Dementia Care in Starke, FL: In-Home Alzheimer's Care

Local figures

Dementia Care in Starke, FL: the local picture

127

residents 85 or older (2.2% of all residents)

797

residents 65 or older (14% of Starke)

27%

of residents 65+ report a disability (29% in Bradford County)

6+

Medicare-certified nursing homes within 25 miles

Starke has about 127 residents aged 85 or older among 797 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.

27% of residents 65 and older report a disability (29% in Bradford County). The Census counts cognitive difficulty as one kind, alongside hearing, vision, walking, self-care and living independently.

67% of older Starke 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.

Starke compared with Bradford County and Florida

Census figure	Starke	Bradford County	Florida
Residents 85 or older	2.2%	1.8%	2.6%
Residents 65 or older	14%	18%	21%
Residents 65+ with a disability	27%	29%	31%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	67%	33%	25%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	22%	18%	12%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	2.1%	5.0%	31%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$22,264	$39,930	—

Older residents in towns around Starke

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Middleburg, FL	15 mi	1,893	77
Asbury Lake, FL	21 mi	1,834	98
Oakleaf Plantation, FL	23 mi	3,028	262
Macclenny, FL	23 mi	1,260	219
Gainesville, FL	23 mi	17,357	2,343
Lakeside, FL	24 mi	5,934	437

Nursing homes near Starke

Nursing home	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Certified beds	Phone
Windsor Health And Rehabilitation Center	Starke, FL	0.6 mi	4 of 5	120	(904) 964-3383
Riverwood Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center	Starke, FL	1.0 mi	2 of 5	120	(904) 964-6220
Pavilion For Health Care, The	Penney Farms, FL	18 mi	5 of 5	50	(904) 297-9700
Middleburg Rehabilitation And Nursing Center	Middleburg, FL	21 mi	4 of 5	120	(502) 568-7800
Macclenny Nursing And Rehab Center	Macclenny, FL	23 mi	5 of 5	120	(904) 259-4873
W Frank Wells Nursing Home	Macclenny, FL	23 mi	2 of 5	69	(904) 259-6168

Hospices serving Starke

Hospice	Office	Distance	Phone
Haven Hospice	Gainesville, FL	25 mi	(904) 378-2121
Community Hospice Of Northeast Florida Inc	Jacksonville, FL	35 mi	(904) 268-5200
Hph Hospice	Brooksville, FL	100 mi	(866) 940-0962
Vitas Healthcare Corporation Of Florida	Melbourne, FL	151 mi	(321) 751-6671

Straight-line miles from the center of Starke. 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 Starke

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 76% of the $1,855 monthly median income of Starke 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 Starke: common questions

What nursing homes are near Starke?

The closest Medicare-certified nursing homes are Windsor Health And Rehabilitation Center in Starke (0.6 mi, 4 of 5 overall); Riverwood Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center in Starke (1.0 mi, 2 of 5 overall); Pavilion For Health Care, The in Penney Farms (18 mi, 5 of 5 overall). Ratings are from Medicare Care Compare.

How much does dementia care cost in Starke?

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 76% of the $1,855 monthly median income of Starke 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 Starke

More senior care near Starke

Dementia Care in nearby cities

Other care in Starke

More for Starke 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 Starke, FL