24-Hour Home Care in Athens, TN: Round-the-Clock Care

Local figures

24-Hour Home Care in Athens, TN: the local picture

14%

of residents 65+ have difficulty dressing or bathing (11% in McMinn County)

393

residents 85 or older (2.7% of all residents)

41%

of residents 65+ report a disability (40% in McMinn County)

$43,710

median yearly income of households headed by someone 65+

343 Athens residents 65 or older have difficulty dressing or bathing (14%; 11% in McMinn County), and 722 have serious difficulty walking. Round-the-clock care is usually for people who need hands-on help at any hour.

About 393 residents are 85 or older (2.7% of the population).

If you are weighing home care against a nursing home, the nearest Medicare-certified ones are Nhc Healthcare, Athens in Athens (1.0 mi) and Life Care Center Of Athens in Athens (1.1 mi).

Athens compared with McMinn County and Tennessee

Census figure	Athens	McMinn County	Tennessee
Residents 65+ with difficulty dressing or bathing	14%	11%	7.4%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty walking	30%	26%	23%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty remembering	10%	11%	8.8%
Residents 85 or older	2.7%	1.9%	1.6%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	40%	24%	29%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	11%	9.9%	11%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$43,710	$44,304	—

Older residents in towns around Athens

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Self-care difficulty (65+)
Etowah, TN	9.3 mi	842	7.3%
Sweetwater, TN	12 mi	1,620	13%
Madisonville, TN	14 mi	1,164	11%
Dayton, TN	23 mi	1,465	15%
Hopewell, TN	23 mi	436	16%
Loudon, TN	24 mi	1,354	9.7%

Home health agencies serving Athens

Agency	Office	Distance	CMS quality stars	Services listed	Phone
Centerwell Home Health	Chattanooga, TN	46 mi	5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work	(423) 892-1122
Amedisys Home Health Chattanooga	Chattanooga, TN	43 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(423) 472-3069
Nhc Homecare Athens	Athens, TN	0.0 mi	4 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work	(423) 745-4246
Adoration Home Health And Hospice Care East TN	Cleveland, TN	22 mi	4 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(423) 337-3833
Accentcare Home Health Of Tennessee	Chattanooga, TN	43 mi	4 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(423) 855-6233

Nursing homes near Athens (to compare)

Nursing home	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Certified beds	Phone
Nhc Healthcare, Athens	Athens, TN	1.0 mi	5 of 5	86	(423) 745-0434
Life Care Center Of Athens	Athens, TN	1.1 mi	2 of 5	128	(423) 745-8181
Starr Regional Health & Rehabilitation	Etowah, TN	8.3 mi	5 of 5	88	(423) 263-3646
Etowah Health And Rehabilitation	Etowah, TN	9.9 mi	1 of 5	120	(423) 263-1138

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

What it covers

What a 24-hour caregiver can help with

Someone awake and on duty at all hours
Personal care, meals and medication reminders through the day
Help at night without relying on one tired caregiver
Written handover notes between shifts

Cost

What 24-hour home care costs in Athens

24-hour care is 168 paid hours a week. At $15.45 an hour (the Tennessee median aide wage) that is about $11,248 a month in wages before any overtime, 309% of the $3,643 monthly median income of Athens households headed by someone 65+. Rates are agreed with each caregiver. Tennessee has no state minimum wage law, so the federal minimum of $7.25 an hour applies to employers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act (U.S. Department of Labor).

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 TennCare CHOICES: how to get paid to care for a family member in Tennessee.

Before you hire

What to know before hiring a 24-hour caregiver

24-hour care is the most hours a family can arrange at home, and the most costly. Each caregiver works a set shift, often two 12-hour or three 8-hour shifts a day, so nobody works all night after working all day. Minimum wage and overtime rules apply to each caregiver you employ directly; for workers who live in the home see DOL Fact Sheet 79B.

Questions worth asking: How do you hand over to the next caregiver? Can you work fixed shifts on the same days each week? Have you worked on a team caring for one client? More in our 24-hour home care guide.

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

Questions

24-Hour Home Care in Athens: common questions

How much does 24-hour home care cost in Athens?

24-hour care is 168 paid hours a week. At $15.45 an hour (the Tennessee median aide wage) that is about $11,248 a month in wages before any overtime, 309% of the $3,643 monthly median income of Athens households headed by someone 65+. Rates are agreed with each caregiver. Tennessee has no state minimum wage law, so the federal minimum of $7.25 an hour applies to employers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act (U.S. Department of Labor).

How many caregivers does 24-hour care take?

A week has 168 hours. If each caregiver works about 40 hours, that is four or five people, plus someone to cover sickness and holidays. Fewer caregivers means very long weeks for each of them.

More near Athens

More senior care near Athens

24-Hour Home Care in nearby cities

Other care in Athens

More for Athens 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.

24-Hour Home Care in Athens, TN