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

Local figures

Dementia Care in Sweetwater, TN: the local picture

172

residents 85 or older (2.6% of all residents)

1,620

residents 65 or older (25% of Sweetwater)

62%

of residents 65+ report a disability (46% in Monroe County)

6+

Medicare-certified nursing homes within 25 miles

Sweetwater has about 172 residents aged 85 or older among 1,620 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.

62% of residents 65 and older report a disability (46% in Monroe County). The Census counts cognitive difficulty as one kind, alongside hearing, vision, walking, self-care and living independently.

38% of older Sweetwater 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.

Sweetwater compared with Monroe County and Tennessee

Census figure	Sweetwater	Monroe County	Tennessee
Residents 85 or older	2.6%	2.2%	1.6%
Residents 65 or older	25%	22%	17%
Residents 65+ with a disability	62%	46%	36%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	38%	26%	29%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	19%	17%	11%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	8.9%	5.4%	8.6%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$37,273	$41,875	—

Older residents in towns around Sweetwater

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Madisonville, TN	8.3 mi	1,164	120
Loudon, TN	11 mi	1,354	230
Athens, TN	12 mi	2,590	393
Tellico Village, TN	13 mi	5,049	456
Lenoir City, TN	18 mi	2,332	202
Etowah, TN	19 mi	842	139

Nursing homes near Sweetwater

Nursing home	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Certified beds	Phone
Wood Village	Sweetwater, TN	0.7 mi	4 of 5	89	(423) 351-1105
Waters Of Sweetwater A Rehabilitation & Nursing	Sweetwater, TN	1.7 mi	2 of 5	90	(423) 337-6631
Monroe Health And Rehabilitation Center	Madisonville, TN	8.8 mi	3 of 5	85	(423) 442-3990
River Grove Health And Rehabilitation	Loudon, TN	12 mi	2 of 5	180	(865) 458-5436
Life Care Center Of Athens	Athens, TN	13 mi	2 of 5	128	(423) 745-8181
Nhc Healthcare, Athens	Athens, TN	13 mi	5 of 5	86	(423) 745-0434

Hospices serving Sweetwater

Hospice	Office	Distance	Phone
Caris Healthcare	Knoxville, TN	33 mi	(865) 694-4988
Covenant Hospice	Knoxville, TN	35 mi	(865) 374-0600
Adoration Home Health & Hospice Care East Tennesse	Cleveland, TN	35 mi	(423) 479-4581
Prisma Health Hospice And Palliative Care	Maryville, TN	36 mi	(865) 977-5702

Straight-line miles from the center of Sweetwater. 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 Sweetwater

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 43% of the $3,106 monthly median income of Sweetwater 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 Sweetwater: common questions

What nursing homes are near Sweetwater?

The closest Medicare-certified nursing homes are Wood Village in Sweetwater (0.7 mi, 4 of 5 overall); Waters Of Sweetwater A Rehabilitation & Nursing in Sweetwater (1.7 mi, 2 of 5 overall); Monroe Health And Rehabilitation Center in Madisonville (8.8 mi, 3 of 5 overall). Ratings are from Medicare Care Compare.

How much does dementia care cost in Sweetwater?

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 43% of the $3,106 monthly median income of Sweetwater 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 Sweetwater

More senior care near Sweetwater

Dementia Care in nearby cities

Other care in Sweetwater

More for Sweetwater 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 Sweetwater, TN