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

Local figures

Dementia Care in Gatlinburg, TN: the local picture

115

residents 85 or older (3.1% of all residents)

838

residents 65 or older (23% of Gatlinburg)

38%

of residents 65+ report a disability (36% in Sevier County)

6+

Medicare-certified nursing homes within 25 miles

Gatlinburg has about 115 residents aged 85 or older among 838 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 (36% in Sevier County). The Census counts cognitive difficulty as one kind, alongside hearing, vision, walking, self-care and living independently.

29% of older Gatlinburg 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.

Gatlinburg compared with Sevier County and Tennessee

Census figure	Gatlinburg	Sevier County	Tennessee
Residents 85 or older	3.1%	1.8%	1.6%
Residents 65 or older	23%	20%	17%
Residents 65+ with a disability	38%	36%	36%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	29%	23%	29%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	9.7%	11%	11%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	23%	10%	8.6%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$54,474	$54,415	—

Older residents in towns around Gatlinburg

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Pigeon Forge, TN	6.4 mi	1,009	117
Sevierville, TN	12 mi	3,392	521
Seymour, TN	19 mi	2,935	299
Dandridge, TN	21 mi	814	74
Newport, TN	23 mi	1,289	174
Strawberry Plains, TN	25 mi	466	50

Nursing homes near Gatlinburg

Nursing home	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Certified beds	Phone
Smoky Mountain Health And Rehabilitation Center	Pigeon Forge, TN	5.7 mi	1 of 5	120	(865) 428-5454
Sevierville Health And Rehabilitation Center	Sevierville, TN	11 mi	4 of 5	98	(865) 453-4747
Tsali Care Center	Cherokee, NC	19 mi	2 of 5	100	(828) 497-5048
Mountain View Of Bryson City	Bryson City, NC	21 mi	1 of 5	120	(828) 488-2101
Jefferson County Nursing Home	Dandridge, TN	21 mi	3 of 5	160	(865) 397-3163
Newport TN Opco LLC	Newport, TN	22 mi	3 of 5	150	(423) 623-0929

Hospices serving Gatlinburg

Hospice	Office	Distance	Phone
Smoky Mountain Home Health And Hospice, Inc	Newport, TN	23 mi	(423) 623-0233
University Of TN Medical Center Home Care Services -Knoxville TN	Knoxville, TN	30 mi	(865) 544-6222
Amedisys Hospice An Adventa Company	Knoxville, TN	33 mi	(865) 689-7123
Covenant Hospice	Knoxville, TN	33 mi	(865) 374-0600

Straight-line miles from the center of Gatlinburg. 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 Gatlinburg

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 29% of the $4,540 monthly median income of Gatlinburg 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 Gatlinburg: common questions

What nursing homes are near Gatlinburg?

The closest Medicare-certified nursing homes are Smoky Mountain Health And Rehabilitation Center in Pigeon Forge (5.7 mi, 1 of 5 overall); Sevierville Health And Rehabilitation Center in Sevierville (11 mi, 4 of 5 overall); Tsali Care Center in Cherokee (19 mi, 2 of 5 overall). Ratings are from Medicare Care Compare.

How much does dementia care cost in Gatlinburg?

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 29% of the $4,540 monthly median income of Gatlinburg 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 Gatlinburg

More senior care near Gatlinburg

Dementia Care in nearby cities

Other care in Gatlinburg

More for Gatlinburg 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 Gatlinburg, TN