WI	11 mi	379	14%
Lake Wisconsin, WI	14 mi	1,234	8.0%
Baraboo, WI	15 mi	2,610	20%
Lake Delton, WI	16 mi	781	10%
Lodi, WI	17 mi	877	7.4%
Wisconsin Dells, WI	17 mi	555	22%

Home health agencies serving Portage

Agency	Office	Distance	CMS quality stars	Services listed	Phone
Aveanna Home Health	Baraboo, WI	15 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, home health aides	(608) 356-7570
Interim Healthcare Of Wisconsin	Madison, WI	36 mi	3.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(608) 238-0268
Aspirus At Home	Wausau, WI	99 mi	3.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(715) 847-2600
Ssm Health At Home Home Health-Wisconsin	Madison, WI	36 mi	3 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(800) 924-2273
Commonheart Home Health	Waukesha, WI	71 mi	2.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(920) 261-7108
Homeward Bound Home Health	Lancaster, WI	79 mi	2.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, home health aides	(608) 723-6601

Nursing homes near Portage

Nursing home	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Certified beds	Phone
Columbia Health Care Center	Wyocena, WI	8.5 mi	5 of 5	75	(608) 429-2181
Complete Care At Jefferson Meadows LLC	Baraboo, WI	14 mi	3 of 5	102	(608) 356-4838
Wisconsin Dells Health Services	Wisconsin Dells, WI	16 mi	4 of 5	90	(608) 254-2574

Straight-line miles from the center of Portage. 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 Portage

At the Wisconsin median aide wage of $17.47 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,514 a month in wages, which is 47% of the $3,189 monthly median income of Portage households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Wisconsin'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 IRIS in Wisconsin: how a family member gets paid as a caregiver.

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 Portage: common questions

How much does Parkinson’s care cost in Portage?

At the Wisconsin median aide wage of $17.47 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,514 a month in wages, which is 47% of the $3,189 monthly median income of Portage households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Wisconsin'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 Portage

More senior care near Portage

Parkinson’s Care in nearby cities

Other care in Portage

More for Portage 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 Portage, WI