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

Local figures

Dementia Care in Knoxville, TN: the local picture

3,348

residents 85 or older (1.7% of all residents)

28,120

residents 65 or older (14% of Knoxville)

36%

of residents 65+ report a disability (32% in Knox County)

6+

Medicare-certified nursing homes within 25 miles

Knoxville has about 3,348 residents aged 85 or older among 28,120 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.

36% of residents 65 and older report a disability (32% in Knox County). The Census counts cognitive difficulty as one kind, alongside hearing, vision, walking, self-care and living independently.

42% of older Knoxville 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.

Knoxville compared with Knox County and Tennessee

Census figure	Knoxville	Knox County	Tennessee
Residents 85 or older	1.7%	1.7%	1.6%
Residents 65 or older	14%	16%	17%
Residents 65+ with a disability	36%	32%	36%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	42%	30%	29%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	14%	9.5%	11%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	9.3%	8.7%	8.6%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$40,720	$56,033	—

Older residents in towns around Knoxville

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Powell, TN	6.4 mi	2,329	296
Halls, TN	7.7 mi	2,785	235
Karns, TN	9.0 mi	798	58
Alcoa, TN	11 mi	2,276	255
Louisville, TN	12 mi	1,059	65
Seymour, TN	12 mi	2,935	299

Nursing homes near Knoxville

Nursing home	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Certified beds	Phone
Nhc Healthcare, Ft Sanders	Knoxville, TN	1.0 mi	3 of 5	160	(865) 525-4131
Fort Sanders Tcu	Knoxville, TN	1.2 mi	4 of 5	24	(865) 541-1111
Nhc Healthcare, Knoxville	Knoxville, TN	1.8 mi	3 of 5	127	(865) 524-7366
Creekview Health And Rehabilitation	Knoxville, TN	2.5 mi	2 of 5	91	(865) 686-7300
Island Home Park Health And Rehab	Knoxville, TN	3.4 mi	4 of 5	95	(865) 573-9621
Lyonsview Health And Rehabilitation Center	Knoxville, TN	3.9 mi	1 of 5	222	(865) 584-3902

Hospices serving Knoxville

Hospice	Office	Distance	Phone
University Of TN Medical Center Home Care Services -Knoxville TN	Knoxville, TN	2.7 mi	(865) 544-6222
Covenant Hospice	Knoxville, TN	4.5 mi	(865) 374-0600
Suncrest Hospice	Knoxville, TN	4.5 mi	(865) 925-5500
Amedisys Hospice An Adventa Company	Knoxville, TN	5.7 mi	(865) 689-7123

Straight-line miles from the center of Knoxville. 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 Knoxville

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 $3,393 monthly median income of Knoxville 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 Knoxville: common questions

What nursing homes are near Knoxville?

The closest Medicare-certified nursing homes are Nhc Healthcare, Ft Sanders in Knoxville (1.0 mi, 3 of 5 overall); Fort Sanders Tcu in Knoxville (1.2 mi, 4 of 5 overall); Nhc Healthcare, Knoxville in Knoxville (1.8 mi, 3 of 5 overall). Ratings are from Medicare Care Compare.

How much does dementia care cost in Knoxville?

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 $3,393 monthly median income of Knoxville 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 Knoxville

More senior care near Knoxville

Dementia Care in nearby cities

Other care in Knoxville

More for Knoxville 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 Knoxville, TN