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

Local figures

Dementia Care in Dayton, TN: the local picture

186

residents 85 or older (2.4% of all residents)

1,465

residents 65 or older (19% of Dayton)

45%

of residents 65+ report a disability (38% in Rhea County)

6+

Medicare-certified nursing homes within 25 miles

Dayton has about 186 residents aged 85 or older among 1,465 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.

45% of residents 65 and older report a disability (38% in Rhea County). The Census counts cognitive difficulty as one kind, alongside hearing, vision, walking, self-care and living independently.

27% of older Dayton 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.

Dayton compared with Rhea County and Tennessee

Census figure	Dayton	Rhea County	Tennessee
Residents 85 or older	2.4%	1.6%	1.6%
Residents 65 or older	19%	20%	17%
Residents 65+ with a disability	45%	38%	36%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	27%	28%	29%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	8.7%	13%	11%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	8.2%	4.7%	8.6%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$37,105	$44,248	—

Older residents in towns around Dayton

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Sale Creek, TN	8.6 mi	734	43
Hopewell, TN	19 mi	436	16
Soddy-Daisy, TN	19 mi	2,752	288
Athens, TN	23 mi	2,590	393
Cleveland, TN	23 mi	9,174	1,278
Dunlap, TN	23 mi	1,354	230

Nursing homes near Dayton

Nursing home	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Certified beds	Phone
Life Care Center Of Rhea County	Dayton, TN	3.5 mi	4 of 5	89	(423) 847-6777
Laurelbrook Nursing Home	Dayton, TN	5.8 mi	4 of 5	50	(423) 775-0771
Decatur Wellness And Rehabilitation Center	Decatur, TN	12 mi	3 of 5	88	(423) 334-3002
Bledsoe County Nursing Home	Pikeville, TN	13 mi	4 of 5	50	(423) 447-6811
Spring City Care And Rehabilitation Center	Spring City, TN	15 mi	4 of 5	138	(423) 365-4355
Soddy-Daisy Health Care Center	Soddy-Daisy, TN	20 mi	3 of 5	134	(423) 332-0060

Hospices serving Dayton

Hospice	Office	Distance	Phone
Adoration Home Health & Hospice Care East Tennesse	Cleveland, TN	22 mi	(423) 479-4581
Hospice Of Chattanooga Holdings, LLC	Chattanooga, TN	33 mi	(423) 892-4289
Amedisys Hospice, An Adventa Company	Chattanooga, TN	33 mi	(423) 499-0018
Caris Healthcare	Chattanooga, TN	33 mi	(423) 899-4044

Straight-line miles from the center of Dayton. 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 Dayton

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 43% of the $3,092 monthly median income of Dayton 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 Dayton: common questions

What nursing homes are near Dayton?

The closest Medicare-certified nursing homes are Life Care Center Of Rhea County in Dayton (3.5 mi, 4 of 5 overall); Laurelbrook Nursing Home in Dayton (5.8 mi, 4 of 5 overall); Decatur Wellness And Rehabilitation Center in Decatur (12 mi, 3 of 5 overall). Ratings are from Medicare Care Compare.

How much does dementia care cost in Dayton?

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 43% of the $3,092 monthly median income of Dayton 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 Dayton

More senior care near Dayton

Dementia Care in nearby cities

Other care in Dayton

More for Dayton 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 Dayton, TN