Personal Care in Starke, FL: Help With Bathing & Dressing

Local figures

Personal Care in Starke, FL: the local picture

12%

of residents 65+ have difficulty dressing or bathing (5.3% in Bradford County)

18%

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

127

residents 85 or older (2.2% of all residents)

23

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

About 62 Starke residents aged 65 or older have difficulty dressing or bathing (12%; 5.3% in Bradford County). The Census Bureau calls this a self-care difficulty, and it is what personal care is for.

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

127 of the 797 older residents are 85 or older; needs for hands-on help rise with age.

Starke compared with Bradford County and Florida

Census figure	Starke	Bradford County	Florida
Residents 65+ with difficulty dressing or bathing	12%	5.3%	6.4%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty walking	18%	18%	20%
Residents 85 or older	2.2%	1.8%	2.6%
Residents 65+ with a disability	27%	29%	31%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	67%	33%	25%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	22%	18%	12%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$22,264	$39,930	—

Older residents in towns around Starke

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Self-care difficulty (65+)
Middleburg, FL	15 mi	1,893	5.6%
Asbury Lake, FL	21 mi	1,834	7.7%
Oakleaf Plantation, FL	23 mi	3,028	3.3%
Macclenny, FL	23 mi	1,260	12%
Gainesville, FL	23 mi	17,357	8.2%
Lakeside, FL	24 mi	5,934	5.4%

Home health agencies with aides serving Starke

Agency	Office	Distance	CMS quality stars	Services listed	Phone
Aveanna Home Health	Gainesville, FL	25 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(352) 331-3280
Concierge Home Care	Orange Park, FL	27 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	—
Alpine Care Home Health	Jacksonville, FL	39 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(904) 241-1656
Florida Homecare Specialists Inc	Lady Lake, FL	71 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(352) 753-2206
HCA Florida Healthcare At Home	Gainesville, FL	28 mi	4 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(352) 395-6424
Enhabit Home Health	Jacksonville, FL	38 mi	4 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(904) 296-1913

Straight-line miles from the center of Starke. 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 Starke

At the Florida median aide wage of $16.25 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,408 a month in wages, which is 76% of the $1,855 monthly median income of Starke households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Florida's minimum wage rose to $15.00 an hour on September 30, 2026, under Article X, Section 24 of the Florida Constitution.

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 How to get paid to take care of a family member in Florida: SMMC LTC and the PDO.

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 Starke: common questions

How much does personal care cost in Starke?

At the Florida median aide wage of $16.25 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,408 a month in wages, which is 76% of the $1,855 monthly median income of Starke households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Florida's minimum wage rose to $15.00 an hour on September 30, 2026, under Article X, Section 24 of the Florida Constitution.

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 Starke

More senior care near Starke

Personal Care in nearby cities

Other care in Starke

More for Starke 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 Starke, FL