Dementia Care in Southside, AL: In-Home Alzheimer's Care

Local figures

Dementia Care in Southside, AL: the local picture

171

residents 85 or older (1.8% of all residents)

1,962

residents 65 or older (21% of Southside)

31%

of residents 65+ report a disability (37% in Etowah County)

6+

Medicare-certified nursing homes within 25 miles

Southside has about 171 residents aged 85 or older among 1,962 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.

31% of residents 65 and older report a disability (37% in Etowah County). The Census counts cognitive difficulty as one kind, alongside hearing, vision, walking, self-care and living independently.

14% of older Southside 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.

Southside compared with Etowah County and Alabama

Census figure	Southside	Etowah County	Alabama
Residents 85 or older	1.8%	1.7%	1.7%
Residents 65 or older	21%	20%	18%
Residents 65+ with a disability	31%	37%	38%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	14%	30%	29%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	7.2%	12%	12%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	2.0%	4.3%	6.0%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$63,447	$44,181	—

Older residents in towns around Southside

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Rainbow City, AL	4.6 mi	1,947	152
Glencoe, AL	6.3 mi	1,184	111
Gadsden, AL	8.0 mi	6,020	601
Attalla, AL	8.8 mi	1,350	191
Hokes Bluff, AL	11 mi	1,091	18
Alexandria, AL	12 mi	650	34

Nursing homes near Southside

Nursing home	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Certified beds	Phone
Mcguffey Health & Rehabilitation Center	Gadsden, AL	5.6 mi	4 of 5	209	(256) 543-3467
Gadsden Health And Rehab Center	Gadsden, AL	6.9 mi	4 of 5	168	(256) 547-4938
Coosa Valley Health And Rehab	Glencoe, AL	7.0 mi	3 of 5	124	(256) 492-5350
Attalla Rehabilitation And Nursing Center	Attalla, AL	8.3 mi	2 of 5	182	(256) 538-7852
Northside Health Care	Gadsden, AL	11 mi	3 of 5	115	(256) 543-7101
Jacksonville Health And Rehabilitation, LLC	Jacksonville, AL	16 mi	3 of 5	167	(256) 435-7704

Hospices serving Southside

Hospice	Office	Distance	Phone
Compassus-Gadsden	Southside, AL	0.6 mi	(256) 782-3560
Enhabit Hospice Rainbow City	Rainbow City, AL	5.0 mi	(256) 203-8508
Aveanna Hospice Of Gadsden	Gadsden, AL	12 mi	(256) 547-3050
Prohealth Hospice-Gadsden	Gadsden, AL	12 mi	(256) 494-8170

Straight-line miles from the center of Southside. 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 Southside

At the Alabama median aide wage of $13.39 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,160 a month in wages, which is 22% of the $5,287 monthly median income of Southside households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Alabama 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 Southside: common questions

What nursing homes are near Southside?

The closest Medicare-certified nursing homes are Mcguffey Health & Rehabilitation Center in Gadsden (5.6 mi, 4 of 5 overall); Gadsden Health And Rehab Center in Gadsden (6.9 mi, 4 of 5 overall); Coosa Valley Health And Rehab in Glencoe (7.0 mi, 3 of 5 overall). Ratings are from Medicare Care Compare.

How much does dementia care cost in Southside?

At the Alabama median aide wage of $13.39 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,160 a month in wages, which is 22% of the $5,287 monthly median income of Southside households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Alabama 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 Southside

More senior care near Southside

Dementia Care in nearby cities

Other care in Southside

More for Southside 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 Southside, AL