Personal Care in Central, LA: Help With Bathing & Dressing

Local figures

Personal Care in Central, LA: the local picture

7.8%

of residents 65+ have difficulty dressing or bathing (7.7% in East Baton Rouge Parish)

22%

of residents 65+ have serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs (22% in East Baton Rouge Parish)

379

residents 85 or older (1.3% of all residents)

22

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

About 428 Central residents aged 65 or older have difficulty dressing or bathing (7.8%; 7.7% in East Baton Rouge Parish). The Census Bureau calls this a self-care difficulty, and it is what personal care is for.

1,219 have serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs (22%), so many personal care visits also mean help getting to the bathroom or shower safely.

379 of the 5,474 older residents are 85 or older; needs for hands-on help rise with age.

Central compared with East Baton Rouge Parish and Louisiana

Census figure	Central	East Baton Rouge Parish	Louisiana
Residents 65+ with difficulty dressing or bathing	7.8%	7.7%	8.6%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty walking	22%	22%	25%
Residents 85 or older	1.3%	1.5%	1.7%
Residents 65+ with a disability	33%	36%	38%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	28%	31%	31%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	5.6%	11%	15%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$58,125	$55,806	—

Older residents in towns around Central

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Self-care difficulty (65+)
Monticello, LA	4.9 mi	611	2.0%
Brownfields, LA	5.4 mi	699	9.2%
Merrydale, LA	6.0 mi	1,669	8.0%
Denham Springs, LA	7.4 mi	2,282	5.2%
Baker, LA	7.5 mi	1,390	12%
Baton Rouge, LA	10 mi	31,584	7.8%

Home health agencies with aides serving Central

Agency	Office	Distance	CMS quality stars	Services listed	Phone
Vitalcaring Group	Denham Springs, LA	11 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(225) 291-1230
Elara Caring	Baton Rouge, LA	11 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(225) 928-1666
Chase Health Care Inc.	Baton Rouge, LA	1.5 mi	4 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(225) 274-1444
Pinnacle Home Health Of Zachary	Zachary, LA	9.0 mi	4 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(225) 248-8600
Pinnacle Home Health Of Baton Rouge	Baton Rouge, LA	9.1 mi	4 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(225) 248-8600
Cypress Home Health	Baton Rouge, LA	11 mi	4 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(225) 761-1592

Straight-line miles from the center of Central. 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 Central

At the Louisiana median aide wage of $10.83 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $939 a month in wages, which is 19% of the $4,844 monthly median income of Central households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Louisiana has no state minimum wage law, so the federal minimum of $7.25 an hour applies to employers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act (U.S. Department of Labor).

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 Central: common questions

How much does personal care cost in Central?

At the Louisiana median aide wage of $10.83 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $939 a month in wages, which is 19% of the $4,844 monthly median income of Central households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Louisiana has no state minimum wage law, so the federal minimum of $7.25 an hour applies to employers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act (U.S. Department of Labor).

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 Central

More senior care near Central

Personal Care in nearby cities

Other care in Central

More for Central 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 Central, LA