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

Local figures

Dementia Care in Smithville, TN: the local picture

165

residents 85 or older (3.1% of all residents)

859

residents 65 or older (16% of Smithville)

54%

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

6+

Medicare-certified nursing homes within 25 miles

Smithville has about 165 residents aged 85 or older among 859 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.

54% of residents 65 and older report a disability (42% in DeKalb County). The Census counts cognitive difficulty as one kind, alongside hearing, vision, walking, self-care and living independently.

55% of older Smithville 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.

Smithville compared with DeKalb County and Tennessee

Census figure	Smithville	DeKalb County	Tennessee
Residents 85 or older	3.1%	2.0%	1.6%
Residents 65 or older	16%	19%	17%
Residents 65+ with a disability	54%	42%	36%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	55%	31%	29%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	24%	13%	11%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	11%	5.4%	8.6%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$21,463	$37,211	—

Older residents in towns around Smithville

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Woodbury, TN	17 mi	311	106
McMinnville, TN	19 mi	2,373	243
Sparta, TN	20 mi	1,332	82
Cookeville, TN	22 mi	4,960	567
Algood, TN	27 mi	784	140
Lebanon, TN	34 mi	7,242	994

Nursing homes near Smithville

Nursing home	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Certified beds	Phone
Nhc Healthcare, Smithville	Smithville, TN	0.2 mi	3 of 5	114	(615) 597-4284
Woodbury Health And Rehabilitation Center	Woodbury, TN	17 mi	3 of 5	82	(615) 563-5939
Willow Branch Health And Rehabilitation	Mcminnville, TN	18 mi	2 of 5	140	(931) 668-2011
Life Care Center Of Sparta	Sparta, TN	19 mi	5 of 5	100	(931) 738-9430
Nhc Healthcare, Mcminnville	Mcminnville, TN	19 mi	5 of 5	115	(931) 473-8431
Nhc Healthcare, Sparta	Sparta, TN	20 mi	3 of 5	96	(931) 836-2211

Hospices serving Smithville

Hospice	Office	Distance	Phone
Amedisys Hospice	Murfreesboro, TN	34 mi	(615) 316-2243
Caris Healthcare	Murfreesboro, TN	34 mi	(615) 217-8720
Hospice Compassus - The Highland Rim	Tullahoma, TN	48 mi	(931) 455-9118
Alive Hospice Inc	Nashville, TN	56 mi	(615) 327-1085

Straight-line miles from the center of Smithville. 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 Smithville

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 75% of the $1,789 monthly median income of Smithville 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 Smithville: common questions

What nursing homes are near Smithville?

The closest Medicare-certified nursing homes are Nhc Healthcare, Smithville in Smithville (0.2 mi, 3 of 5 overall); Woodbury Health And Rehabilitation Center in Woodbury (17 mi, 3 of 5 overall); Willow Branch Health And Rehabilitation in Mcminnville (18 mi, 2 of 5 overall). Ratings are from Medicare Care Compare.

How much does dementia care cost in Smithville?

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 75% of the $1,789 monthly median income of Smithville 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 Smithville

More senior care near Smithville

Dementia Care in nearby cities

Other care in Smithville

More for Smithville 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 Smithville, TN