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

Local figures

Dementia Care in Oak Ridge, TN: the local picture

854

residents 85 or older (2.6% of all residents)

6,408

residents 65 or older (20% of Oak Ridge)

37%

of residents 65+ report a disability (42% in Anderson County)

6+

Medicare-certified nursing homes within 25 miles

Oak Ridge has about 854 residents aged 85 or older among 6,408 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.

37% of residents 65 and older report a disability (42% in Anderson County). The Census counts cognitive difficulty as one kind, alongside hearing, vision, walking, self-care and living independently.

35% of older Oak Ridge 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.

Oak Ridge compared with Anderson County and Tennessee

Census figure	Oak Ridge	Anderson County	Tennessee
Residents 85 or older	2.6%	2.2%	1.6%
Residents 65 or older	20%	20%	17%
Residents 65+ with a disability	37%	42%	36%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	35%	29%	29%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	9.0%	13%	11%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	8.8%	5.0%	8.6%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$66,434	$52,388	—

Older residents in towns around Oak Ridge

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Oliver Springs, TN	5.5 mi	793	24
Farragut, TN	8.8 mi	5,514	642
Coalfield, TN	9.3 mi	483	16
Karns, TN	10 mi	798	58
Lenoir City, TN	10 mi	2,332	202
Clinton, TN	13 mi	2,368	307

Nursing homes near Oak Ridge

Nursing home	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Certified beds	Phone
Nhc Healthcare, Oak Ridge	Oak Ridge, TN	4.8 mi	4 of 5	128	(865) 482-7698
Diversicare Of Oak Ridge	Oak Ridge, TN	5.1 mi	1 of 5	120	(865) 481-3367
Senator Ben Atchley State Veterans' Home	Knoxville, TN	9.9 mi	5 of 5	140	(865) 862-8100
Nhc Healthcare, Farragut	Knoxville, TN	12 mi	5 of 5	106	(865) 777-4000
Wellpark Health And Rehabilitation	Knoxville, TN	14 mi	3 of 5	32	(865) 690-3411
Legacy Park Health And Rehabilitation	Knoxville, TN	14 mi	1 of 5	176	(865) 690-3411

Hospices serving Oak Ridge

Hospice	Office	Distance	Phone
Caris Healthcare	Knoxville, TN	9.7 mi	(865) 694-4988
Shalom Hospice Of Greater Knoxville LLC	Knoxville, TN	12 mi	(865) 551-7001
Covenant Hospice	Knoxville, TN	15 mi	(865) 374-0600
Suncrest Hospice	Knoxville, TN	15 mi	(865) 925-5500

Straight-line miles from the center of Oak Ridge. 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 Oak Ridge

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 24% of the $5,536 monthly median income of Oak Ridge 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 Oak Ridge: common questions

What nursing homes are near Oak Ridge?

The closest Medicare-certified nursing homes are Nhc Healthcare, Oak Ridge in Oak Ridge (4.8 mi, 4 of 5 overall); Diversicare Of Oak Ridge in Oak Ridge (5.1 mi, 1 of 5 overall); Senator Ben Atchley State Veterans' Home in Knoxville (9.9 mi, 5 of 5 overall). Ratings are from Medicare Care Compare.

How much does dementia care cost in Oak Ridge?

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 24% of the $5,536 monthly median income of Oak Ridge 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 Oak Ridge

More senior care near Oak Ridge

Dementia Care in nearby cities

Other care in Oak Ridge

More for Oak Ridge 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 Oak Ridge, TN