Personal Care in St. Marys, KS: Help With Bathing & Dressing

Local figures

Personal Care in St. Marys, KS: the local picture

12%

of residents 65+ have difficulty dressing or bathing (3.9% in Pottawatomie County)

18%

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

46

residents 85 or older (1.6% of all residents)

9

Medicare-certified home health agencies list St. Marys ZIP codes in their service area

About 37 St. Marys residents aged 65 or older have difficulty dressing or bathing (12%; 3.9% in Pottawatomie County). The Census Bureau calls this a self-care difficulty, and it is what personal care is for.

58 have serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs (18%), so many personal care visits also mean help getting to the bathroom or shower safely.

46 of the 342 older residents are 85 or older; needs for hands-on help rise with age.

St. Marys compared with Pottawatomie County and Kansas

Census figure	St. Marys	Pottawatomie County	Kansas
Residents 65+ with difficulty dressing or bathing	12%	3.9%	5.6%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty walking	18%	18%	20%
Residents 85 or older	1.6%	1.8%	2.0%
Residents 65+ with a disability	29%	30%	33%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	15%	30%	30%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	4.1%	11%	8.8%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$49,167	$55,026	—

Older residents in towns around St. Marys

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Self-care difficulty (65+)
Wamego, KS	13 mi	601	4.5%
Topeka, KS	23 mi	23,158	6.4%
Holton, KS	26 mi	667	11%
Manhattan, KS	29 mi	5,364	3.9%
Fort Riley, KS	41 mi	0	—
Osage City, KS	41 mi	537	10%

Home health agencies with aides serving St. Marys

Agency	Office	Distance	CMS quality stars	Services listed	Phone
Elara Caring	Topeka, KS	21 mi	5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(785) 354-0767
Phoenix Home Care	Overland Park, KS	76 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, home health aides	(913) 384-2273
Enhabit Home Health	Topeka, KS	21 mi	3.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(785) 232-8593
Community Homehealth	Onaga, KS	21 mi	3 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(785) 889-7200
Interim Healthcare Of Topeka	Topeka, KS	21 mi	3 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(785) 272-1616
Faith Home Health	Topeka, KS	23 mi	3 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(785) 271-4376

Straight-line miles from the center of St. Marys. 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 St. Marys

At the Kansas median aide wage of $15.03 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,303 a month in wages, which is 32% of the $4,097 monthly median income of St. Marys households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Kansas'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 St. Marys: common questions

How much does personal care cost in St. Marys?

At the Kansas median aide wage of $15.03 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,303 a month in wages, which is 32% of the $4,097 monthly median income of St. Marys households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Kansas'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 St. Marys

More senior care near St. Marys

Personal Care in nearby cities

Other care in St. Marys

More for St. Marys families

Sources

Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year (small-place figures carry wide margins of error); 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 St. Marys, KS