Dementia Care in Surf City, NC: In-Home Alzheimer's Care

Local figures

Dementia Care in Surf City, NC: the local picture

28

residents 85 or older (0.6% of all residents)

764

residents 65 or older (17% of Surf City)

22%

of residents 65+ report a disability (39% in Onslow County)

6+

Medicare-certified nursing homes within 25 miles

Surf City has about 28 residents aged 85 or older among 764 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.

22% of residents 65 and older report a disability (39% in Onslow County). The Census counts cognitive difficulty as one kind, alongside hearing, vision, walking, self-care and living independently.

28% of older Surf City 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.

Surf City compared with Onslow County and North Carolina

Census figure	Surf City	Onslow County	North Carolina
Residents 85 or older	0.6%	0.8%	1.7%
Residents 65 or older	17%	10%	17%
Residents 65+ with a disability	22%	39%	33%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	28%	28%	28%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	13%	11%	11%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	5.8%	10%	13%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$63,017	$53,686	—

Older residents in towns around Surf City

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Holly Ridge, NC	4.2 mi	593	0
Sneads Ferry, NC	12 mi	538	32
Hampstead, NC	14 mi	1,280	246
Porters Neck, NC	17 mi	2,532	602
Bayshore, NC	18 mi	627	23
Ogden, NC	19 mi	1,767	79

Nursing homes near Surf City

Nursing home	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Certified beds	Phone
Woodbury Wellness Center Inc	Hampstead, NC	6.9 mi	3 of 5	112	(910) 270-1443
Davis Health Care Center	Wilmington, NC	17 mi	1 of 5	115	(910) 686-7195
Davis Health And Wellness Center At Cambridge Vill	Wilmington, NC	20 mi	2 of 5	20	(910) 679-8300
Northchase Nursing And Rehabilitation Center	Wilmington, NC	21 mi	2 of 5	140	(910) 791-3451
Bradley Creek Health Center	Wilmington, NC	23 mi	5 of 5	30	(910) 769-7550
Liberty Commons Rehabilitation Center	Wilmington, NC	23 mi	2 of 5	82	(910) 452-4070

Hospices serving Surf City

Hospice	Office	Distance	Phone
Liberty Home Care And Hospice	Wilmington, NC	25 mi	(910) 251-8111
Continuum Home Care & Hospice	Jacksonville, NC	25 mi	(910) 989-2682
Lower Cape Fear Lifecare	Wilmington, NC	28 mi	(910) 796-7900
Community Hospice LLC	New Bern, NC	52 mi	(252) 672-8301

Straight-line miles from the center of Surf City. 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 Surf City

At the North Carolina median aide wage of $15.02 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,302 a month in wages, which is 25% of the $5,251 monthly median income of Surf City households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. North Carolina'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 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 Surf City: common questions

What nursing homes are near Surf City?

The closest Medicare-certified nursing homes are Woodbury Wellness Center Inc in Hampstead (6.9 mi, 3 of 5 overall); Davis Health Care Center in Wilmington (17 mi, 1 of 5 overall); Davis Health And Wellness Center At Cambridge Vill in Wilmington (20 mi, 2 of 5 overall). Ratings are from Medicare Care Compare.

How much does dementia care cost in Surf City?

At the North Carolina median aide wage of $15.02 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,302 a month in wages, which is 25% of the $5,251 monthly median income of Surf City households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. North Carolina'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 Surf City

More senior care near Surf City

Dementia Care in nearby cities

Other care in Surf City

More for Surf City 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 Surf City, NC