In-Home Dementia Care in South Padre Island, TX

Local figures

Dementia Care in South Padre Island, TX: the local picture

34

residents 85 or older (1.2% of all residents)

1,157

residents 65 or older (40% of South Padre Island)

14%

of residents 65+ report a disability (38% in Cameron County)

5

Medicare-certified nursing homes within 25 miles

South Padre Island has about 34 residents aged 85 or older among 1,157 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.

14% of residents 65 and older report a disability (38% in Cameron County). The Census counts cognitive difficulty as one kind, alongside hearing, vision, walking, self-care and living independently.

23% of older South Padre Island 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.

South Padre Island compared with Cameron County and Texas

Census figure	South Padre Island	Cameron County	Texas
Residents 85 or older	1.2%	1.6%	1.4%
Residents 65 or older	40%	14%	13%
Residents 65+ with a disability	14%	38%	35%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	23%	24%	25%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	4.8%	23%	12%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	17%	72%	35%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$64,262	$37,536	—

Older residents in towns around South Padre Island

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Port Isabel, TX	6.2 mi	737	99
Laguna Vista, TX	7.9 mi	1,194	99
Brownsville, TX	19 mi	24,519	2,858
Laureles, TX	20 mi	486	22
Los Fresnos, TX	20 mi	703	41
Cameron Park, TX	22 mi	698	51

Nursing homes near South Padre Island

Nursing home	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Certified beds	Phone
Las Alturas Nursing & Transitional Care Brownsvill	Brownsville, TX	23 mi	3 of 5	122	(956) 303-2002
Fox Hollow Post Acute	Brownsville, TX	23 mi	1 of 5	126	(956) 574-3400
Brownsville Nursing And Rehabilitation Center	Brownsville, TX	24 mi	1 of 5	120	(956) 350-2252
Alta Vista Rehabilitation And Healthcare	Brownsville, TX	24 mi	2 of 5	100	(956) 546-5358
Mesa Hills Post Acute	Brownsville, TX	24 mi	2 of 5	166	(956) 546-4568

Hospices serving South Padre Island

Hospice	Office	Distance	Phone
Safehaven Hospice	Brownsville, TX	23 mi	(956) 504-2780
Our Caring Hands Hospice And Palliative Care LLC	Rancho Viejo, TX	24 mi	(956) 280-5339
Greater Valley Hospice Alliance, LP	Harlingen, TX	33 mi	(956) 428-2386
MT. Sinai Hospice	Harlingen, TX	33 mi	(956) 230-1627

Straight-line miles from the center of South Padre Island. 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 South Padre Island

At the Texas median aide wage of $11.65 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,010 a month in wages, which is 19% of the $5,355 monthly median income of South Padre Island households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Texas's minimum wage is $7.25 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

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 STAR+PLUS in Texas: using consumer directed services to pay a family caregiver.

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 South Padre Island: common questions

What nursing homes are near South Padre Island?

The closest Medicare-certified nursing homes are Las Alturas Nursing & Transitional Care Brownsvill in Brownsville (23 mi, 3 of 5 overall); Fox Hollow Post Acute in Brownsville (23 mi, 1 of 5 overall); Brownsville Nursing And Rehabilitation Center in Brownsville (24 mi, 1 of 5 overall). Ratings are from Medicare Care Compare.

How much does dementia care cost in South Padre Island?

At the Texas median aide wage of $11.65 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,010 a month in wages, which is 19% of the $5,355 monthly median income of South Padre Island households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Texas's minimum wage is $7.25 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

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 South Padre Island

More senior care near South Padre Island

Dementia Care in nearby cities

Other care in South Padre Island

More for South Padre Island 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 South Padre Island, TX