Dementia Care in Avoca, PA: In-Home Alzheimer's Care

Local figures

Dementia Care in Avoca, PA: the local picture

42

residents 85 or older (1.7% of all residents)

549

residents 65 or older (22% of Avoca)

27%

of residents 65+ report a disability (32% in Luzerne County)

6+

Medicare-certified nursing homes within 25 miles

Avoca has about 42 residents aged 85 or older among 549 aged 65 or older. The risk of Alzheimer’s rises steeply with age, and the Alzheimer’s Association estimates that about a third of people 85 and older have Alzheimer’s dementia.

27% of residents 65 and older report a disability (32% in Luzerne County). The Census counts cognitive difficulty as one kind, alongside hearing, vision, walking, self-care and living independently.

28% of older Avoca residents in households live alone. For someone with memory loss who lives alone, a few hours of daily check-ins are often the first step.

Avoca compared with Luzerne County and Pennsylvania

Census figure	Avoca	Luzerne County	Pennsylvania
Residents 85 or older	1.7%	2.5%	2.4%
Residents 65 or older	22%	20%	19%
Residents 65+ with a disability	27%	32%	32%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	28%	33%	30%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	4.9%	11%	9.9%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	1.3%	16%	12%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$55,536	$49,926	—

Older residents in towns around Avoca

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Dupont, PA	1.0 mi	486	30
Duryea, PA	2.0 mi	980	117
Old Forge, PA	2.2 mi	2,099	281
Moosic, PA	2.3 mi	1,317	306
Pittston, PA	2.4 mi	1,369	133
West Pittston, PA	3.1 mi	1,030	59

Nursing homes near Avoca

Nursing home	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Certified beds	Phone
Oak Ridge Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center	Taylor, PA	3.0 mi	1 of 5	142	(570) 562-2102
Scranton Health Care Center	Scranton, PA	3.9 mi	4 of 5	44	(570) 341-6676
Highland Manor Rehabilitation And Nursing Center	Exeter, PA	4.7 mi	2 of 5	120	(570) 655-3791
Wesley Village	Pittston, PA	4.7 mi	3 of 5	160	(570) 655-2891
Linwood Nursing And Rehabilitation Center	Scranton, PA	5.4 mi	1 of 5	102	(570) 346-7381
Embassy Of East Mountain	Wilkes-Barre, PA	6.5 mi	1 of 5	120	(570) 825-5892

Hospices serving Avoca

Hospice	Office	Distance	Phone
Hospice Of The Sacred Heart	Moosic, PA	3.4 mi	(570) 706-2400
Residential Healthcare Of NE Pa, LLC	Moosic, PA	3.4 mi	(888) 923-5842
Commonwealth Hospice Of Berwick	Forty Fort, PA	8.9 mi	(570) 231-5407
Traditional Hospice	Dunmore, PA	9.6 mi	(570) 207-9286

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

What it covers

What a dementia caregiver can help with

Keeping a predictable daily routine
Gentle help with bathing, dressing and toileting
Meals, hydration and medication reminders
Calming approaches for sundowning, agitation and repeated questions

Cost

What dementia care costs in Avoca

At the Pennsylvania median aide wage of $14.14 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,225 a month in wages, which is 26% of the $4,628 monthly median income of Avoca households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Pennsylvania's minimum wage is $7.25 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 dementia caregiver

An estimated 7.2 million Americans aged 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s dementia, according to the Alzheimer’s Association 2025 Facts and Figures. Most live at home, cared for by family. The Association’s 24/7 Helpline (1-800-272-3900) is free.

Questions worth asking: Tell me about someone with dementia you cared for. What worked? What do you do when a client becomes agitated in the late afternoon? How do you keep someone safe who tries to leave the house? More in our dementia care guide.

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

Questions

Dementia Care in Avoca: common questions

What nursing homes are near Avoca?

The closest Medicare-certified nursing homes are Oak Ridge Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center in Taylor (3.0 mi, 1 of 5 overall); Scranton Health Care Center in Scranton (3.9 mi, 4 of 5 overall); Highland Manor Rehabilitation And Nursing Center in Exeter (4.7 mi, 2 of 5 overall). Ratings are from Medicare Care Compare.

How much does dementia care cost in Avoca?

At the Pennsylvania median aide wage of $14.14 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,225 a month in wages, which is 26% of the $4,628 monthly median income of Avoca households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Pennsylvania's minimum wage is $7.25 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

When does someone with dementia need care at home?

Common signs are missed meals or medication, getting lost in familiar places, unsafe cooking or driving, and a family caregiver who is exhausted. Many families start with a few hours a day and add hours, nights or live-in help as the disease progresses.

More near Avoca

More senior care near Avoca

Dementia Care in nearby cities

Other care in Avoca

More for Avoca 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 Dementia and Alzheimer's Care in Avoca, PA