Dementia Care in Yelm, WA: In-Home Alzheimer's Care

Local figures

Dementia Care in Yelm, WA: the local picture

112

residents 85 or older (1.0% of all residents)

775

residents 65 or older (7.0% of Yelm)

59%

of residents 65+ report a disability (34% in Thurston County)

6+

Medicare-certified nursing homes within 25 miles

Yelm has about 112 residents aged 85 or older among 775 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.

59% of residents 65 and older report a disability (34% in Thurston County). The Census counts cognitive difficulty as one kind, alongside hearing, vision, walking, self-care and living independently.

52% of older Yelm 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.

Yelm compared with Thurston County and Washington

Census figure	Yelm	Thurston County	Washington
Residents 85 or older	1.0%	1.9%	1.8%
Residents 65 or older	7.0%	19%	17%
Residents 65+ with a disability	59%	34%	33%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	52%	25%	26%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	25%	7.4%	8.9%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	12%	12%	21%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$38,750	$74,569	—

Older residents in towns around Yelm

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
North Yelm, WA	2.2 mi	338	17
Tanglewilde, WA	10.0 mi	923	153
Lacey, WA	10 mi	11,337	1,893
Fort Lewis, WA	11 mi	26	0
DuPont, WA	11 mi	1,027	57
North Fort Lewis, WA	13 mi	0	0

Nursing homes near Yelm

Nursing home	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Certified beds	Phone
Crystal Cove Post Acute	Lacey, WA	9.3 mi	not rated	96	(360) 491-1765
Lacey Post Acute & Rehabilitation	Lacey, WA	9.7 mi	4 of 5	120	(360) 491-9890
Panorama City Conv & Rehab Ctr	Lacey, WA	11 mi	5 of 5	155	(360) 456-0111
Woodard Creek Health & Rehabilitation	Olympia, WA	12 mi	1 of 5	152	(360) 493-4900
Olympia Transitional Care And Rehabilitation	Olympia, WA	12 mi	3 of 5	113	(360) 491-9700
Regency Olympia Rehabilitation And Nursing Center	Olympia, WA	13 mi	5 of 5	28	(360) 943-0910

Hospices serving Yelm

Hospice	Office	Distance	Phone
Providence At Home With Compassus, Puget Sound South	Lacey, WA	8.7 mi	(206) 459-8311
Puget Sound Hospice	Tumwater, WA	12 mi	(253) 581-9410
Assured Home Health, Hospice & Home Care	Centralia, WA	22 mi	(360) 330-2640
Envision Hospice	Tacoma, WA	23 mi	(360) 350-4875

Straight-line miles from the center of Yelm. 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 Yelm

At the Washington median aide wage of $22.95 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,989 a month in wages, which is 62% of the $3,229 monthly median income of Yelm households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Washington's minimum wage is $17.13 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 Yelm: common questions

What nursing homes are near Yelm?

The closest Medicare-certified nursing homes are Crystal Cove Post Acute in Lacey (9.3 mi, not rated overall); Lacey Post Acute & Rehabilitation in Lacey (9.7 mi, 4 of 5 overall); Panorama City Conv & Rehab Ctr in Lacey (11 mi, 5 of 5 overall). Ratings are from Medicare Care Compare.

How much does dementia care cost in Yelm?

At the Washington median aide wage of $22.95 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,989 a month in wages, which is 62% of the $3,229 monthly median income of Yelm households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Washington's minimum wage is $17.13 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 Yelm

More senior care near Yelm

Dementia Care in nearby cities

Other care in Yelm

More for Yelm 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 Yelm, WA