Dementia Care in Port St. Joe, FL: In-Home Alzheimer's Care

Local figures

Dementia Care in Port St. Joe, FL: the local picture

51

residents 85 or older (1.4% of all residents)

1,068

residents 65 or older (30% of Port St. Joe)

29%

of residents 65+ report a disability (34% in Gulf County)

1

Medicare-certified nursing homes within 25 miles

Port St. Joe has about 51 residents aged 85 or older among 1,068 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.

29% of residents 65 and older report a disability (34% in Gulf County). The Census counts cognitive difficulty as one kind, alongside hearing, vision, walking, self-care and living independently.

27% of older Port St. Joe 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.

Port St. Joe compared with Gulf County and Florida

Census figure	Port St. Joe	Gulf County	Florida
Residents 85 or older	1.4%	1.7%	2.6%
Residents 65 or older	30%	24%	21%
Residents 65+ with a disability	29%	34%	31%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	27%	24%	25%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	4.5%	7.9%	12%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	5.0%	5.9%	31%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$47,162	$55,128	—

Older residents in towns around Port St. Joe

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Callaway, FL	26 mi	1,609	92
Eastpoint, FL	27 mi	689	24
Parker, FL	28 mi	854	113
Springfield, FL	30 mi	1,456	165
Cedar Grove, FL	32 mi	653	51
Panama City, FL	32 mi	6,220	920

Nursing homes near Port St. Joe

Nursing home	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Certified beds	Phone
Shores Nursing And Rehab Center	Port Saint Joe, FL	0.8 mi	1 of 5	120	(850) 229-8244

Hospices serving Port St. Joe

Hospice	Office	Distance	Phone
Emerald Coast Hospice	Panama City, FL	34 mi	(850) 769-0055
Vitas Healthcare Corporation Of Florida	Tallahassee, FL	79 mi	(850) 575-4998
Big Bend Hospice Inc	Tallahassee, FL	79 mi	(850) 878-5310
Heritage Hospice, Inc	Marietta, GA	295 mi	(770) 423-5959

Straight-line miles from the center of Port St. Joe. 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 Port St. Joe

At the Florida median aide wage of $16.25 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,408 a month in wages, which is 36% of the $3,930 monthly median income of Port St. Joe households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Florida's minimum wage rose to $15.00 an hour on September 30, 2026, under Article X, Section 24 of the Florida Constitution.

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 How to get paid to take care of a family member in Florida: SMMC LTC and the PDO.

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 Port St. Joe: common questions

What nursing homes are near Port St. Joe?

The closest Medicare-certified nursing homes are Shores Nursing And Rehab Center in Port Saint Joe (0.8 mi, 1 of 5 overall). Ratings are from Medicare Care Compare.

How much does dementia care cost in Port St. Joe?

At the Florida median aide wage of $16.25 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,408 a month in wages, which is 36% of the $3,930 monthly median income of Port St. Joe households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Florida's minimum wage rose to $15.00 an hour on September 30, 2026, under Article X, Section 24 of the Florida Constitution.

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 Port St. Joe

More senior care near Port St. Joe

Dementia Care in nearby cities

Other care in Port St. Joe

More for Port St. Joe 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 Port St. Joe, FL