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

Local figures

Dementia Care in Etowah, TN: the local picture

139

residents 85 or older (3.8% of all residents)

842

residents 65 or older (23% of Etowah)

52%

of residents 65+ report a disability (40% in McMinn County)

6+

Medicare-certified nursing homes within 25 miles

Etowah has about 139 residents aged 85 or older among 842 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.

52% of residents 65 and older report a disability (40% in McMinn County). The Census counts cognitive difficulty as one kind, alongside hearing, vision, walking, self-care and living independently.

26% of older Etowah 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.

Etowah compared with McMinn County and Tennessee

Census figure	Etowah	McMinn County	Tennessee
Residents 85 or older	3.8%	1.9%	1.6%
Residents 65 or older	23%	20%	17%
Residents 65+ with a disability	52%	40%	36%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	26%	24%	29%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	12%	9.9%	11%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	4.2%	4.0%	8.6%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$30,511	$44,304	—

Older residents in towns around Etowah

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Athens, TN	9.3 mi	2,590	393
Madisonville, TN	16 mi	1,164	120
Sweetwater, TN	19 mi	1,620	172
Cleveland, TN	22 mi	9,174	1,278
Hopewell, TN	23 mi	436	16
Wildwood Lake, TN	25 mi	521	111

Nursing homes near Etowah

Nursing home	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Certified beds	Phone
Etowah Health And Rehabilitation	Etowah, TN	0.7 mi	1 of 5	120	(423) 263-1138
Starr Regional Health & Rehabilitation	Etowah, TN	1.9 mi	5 of 5	88	(423) 263-3646
Life Care Center Of Athens	Athens, TN	8.2 mi	2 of 5	128	(423) 745-8181
Nhc Healthcare, Athens	Athens, TN	8.5 mi	5 of 5	86	(423) 745-0434
Monroe Health And Rehabilitation Center	Madisonville, TN	14 mi	3 of 5	85	(423) 442-3990
Waters Of Sweetwater A Rehabilitation & Nursing	Sweetwater, TN	17 mi	2 of 5	90	(423) 337-6631

Hospices serving Etowah

Hospice	Office	Distance	Phone
Adoration Home Health & Hospice Care East Tennesse	Cleveland, TN	20 mi	(423) 479-4581
Gentiva I	Cleveland, TN	20 mi	(423) 458-6455
Hospice Of Chattanooga Holdings, LLC	Chattanooga, TN	41 mi	(423) 892-4289
Amedisys Hospice, An Adventa Company	Chattanooga, TN	41 mi	(423) 499-0018

Straight-line miles from the center of Etowah. 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 Etowah

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 53% of the $2,543 monthly median income of Etowah 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 Etowah: common questions

What nursing homes are near Etowah?

The closest Medicare-certified nursing homes are Etowah Health And Rehabilitation in Etowah (0.7 mi, 1 of 5 overall); Starr Regional Health & Rehabilitation in Etowah (1.9 mi, 5 of 5 overall); Life Care Center Of Athens in Athens (8.2 mi, 2 of 5 overall). Ratings are from Medicare Care Compare.

How much does dementia care cost in Etowah?

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 53% of the $2,543 monthly median income of Etowah 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 Etowah

More senior care near Etowah

Dementia Care in nearby cities

Other care in Etowah

More for Etowah 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 Etowah, TN