Stroke Recovery Care in Fergus Falls, MN: Help at Home

Local figures

Stroke Recovery Support in Fergus Falls, MN: the local picture

21 mi

to the nearest hospital with an emergency department (Elbow Lake)

19%

of residents 65+ have serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs (13% in Otter Tail County)

7.1%

of residents 65+ have difficulty dressing or bathing (4.1% in Otter Tail County)

5

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

Hospitals with an emergency department near Fergus Falls: Prairie Ridge Hospital And Health Services in Elbow Lake (21 mi); St Francis Medical Center in Breckenridge (23 mi); Perham Health in Perham (32 mi). With stroke signs, call 911 rather than driving.

237 Fergus Falls residents 65 or older have difficulty dressing or bathing (7.1%; 4.1% in Otter Tail County), and 650 have serious difficulty walking: the two kinds of help most often needed in the weeks after a stroke.

Fergus Falls compared with Otter Tail County and Minnesota

Census figure	Fergus Falls	Otter Tail County	Minnesota
Residents 65+ with difficulty dressing or bathing	7.1%	4.1%	5.4%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty walking	19%	13%	16%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty remembering	12%	6.1%	6.2%
Residents 65 or older	26%	25%	17%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	38%	26%	30%
Households with no vehicle	10%	5.6%	6.7%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$47,455	$53,778	—

Older residents in towns around Fergus Falls

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Self-care difficulty (65+)
Pelican Rapids, MN	20 mi	444	14%
Breckenridge, MN	24 mi	667	19%
Wahpeton, ND	26 mi	1,557	12%
Barnesville, MN	30 mi	359	13%
Perham, MN	32 mi	872	2.4%
Detroit Lakes, MN	38 mi	2,539	4.9%

Hospitals near Fergus Falls

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Prairie Ridge Hospital And Health Services	Elbow Lake, MN	21 mi	not rated	(218) 685-7300
St Francis Medical Center	Breckenridge, MN	23 mi	not rated	(218) 643-3000
Perham Health	Perham, MN	32 mi	3 of 5	(218) 347-4500

Home health agencies serving Fergus Falls

Agency	Office	Distance	CMS quality stars	Services listed	Phone
Aveanna Home Health	Waite Park, MN	103 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, home health aides	(320) 774-0777
Chi Health At Home	Breckenridge, MN	23 mi	3.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(218) 643-2275
Sanford Home Care Fargo	Fargo, ND	53 mi	3.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(701) 234-4900
Vivie Home Health	Alexandria, MN	43 mi	3 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(320) 759-1273
New Dimensions Home Health Care Inc.	Fergus Falls, MN	0.9 mi	1.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, home health aides	(218) 739-5856

Straight-line miles from the center of Fergus Falls. Medicare (CMS) data, October 2026; call ahead to confirm. We are not affiliated with these providers.

What it covers

What a caregiver for stroke recovery can help with

Help with bathing, dressing and meals
Safe walking and transfers
Rides to rehabilitation and follow-up appointments
Practising the exercises therapists set

Cost

What stroke recovery support costs in Fergus Falls

At the Minnesota median aide wage of $18.45 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,599 a month in wages, which is 40% of the $3,955 monthly median income of Fergus Falls households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Minnesota's minimum wage is $11.41 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 caregiver for stroke recovery

More than 795,000 people in the U.S. have a stroke every year, about 610,000 of them for the first time (CDC). Many go home to recover.

Questions worth asking: Have you cared for someone after a stroke? How do you help with one-sided weakness during transfers? Can you drive to rehabilitation appointments? More in our stroke recovery support guide.

CaregiverConnect does not run background checks. Check identity, references and any certification yourself before anyone starts. The Safety Center explains how.

Questions

Stroke Recovery Support in Fergus Falls: common questions

How much does stroke recovery support cost in Fergus Falls?

At the Minnesota median aide wage of $18.45 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,599 a month in wages, which is 40% of the $3,955 monthly median income of Fergus Falls households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Minnesota's minimum wage is $11.41 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

What does a caregiver do after a stroke?

Helps with personal care, meals and moving safely, takes the person to therapy, helps them practise what therapists set, and keeps the family informed. Medical and therapy decisions stay with the care team.

More near Fergus Falls

More senior care near Fergus Falls

Stroke Recovery Support in nearby cities

Other care in Fergus Falls

More for Fergus Falls 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.

Stroke Recovery Support at Home in Fergus Falls, MN