Dementia Care in Laurel, MS: In-Home Alzheimer's Care

Local figures

Dementia Care in Laurel, MS: the local picture

469

residents 85 or older (2.7% of all residents)

2,504

residents 65 or older (14% of Laurel)

46%

of residents 65+ report a disability (45% in Jones County)

6+

Medicare-certified nursing homes within 25 miles

Laurel has about 469 residents aged 85 or older among 2,504 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.

46% of residents 65 and older report a disability (45% in Jones County). The Census counts cognitive difficulty as one kind, alongside hearing, vision, walking, self-care and living independently.

36% of older Laurel 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.

Laurel compared with Jones County and Mississippi

Census figure	Laurel	Jones County	Mississippi
Residents 85 or older	2.7%	2.4%	1.7%
Residents 65 or older	14%	18%	17%
Residents 65+ with a disability	46%	45%	41%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	36%	27%	30%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	14%	12%	15%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	8.8%	5.4%	4.3%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$48,036	$36,332	—

Older residents in towns around Laurel

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Ellisville, MS	7.4 mi	850	126
Petal, MS	24 mi	1,713	219
Hattiesburg, MS	28 mi	6,399	648
West Hattiesburg, MS	30 mi	709	66
Waynesboro, MS	30 mi	850	56
Magee, MS	37 mi	514	64

Nursing homes near Laurel

Nursing home	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Certified beds	Phone
Care Center Of Laurel	Laurel, MS	1.1 mi	3 of 5	120	(601) 649-8006
Laurelwood Community Living Center	Laurel, MS	1.3 mi	1 of 5	60	(601) 425-3191
Comfort Care Nursing Center	Laurel, MS	1.3 mi	2 of 5	126	(601) 422-0022
Jones Co Rest Home	Ellisville, MS	7.3 mi	2 of 5	122	(601) 477-3334
Jasper County NH	Bay Springs, MS	18 mi	1 of 5	110	(601) 764-2101
Landmark Of Collins	Collins, MS	24 mi	4 of 5	60	(601) 765-8262

Hospices serving Laurel

Hospice	Office	Distance	Phone
Comfortcare Hospice	Laurel, MS	1.4 mi	(601) 422-0054
Deaconess Hospice	Laurel, MS	1.4 mi	(601) 261-4010
Heart Of Hospice, LLC - Southern	Hattiesburg, MS	28 mi	(601) 714-1221
Homecare Hospice South, LLC Dba Legacy Hospice Of The South	Hattiesburg, MS	28 mi	(601) 909-6105

Straight-line miles from the center of Laurel. 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 Laurel

At the Mississippi median aide wage of $11.47 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $994 a month in wages, which is 25% of the $4,003 monthly median income of Laurel households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Mississippi 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 Medicaid programs for family caregivers: who can be paid, and the rules in 12 states.

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 Laurel: common questions

What nursing homes are near Laurel?

The closest Medicare-certified nursing homes are Care Center Of Laurel in Laurel (1.1 mi, 3 of 5 overall); Laurelwood Community Living Center in Laurel (1.3 mi, 1 of 5 overall); Comfort Care Nursing Center in Laurel (1.3 mi, 2 of 5 overall). Ratings are from Medicare Care Compare.

How much does dementia care cost in Laurel?

At the Mississippi median aide wage of $11.47 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $994 a month in wages, which is 25% of the $4,003 monthly median income of Laurel households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Mississippi 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 Laurel

More senior care near Laurel

Dementia Care in nearby cities

Other care in Laurel

More for Laurel 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 Laurel, MS