Adult Disability Care in Athens, TN: In-Home Support

Local figures

Disability Care for Adults in Athens, TN: the local picture

14%

of residents aged 18 to 64 have a disability (16% in McMinn County)

480

residents aged 18 to 64 have difficulty doing errands alone

4.9%

of households have no vehicle (4.2% in McMinn County)

13

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

About 1,222 Athens residents aged 18 to 64 report a disability (14%; 16% in McMinn County).

480 of them have difficulty doing errands such as shopping or visiting a doctor alone, the kind of help a support caregiver gives.

4.9% of Athens households have no vehicle (4.2% in McMinn County); say in your posting if you need a caregiver who drives.

Athens compared with McMinn County and Tennessee

Census figure	Athens	McMinn County	Tennessee
Residents 18 to 64 with a disability	14%	16%	13%
Residents 18 to 64 with difficulty doing errands alone	5.6%	6.8%	4.5%
Households with no vehicle	4.9%	4.2%	5.2%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	6.9%	4.0%	8.6%
Residents 65+ with a disability	41%	40%	36%
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+	Disability (18 to 64)
Etowah, TN	9.3 mi	842	19%
Sweetwater, TN	12 mi	1,620	17%
Madisonville, TN	14 mi	1,164	19%
Dayton, TN	23 mi	1,465	13%
Hopewell, TN	23 mi	436	17%
Loudon, TN	24 mi	1,354	9.5%

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

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 disability support caregiver can help with

Personal care, on the person’s terms
Cooking, shopping and housekeeping
Getting to work, school, appointments and activities
Keeping routines the person sets

Cost

What disability care for adults costs in Athens

At the Tennessee median aide wage of $15.45 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,339 a month in wages, which is 37% of the $3,643 monthly median income of Athens households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. 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 disability support caregiver

Many state Medicaid programs let adults with disabilities direct their own care: they, or a representative, hire and supervise the caregiver.

Questions worth asking: Have you supported adults with a disability like mine (or my family member’s)? How do you support someone to do things themselves? Can you drive to work, school or day programs? More in our disability care for adults guide.

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

Questions

Disability Care for Adults in Athens: common questions

How much does disability care for adults cost in Athens?

At the Tennessee median aide wage of $15.45 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,339 a month in wages, which is 37% of the $3,643 monthly median income of Athens households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. 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).

Can an adult with a disability hire their own caregiver?

Yes. Many state Medicaid programs offer self-direction, where the person or a representative hires and supervises the caregiver. Our guide TennCare CHOICES: how to get paid to care for a family member in Tennessee covers Tennessee.

More near Athens

More senior care near Athens

Disability Care for Adults 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.

In-Home Support for Adults With Disabilities in Athens, TN