Companion Care in Oak Grove, TN: Senior Companions at Home

Local figures

Companion Care in Oak Grove, TN: the local picture

1,100

residents 65 or older (24% of Oak Grove)

17%

of residents 65+ in households live alone (28% in Washington County)

0.6%

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

0.5%

of households have no vehicle (5.2% in Washington County)

About 181 residents of Oak Grove aged 65 or older live alone, 17% of older residents in households (28% in Washington County). They are the people companion care is usually for: mostly independent, but on their own for long stretches of the day.

0.5% of Oak Grove households have no vehicle (5.2% in Washington County). A companion who drives can turn a week at home into appointments, shopping and visits.

Of the 1,100 Oak Grove residents aged 65 or older, 41 are 85 or older (3.7%). 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.

509 Oak Grove households headed by someone 65 or older own their home and 129 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 176 older Oak Grove residents (17%) live below the poverty line (11% in Washington 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.

Oak Grove compared with Washington County and Tennessee

Census figure	Oak Grove	Washington County	Tennessee
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	17%	28%	29%
Residents 65 or older	24%	19%	17%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	0.6%	4.7%	8.6%
Households with no vehicle	0.5%	5.2%	5.2%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	17%	11%	11%
Residents 65+ with a disability	31%	39%	36%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$51,054	$51,119	—

Older residents in towns around Oak Grove

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Live alone (65+)
Spurgeon, TN	2.0 mi	755	31%
Colonial Heights, TN	5.7 mi	703	47%
Johnson City, TN	6.4 mi	11,382	40%
Kingsport, TN	8.9 mi	13,132	34%
Jonesborough, TN	9.2 mi	1,309	38%
Blountville, TN	9.5 mi	702	8.8%

Hospitals near Oak Grove (for rides to appointments)

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Johnson City Medical Center	Johnson City, TN	8.4 mi	1 of 5	(423) 431-6111
Franklin Woods Community Hospital	Johnson City, TN	8.4 mi	3 of 5	(423) 302-1120
Mountain Home Va Medical Center	Mountain Home, TN	8.6 mi	5 of 5	(423) 926-1171

Straight-line miles from the center of Oak Grove. 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 Oak Grove

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 31% of the $4,255 monthly median income of Oak Grove 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 Oak Grove: common questions

How many seniors live alone in Oak Grove?

About 181 residents aged 65 or older, 17% of older residents in households (Census ACS 2020–2024) (28% in Washington County).

How much does companion care cost in Oak Grove?

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 31% of the $4,255 monthly median income of Oak Grove 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 Oak Grove?

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 Oak Grove

More senior care near Oak Grove

Companion Care in nearby cities

Other care in Oak Grove

More for Oak Grove 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 Oak Grove, TN