Personal Care in Boston, MA: Help With Bathing & Dressing

Local figures

Personal Care in Boston, MA: the local picture

12%

of residents 65+ have difficulty dressing or bathing

26%

of residents 65+ have serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs

10,842

residents 85 or older (1.6% of all residents)

85

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

About 10,281 Boston residents aged 65 or older have difficulty dressing or bathing (12%). The Census Bureau calls this a self-care difficulty, and it is what personal care is for.

22,436 have serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs (26%), so many personal care visits also mean help getting to the bathroom or shower safely.

10,842 of the 86,924 older residents are 85 or older; needs for hands-on help rise with age.

Boston compared with Massachusetts

Census figure	Boston	Massachusetts
Residents 65+ with difficulty dressing or bathing	12%	7.2%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty walking	26%	18%
Residents 85 or older	1.6%	2.2%
Residents 65+ with a disability	37%	30%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	35%	29%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	21%	11%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$51,082	—

Older residents in towns around Boston

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Self-care difficulty (65+)
Winthrop Town, MA	3.5 mi	3,631	10.0%
Chelsea, MA	4.1 mi	4,188	11%
Everett, MA	5.0 mi	5,660	6.1%
Quincy, MA	5.4 mi	18,123	7.9%
Somerville, MA	5.5 mi	8,108	5.9%
Cambridge, MA	5.7 mi	14,440	4.3%

Home health agencies with aides serving Boston

Agency	Office	Distance	CMS quality stars	Services listed	Phone
Elara Caring	Braintree, MA	9.0 mi	5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(617) 969-7517
Central Home Health Care, Inc	Needham, MA	11 mi	5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, home health aides	(617) 559-0200
Patient Care Solutions, LLC	Danvers, MA	16 mi	5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(781) 595-0311
Caring Hearts Homecare Inc	Wilmington, MA	17 mi	5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, home health aides	(978) 658-5104
Legacy Lifecare Visiting Nurse Agency	Chelsea, MA	4.1 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(617) 887-0826
Primary Homecare Specialties	Milton, MA	6.6 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, home health aides	(617) 696-0600

Straight-line miles from the center of Boston. Medicare (CMS) data, October 2026; call ahead to confirm. We are not affiliated with these providers.

What it covers

What a personal care aide can help with

Bathing or showering, with a shower chair if needed
Dressing and undressing
Toileting and incontinence care
Grooming: hair, shaving and oral care

Cost

What personal care costs in Boston

At the Massachusetts median aide wage of $19.67 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,705 a month in wages, which is 40% of the $4,257 monthly median income of Boston households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Massachusetts's minimum wage is $15.00 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 personal care aide

The Census Bureau asks whether a person has difficulty dressing or bathing, which it calls a self-care difficulty; it is the clearest sign that someone needs personal care. Medicare does not pay for personal care when it is the only care needed (Medicare.gov), but many state Medicaid programs do for people who qualify.

Questions worth asking: How do you protect a client’s dignity during bathing and toileting? Are you trained in safe transfers? Can you keep the same morning or evening hours each day? More in our personal care guide.

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

Questions

Personal Care in Boston: common questions

How much does personal care cost in Boston?

At the Massachusetts median aide wage of $19.67 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,705 a month in wages, which is 40% of the $4,257 monthly median income of Boston households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Massachusetts's minimum wage is $15.00 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

What is the difference between personal care and companion care?

Companion care is company and help around the house. Personal care is hands-on help with the body: bathing, dressing, toileting and grooming. Many caregivers offer both; say in your posting which you need.

More near Boston

More senior care near Boston

Personal Care in nearby cities

Other care in Boston

More for Boston 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 Personal Care in Boston, MA