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

Local figures

Dementia Care in East Ridge, TN: the local picture

693

residents 85 or older (3.1% of all residents)

4,078

residents 65 or older (18% of East Ridge)

38%

of residents 65+ report a disability (33% in Hamilton County)

6+

Medicare-certified nursing homes within 25 miles

East Ridge has about 693 residents aged 85 or older among 4,078 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.

38% of residents 65 and older report a disability (33% in Hamilton County). The Census counts cognitive difficulty as one kind, alongside hearing, vision, walking, self-care and living independently.

33% of older East Ridge 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.

East Ridge compared with Hamilton County and Tennessee

Census figure	East Ridge	Hamilton County	Tennessee
Residents 85 or older	3.1%	2.0%	1.6%
Residents 65 or older	18%	18%	17%
Residents 65+ with a disability	38%	33%	36%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	33%	29%	29%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	10%	9.4%	11%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	15%	9.5%	8.6%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$40,905	$56,058	—

Older residents in towns around East Ridge

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Lakeview, GA	2.0 mi	897	77
Rossville, GA	3.8 mi	784	161
Fort Oglethorpe, GA	4.6 mi	2,805	699
Chattanooga, TN	4.9 mi	32,190	3,484
Fairview, GA	6.0 mi	1,165	219
Chattanooga Valley, GA	8.2 mi	804	30

Nursing homes near East Ridge

Nursing home	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Certified beds	Phone
Life Care Center Of East Ridge	Chattanooga, TN	1.3 mi	3 of 5	108	(423) 894-1254
Pruitthealth - Fort Oglethorpe	Fort Oglethorpe, GA	3.2 mi	3 of 5	120	(706) 861-5154
Nhc Healthcare, Chattanooga	Chattanooga, TN	3.4 mi	4 of 5	200	(423) 624-1533
Nhc Healthcare Ft Oglethorpe	Fort Oglethorpe, GA	3.6 mi	5 of 5	135	(706) 866-7700
Center For Advanced Rehab At Parkside, The	Rossville, GA	4.3 mi	3 of 5	125	(706) 858-5000
Nhc Healthcare Rossville	Rossville, GA	4.3 mi	2 of 5	112	(706) 861-0863

Hospices serving East Ridge

Hospice	Office	Distance	Phone
Hearth Hospice	Fort Oglethorpe, GA	3.3 mi	(706) 866-9854
Hospice Of Chattanooga Holdings, LLC	Chattanooga, TN	5.1 mi	(423) 892-4289
Amedisys Hospice, An Adventa Company	Chattanooga, TN	5.1 mi	(423) 499-0018
Caris Healthcare	Chattanooga, TN	5.1 mi	(423) 899-4044

Straight-line miles from the center of East Ridge. 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 East Ridge

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 39% of the $3,409 monthly median income of East Ridge 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 East Ridge: common questions

What nursing homes are near East Ridge?

The closest Medicare-certified nursing homes are Life Care Center Of East Ridge in Chattanooga (1.3 mi, 3 of 5 overall); Pruitthealth - Fort Oglethorpe in Fort Oglethorpe (3.2 mi, 3 of 5 overall); Nhc Healthcare, Chattanooga in Chattanooga (3.4 mi, 4 of 5 overall). Ratings are from Medicare Care Compare.

How much does dementia care cost in East Ridge?

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 39% of the $3,409 monthly median income of East Ridge 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 East Ridge

More senior care near East Ridge

Dementia Care in nearby cities

Other care in East Ridge

More for East Ridge 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 East Ridge, TN