Personal Care in Suffolk, VA: Help With Bathing & Dressing

Local figures

Personal Care in Suffolk, VA: the local picture

7.0%

of residents 65+ have difficulty dressing or bathing

22%

of residents 65+ have serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs

1,292

residents 85 or older (1.3% of all residents)

28

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

About 1,045 Suffolk residents aged 65 or older have difficulty dressing or bathing (7.0%). The Census Bureau calls this a self-care difficulty, and it is what personal care is for.

3,263 have serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs (22%), so many personal care visits also mean help getting to the bathroom or shower safely.

1,292 of the 15,100 older residents are 85 or older; needs for hands-on help rise with age.

Suffolk compared with Virginia

Census figure	Suffolk	Virginia
Residents 65+ with difficulty dressing or bathing	7.0%	6.7%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty walking	22%	19%
Residents 85 or older	1.3%	1.7%
Residents 65+ with a disability	35%	31%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	29%	27%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	9.7%	8.8%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$62,299	—

Older residents in towns around Suffolk

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Self-care difficulty (65+)
Windsor, VA	9.7 mi	555	4.2%
Franklin, VA	17 mi	1,534	4.1%
Carrollton, VA	18 mi	983	4.8%
Chesapeake, VA	18 mi	36,797	7.6%
Portsmouth, VA	19 mi	15,037	9.3%
Smithfield, VA	19 mi	1,645	3.9%

Home health agencies with aides serving Suffolk

Agency	Office	Distance	CMS quality stars	Services listed	Phone
Fni Healthcare, Inc	Virginia Beach, VA	29 mi	5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(757) 271-3861
Centerwell Home Health (Va Beach)	Virginia Beach, VA	29 mi	5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(757) 499-2303
@Heart Homecare	Virginia Beach, VA	31 mi	5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(757) 961-4077
Commonwealth Home Care	Portsmouth, VA	20 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(757) 937-8600
Amedisys Home Health Of Newport News	Hampton, VA	27 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(757) 223-5424
Fni Healthcare Inc - Virginia Beach	Virginia Beach, VA	29 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(757) 432-2143

Straight-line miles from the center of Suffolk. 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 Suffolk

At the Virginia median aide wage of $14.57 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,263 a month in wages, which is 24% of the $5,192 monthly median income of Suffolk households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Virginia's minimum wage is $12.77 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 care in Virginia: how relatives are paid to give care through CCC Plus.

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 Suffolk: common questions

How much does personal care cost in Suffolk?

At the Virginia median aide wage of $14.57 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,263 a month in wages, which is 24% of the $5,192 monthly median income of Suffolk households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Virginia's minimum wage is $12.77 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 Suffolk

More senior care near Suffolk

Personal Care in nearby cities

Other care in Suffolk

More for Suffolk 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 Suffolk, VA