In-Home Personal Care in Des Moines, IA

Local figures

Personal Care in Des Moines, IA: the local picture

6.3%

of residents 65+ have difficulty dressing or bathing (5.5% in Polk County)

23%

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

3,313

residents 85 or older (1.6% of all residents)

24

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

About 1,629 Des Moines residents aged 65 or older have difficulty dressing or bathing (6.3%; 5.5% in Polk County). The Census Bureau calls this a self-care difficulty, and it is what personal care is for.

6,073 have serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs (23%), so many personal care visits also mean help getting to the bathroom or shower safely.

3,313 of the 27,045 older residents are 85 or older; needs for hands-on help rise with age.

Des Moines compared with Polk County and Iowa

Census figure	Des Moines	Polk County	Iowa
Residents 65+ with difficulty dressing or bathing	6.3%	5.5%	5.1%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty walking	23%	18%	17%
Residents 85 or older	1.6%	1.5%	2.3%
Residents 65+ with a disability	36%	31%	30%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	40%	32%	31%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	11%	7.5%	8.4%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$48,181	$59,099	—

Older residents in towns around Des Moines

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Self-care difficulty (65+)
Pleasant Hill, IA	5.7 mi	2,222	7.2%
Windsor Heights, IA	5.7 mi	985	4.2%
Carlisle, IA	7.1 mi	523	5.2%
Saylorville, IA	7.5 mi	705	0.0%
Norwalk, IA	7.6 mi	2,002	6.2%
Altoona, IA	8.6 mi	3,684	5.2%

Home health agencies with aides serving Des Moines

Agency	Office	Distance	CMS quality stars	Services listed	Phone
Centerwell Home Health	Urbandale, IA	7.0 mi	5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, home health aides	(515) 277-0977
Aveanna Healthcare	West Des Moines, IA	9.8 mi	5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, home health aides	(515) 497-7700
Good Samaritan Society-Home Care	Indianola, IA	18 mi	5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, home health aides	(515) 961-2596
Elara Caring	Chariton, IA	41 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	1.2 mi	4 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(515) 643-8383
St Anthony Regional Hospital And Nursing Home	Carroll, IA	73 mi	4 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, home health aides	(712) 794-5279

Straight-line miles from the center of Des Moines. 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 Des Moines

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 $4,015 monthly median income of Des Moines 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 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 Des Moines: common questions

How much does personal care cost in Des Moines?

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 $4,015 monthly median income of Des Moines 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 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 Des Moines

More senior care near Des Moines

Personal Care in nearby cities

Other care in Des Moines

More for Des Moines 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.