Cottage Grove, Wisconsin

In-Home Dementia and Alzheimer's Care in Cottage Grove, WI

Help at home for someone living with Alzheimer’s or another dementia: steady routines, safety and patience with changes in memory and mood. Post what you need in Cottage Grove for free and hire a caregiver directly, with no agency mark-up.

A woman and an older man talking across a wooden table at home
Local figures

Dementia Care in Cottage Grove, WI: the local picture

109
residents 85 or older (1.3% of all residents)
1,006
residents 65 or older (12% of Cottage Grove)
21%
of residents 65+ report a disability (24% in Dane County)
6+
Medicare-certified nursing homes within 25 miles

Cottage Grove has about 109 residents aged 85 or older among 1,006 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.

21% of residents 65 and older report a disability (24% in Dane County). The Census counts cognitive difficulty as one kind, alongside hearing, vision, walking, self-care and living independently.

37% of older Cottage Grove 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.

Cottage Grove compared with Dane County and Wisconsin

Census figureCottage GroveDane CountyWisconsin
Residents 85 or older1.3%1.7%2.1%
Residents 65 or older12%15%19%
Residents 65+ with a disability21%24%28%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone37%30%30%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)2.9%6.0%9.1%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home8.0%12%9.0%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+$92,885$72,639—

Older residents in towns around Cottage Grove

TownDistanceResidents 65+Residents 85+
McFarland, WI6.4 mi1,488142
Sun Prairie, WI6.5 mi5,317921
Monona, WI7.0 mi1,869157
Deerfield, WI7.2 mi29322
Marshall, WI9.0 mi38918
Windsor, WI11 mi1,28452

Nursing homes near Cottage Grove

Nursing homeTownDistanceCMS overall ratingCertified bedsPhone
Oak Park Nursing And Rehab CenterMadison, WI3.9 mi1 of 5100(608) 663-8600
Madison Health And Rehabilitation CenterMadison, WI5.5 mi1 of 583(608) 249-7391
Oakwood Village East Health And Rehab CenterMadison, WI6.0 mi3 of 540(608) 230-4000
Avina Of Sun PrairieSun Prairie, WI6.3 mi5 of 550(608) 837-8529
Sun Prairie Senior LivingSun Prairie, WI6.3 mi3 of 552(608) 837-5959
Capitol Lakes Health CenterMadison, WI9.3 mi4 of 549(608) 283-2000

Hospices serving Cottage Grove

HospiceOfficeDistancePhone
Heartland Hospice MadisonMadison, WI3.5 mi(608) 819-0033
Bristol Hospice MadisonMadison, WI10 mi(608) 960-7699
Interim Healthcare Of WI MadisonMadison, WI10 mi(608) 238-0268
Agrace HospicecareMadison, WI13 mi(608) 276-4660

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

At the Wisconsin median aide wage of $17.47 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,514 a month in wages, which is 20% of the $7,740 monthly median income of Cottage Grove households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Wisconsin'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 IRIS in Wisconsin: how a family member gets paid as a caregiver.

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 Cottage Grove: common questions

What nursing homes are near Cottage Grove?

The closest Medicare-certified nursing homes are Oak Park Nursing And Rehab Center in Madison (3.9 mi, 1 of 5 overall); Madison Health And Rehabilitation Center in Madison (5.5 mi, 1 of 5 overall); Oakwood Village East Health And Rehab Center in Madison (6.0 mi, 3 of 5 overall). Ratings are from Medicare Care Compare.

How much does dementia care cost in Cottage Grove?

At the Wisconsin median aide wage of $17.47 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,514 a month in wages, which is 20% of the $7,740 monthly median income of Cottage Grove households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Wisconsin'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.

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.

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