Companion Care in Memphis, TN: Senior Companions at Home

Local figures

Companion Care in Memphis, TN: the local picture

89,268

residents 65 or older (14% of Memphis)

38%

of residents 65+ in households live alone (33% in Shelby County)

11%

of residents 5+ speak a language other than English at home

10%

of households have no vehicle (8.2% in Shelby County)

About 33,025 residents of Memphis aged 65 or older live alone, 38% of older residents in households (33% in Shelby County). They are the people companion care is usually for: mostly independent, but on their own for long stretches of the day.

10% of Memphis households have no vehicle (8.2% in Shelby County). A companion who drives can turn a week at home into appointments, shopping and visits.

Of the 89,268 Memphis residents aged 65 or older, 8,199 are 85 or older (9.2%). Before the first visit with someone in that oldest group, ask the family about hearing, eyesight, walking and any memory changes, so the visit is planned around them.

43,727 Memphis households headed by someone 65 or older own their home and 18,914 rent. A companion visiting a house may also help with mail, light chores and keeping an eye on things; in an apartment building, ask whether visitors sign in.

About 14,835 older Memphis residents (17%) live below the poverty line (13% in Shelby County). For them, Medicaid home and community-based services or the local Area Agency on Aging may cover some companion or homemaker hours, depending on the state program; private pay is not the only route.

About 11% of Memphis residents aged 5 and over speak a language other than English at home. The most common are Spanish (48,116), other languages (3,290), other Indo-European languages (3,042). If the person you care for is more at ease in one of these languages, say so in your posting; many caregivers list the languages they speak.

Memphis compared with Shelby County and Tennessee

Census figure	Memphis	Shelby County	Tennessee
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	38%	33%	29%
Residents 65 or older	14%	15%	17%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	11%	11%	8.6%
Households with no vehicle	10%	8.2%	5.2%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	17%	13%	11%
Residents 65+ with a disability	35%	33%	36%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$45,532	$54,632	—

Older residents in towns around Memphis

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Live alone (65+)
Germantown, TN	11 mi	9,854	29%
Southaven, MS	11 mi	7,431	27%
Horn Lake, MS	12 mi	2,935	26%
Bartlett, TN	12 mi	10,412	18%
Olive Branch, MS	13 mi	6,291	20%
West Memphis, AR	13 mi	3,648	36%

Hospitals near Memphis (for rides to appointments)

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Methodist Hospitals Of Memphis	Memphis, TN	2.6 mi	3 of 5	(901) 516-8274
Memphis Va Medical Center	Memphis, TN	4.6 mi	3 of 5	(901) 523-8990
Delta Specialty Hospital	Memphis, TN	4.6 mi	not rated	(901) 369-8100

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

What it covers

What a companion caregiver can help with

Conversation, cards, puzzles and shared hobbies
Walks and outings to the park, library or senior center
Company at meals, and help preparing them
Rides or escort to appointments, church and visits

Cost

What companion care costs in Memphis

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 35% of the $3,794 monthly median income of Memphis 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 companion caregiver

Isolation is a health risk, not only a mood. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine found that nearly one in four Americans aged 65 and older living in the community is socially isolated, and linked isolation to higher risks of dementia, heart disease and early death (2020 report).

Questions worth asking: What do you enjoy doing with the people you care for? Are you comfortable driving, and is your car insured for passengers? How do you handle a client who does not want company at first? More in our companion care guide.

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

Questions

Companion Care in Memphis: common questions

How many seniors live alone in Memphis?

About 33,025 residents aged 65 or older, 38% of older residents in households (Census ACS 2020–2024) (33% in Shelby County).

How much does companion care cost in Memphis?

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 35% of the $3,794 monthly median income of Memphis 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).

What does a companion caregiver do in Memphis?

A companion keeps an older adult company and helps around the visit: conversation, activities, walks, meals, errands, rides and reminders. It suits someone who is mostly independent but lonely, or a family that wants someone to check in on weekdays.

More near Memphis

More senior care near Memphis

Companion Care in nearby cities

Other care in Memphis

More for Memphis 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.

Companion Care for Seniors in Memphis, TN