Personal Care in Salem, MO: Help With Bathing & Dressing

Local figures

Personal Care in Salem, MO: the local picture

13%

of residents 65+ have difficulty dressing or bathing (7.7% in Dent County)

50%

of residents 65+ have serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs (31% in Dent County)

163

residents 85 or older (3.5% of all residents)

4

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

About 124 Salem residents aged 65 or older have difficulty dressing or bathing (13%; 7.7% in Dent County). The Census Bureau calls this a self-care difficulty, and it is what personal care is for.

494 have serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs (50%), so many personal care visits also mean help getting to the bathroom or shower safely.

163 of the 1,025 older residents are 85 or older; needs for hands-on help rise with age.

Salem compared with Dent County and Missouri

Census figure	Salem	Dent County	Missouri
Residents 65+ with difficulty dressing or bathing	13%	7.7%	6.4%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty walking	50%	31%	21%
Residents 85 or older	3.5%	3.3%	2.0%
Residents 65+ with a disability	62%	46%	34%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	63%	33%	30%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	13%	11%	10%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$25,000	$36,279	—

Older residents in towns around Salem

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Self-care difficulty (65+)
Licking, MO	20 mi	400	9.6%
Rolla, MO	25 mi	2,865	6.8%
St. James, MO	25 mi	898	2.6%
Cuba, MO	30 mi	540	21%
Fort Leonard Wood, MO	33 mi	48	0.0%
St. Robert, MO	36 mi	700	5.0%

Home health agencies with aides serving Salem

Agency	Office	Distance	CMS quality stars	Services listed	Phone
Centerwell Home Health	Rolla, MO	25 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(573) 341-3456
Elara Caring	Jefferson City, MO	75 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(800) 690-1753
Bjc Home Care Services	Saint Louis, MO	92 mi	3.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(314) 362-0200
Phelps Health Home Health And Hospice	Rolla, MO	25 mi	2.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(573) 364-2425

Straight-line miles from the center of Salem. 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 Salem

At the Missouri median aide wage of $15.90 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,378 a month in wages, which is 66% of the $2,083 monthly median income of Salem households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Missouri'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 Consumer Directed Services in Missouri: how a relative becomes a paid caregiver.

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 Salem: common questions

How much does personal care cost in Salem?

At the Missouri median aide wage of $15.90 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,378 a month in wages, which is 66% of the $2,083 monthly median income of Salem households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Missouri'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 Salem

More senior care near Salem

Personal Care in nearby cities

Other care in Salem

More for Salem 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 Salem, MO