Dementia Care in Bristol, TN: In-Home Alzheimer's Care

Local figures

Dementia Care in Bristol, TN: the local picture

594

residents 85 or older (2.1% of all residents)

5,391

residents 65 or older (20% of Bristol)

34%

of residents 65+ report a disability (37% in Sullivan County)

6+

Medicare-certified nursing homes within 25 miles

Bristol has about 594 residents aged 85 or older among 5,391 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.

34% of residents 65 and older report a disability (37% in Sullivan County). The Census counts cognitive difficulty as one kind, alongside hearing, vision, walking, self-care and living independently.

30% of older Bristol 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.

Bristol compared with Sullivan County and Tennessee

Census figure	Bristol	Sullivan County	Tennessee
Residents 85 or older	2.1%	2.0%	1.6%
Residents 65 or older	20%	22%	17%
Residents 65+ with a disability	34%	37%	36%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	30%	31%	29%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	11%	10%	11%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	2.4%	2.6%	8.6%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$44,354	$45,032	—

Older residents in towns around Bristol

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Bristol, VA	5.2 mi	3,986	513
Blountville, TN	6.5 mi	702	50
Elizabethton, TN	15 mi	2,950	428
Oak Grove, TN	15 mi	1,100	41
Spurgeon, TN	16 mi	755	137
Colonial Heights, TN	16 mi	703	49

Nursing homes near Bristol

Nursing home	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Certified beds	Phone
Nhc Healthcare, Bristol	Bristol, VA	2.6 mi	5 of 5	120	(276) 669-4711
Waters Of Bristol A Rehabilitation And Nursing	Blountville, TN	4.9 mi	4 of 5	120	(423) 274-6191
The Rehab Center At Bristol	Bristol, VA	7.0 mi	2 of 5	90	(276) 594-0032
Greystone Health Care Center	Blountville, TN	13 mi	1 of 5	160	(423) 323-7112
Ivy Hall Nursing Home	Elizabethton, TN	15 mi	5 of 5	101	(423) 542-6512
Life Care Center Of Elizabethton	Elizabethton, TN	15 mi	3 of 5	158	(423) 542-4133

Hospices serving Bristol

Hospice	Office	Distance	Phone
Ballad Health Hospice	Bristol, TN	2.1 mi	(423) 844-5252
Elite Hospice	Bristol, VA	4.5 mi	(276) 250-5520
Ballad Health Hospice	Abingdon, VA	14 mi	(276) 619-4500
Caris Healthcare, LP (Abingdon)	Abingdon, VA	14 mi	(276) 494-0465

Straight-line miles from the center of Bristol. 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 Bristol

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 36% of the $3,696 monthly median income of Bristol 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 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 Bristol: common questions

What nursing homes are near Bristol?

The closest Medicare-certified nursing homes are Nhc Healthcare, Bristol in Bristol (2.6 mi, 5 of 5 overall); Waters Of Bristol A Rehabilitation And Nursing in Blountville (4.9 mi, 4 of 5 overall); The Rehab Center At Bristol in Bristol (7.0 mi, 2 of 5 overall). Ratings are from Medicare Care Compare.

How much does dementia care cost in Bristol?

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 36% of the $3,696 monthly median income of Bristol 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).

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 Bristol

More senior care near Bristol

Dementia Care in nearby cities

Other care in Bristol

More for Bristol 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 Bristol, TN