Dementia Care in Great Falls, VA: In-Home Alzheimer's Care

Local figures

Dementia Care in Great Falls, VA: the local picture

204

residents 85 or older (1.3% of all residents)

2,763

residents 65 or older (18% of Great Falls)

22%

of residents 65+ report a disability (24% in Fairfax County)

6+

Medicare-certified nursing homes within 25 miles

Great Falls has about 204 residents aged 85 or older among 2,763 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.

22% of residents 65 and older report a disability (24% in Fairfax County). The Census counts cognitive difficulty as one kind, alongside hearing, vision, walking, self-care and living independently.

14% of older Great Falls 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.

Great Falls compared with Fairfax County and Virginia

Census figure	Great Falls	Fairfax County	Virginia
Residents 85 or older	1.3%	1.6%	1.7%
Residents 65 or older	18%	15%	17%
Residents 65+ with a disability	22%	24%	31%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	14%	22%	27%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	3.8%	5.2%	8.8%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	29%	39%	17%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$230,560	$119,967	—

Older residents in towns around Great Falls

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Sugarland Run, VA	3.7 mi	1,431	33
Lowes Island, VA	3.8 mi	1,323	116
Dranesville, VA	3.8 mi	1,858	140
Travilah, MD	4.3 mi	2,674	380
Reston, VA	4.9 mi	10,441	1,090
Cascades, VA	5.2 mi	1,803	259

Nursing homes near Great Falls

Nursing home	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Certified beds	Phone
Potomac Falls Health & Rehab Center	Sterling, VA	4.7 mi	3 of 5	150	(703) 834-5800
Johnson Cntr/Falcons Landing	Potomac Falls, VA	4.7 mi	5 of 5	60	(703) 404-5201
Montcare At Potomac	Potomac, MD	5.6 mi	5 of 5	168	(301) 299-2453
The Village At Rockville	Rockville, MD	7.2 mi	3 of 5	160	(301) 424-9560
Ashby Ponds Inc	Ashburn, VA	8.2 mi	4 of 5	44	(571) 291-6200
Collingswood Rehabilitation And Healthcare Center	Rockville, MD	8.4 mi	2 of 5	160	(301) 762-8900

Hospices serving Great Falls

Hospice	Office	Distance	Phone
Caregivers Hospice	Vienna, VA	6.2 mi	(571) 766-0922
The Medical Team	Reston, VA	6.2 mi	(703) 390-2300
Promedica Hospice (Fairfax)	Farifax, VA	10 mi	(703) 273-8693
Phs Hospice Care	Fairfax, VA	11 mi	(703) 352-1939

Straight-line miles from the center of Great Falls. 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 Great Falls

At the Virginia median aide wage of $14.57 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,263 a month in wages, which is 7% of the $19,213 monthly median income of Great Falls households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Virginia's minimum wage is $12.77 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 Consumer directed care in Virginia: how relatives are paid to give care through CCC Plus.

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 Great Falls: common questions

What nursing homes are near Great Falls?

The closest Medicare-certified nursing homes are Potomac Falls Health & Rehab Center in Sterling (4.7 mi, 3 of 5 overall); Johnson Cntr/Falcons Landing in Potomac Falls (4.7 mi, 5 of 5 overall); Montcare At Potomac in Potomac (5.6 mi, 5 of 5 overall). Ratings are from Medicare Care Compare.

How much does dementia care cost in Great Falls?

At the Virginia median aide wage of $14.57 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,263 a month in wages, which is 7% of the $19,213 monthly median income of Great Falls households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Virginia's minimum wage is $12.77 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.

More near Great Falls

More senior care near Great Falls

Dementia Care in nearby cities

Other care in Great Falls

More for Great Falls 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 Great Falls, VA