Home Health Aides in Athens, TN: Hire In-Home Help

Local figures

Home Health Aides in Athens, TN: the local picture

13

Medicare-certified home health agencies list Athens ZIP codes in their service area

$15.45

median hourly wage of home care aides in Tennessee (BLS, May 2025)

2,590

residents 65 or older (18% of Athens)

41%

of residents 65+ report a disability (40% in McMinn County)

13 Medicare-certified home health agencies list Athens ZIP codes in their service area; the highest-rated are below, and 5 of those list home health aide services. Agency aides are usually part of care a doctor orders. For help beyond those visits, families hire an aide directly.

Home health and personal care aides in Tennessee earn a median $15.45 an hour (BLS, May 2025), with the middle half between $14.39 and $16.96.

Athens has about 2,590 residents aged 65 or older, 41% of whom report a disability.

Athens compared with McMinn County and Tennessee

Census figure	Athens	McMinn County	Tennessee
Residents 65+ with a disability	41%	40%	36%
Residents 65 or older	18%	20%	17%
Residents 85 or older	2.7%	1.9%	1.6%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	40%	24%	29%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	11%	9.9%	11%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	6.9%	4.0%	8.6%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$43,710	$44,304	—

Older residents in towns around Athens

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	65+ with a disability
Etowah, TN	9.3 mi	842	52%
Sweetwater, TN	12 mi	1,620	62%
Madisonville, TN	14 mi	1,164	60%
Dayton, TN	23 mi	1,465	45%
Hopewell, TN	23 mi	436	43%
Loudon, TN	24 mi	1,354	45%

Medicare-certified home health agencies serving Athens

Agency	Office	Distance	CMS quality stars	Services listed	Phone
Centerwell Home Health	Chattanooga, TN	46 mi	5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work	(423) 892-1122
Amedisys Home Health Chattanooga	Chattanooga, TN	43 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(423) 472-3069
Nhc Homecare Athens	Athens, TN	0.0 mi	4 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work	(423) 745-4246
Adoration Home Health And Hospice Care East TN	Cleveland, TN	22 mi	4 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(423) 337-3833
Accentcare Home Health Of Tennessee	Chattanooga, TN	43 mi	4 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(423) 855-6233
Commonspirit Health At Home - Chattanooga	Chattanooga, TN	43 mi	4 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(423) 495-8550
Enhabit Home Health	Knoxville, TN	53 mi	3.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(865) 584-4010
Beacon Home Health	Cleveland, TN	27 mi	3 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work	(423) 559-6092

Straight-line miles from the center of Athens. Medicare (CMS) data, October 2026; call ahead to confirm. We are not affiliated with these providers.

What it covers

What a home health aide can help with

Bathing, grooming, dressing and toileting
Transfers, walking and positioning
Meals and help with eating
Medication reminders

Cost

What home health aides costs in Athens

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 37% of the $3,643 monthly median income of Athens 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 home health aide

Federal rules require home health aides who work for Medicare-certified agencies to complete at least 75 hours of training, including 16 hours of supervised practical training, or pass a competency evaluation (42 CFR 484.80). Many states add their own requirements.

Questions worth asking: Where did you train, and can I see the certificate? Have you worked for a home health agency? Which transfers and equipment are you trained on? More in our home health aides guide.

CaregiverConnect does not run background checks. Check identity, references and any certification yourself before anyone starts. The Safety Center explains how.

Questions

Home Health Aides in Athens: common questions

Which home health agencies serve Athens?

Medicare lists 13 certified agencies whose service area includes Athens ZIP codes. The highest-rated on Medicare’s quality stars include Centerwell Home Health (5 of 5), Amedisys Home Health Chattanooga (4.5 of 5), Nhc Homecare Athens (4 of 5). Compare them on Medicare Care Compare.

How much does home health aides cost in Athens?

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 37% of the $3,643 monthly median income of Athens 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).

What is the difference between a home health aide and a CNA?

Both are trained in personal care. A certified nursing assistant (CNA) has passed a state exam and is on the state nurse aide registry, and often works in nursing homes and hospitals. A home health aide is trained for care in the home. Neither does skilled nursing.

More near Athens

More senior care near Athens

Home Health Aides in nearby cities

Other care in Athens

More for Athens 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.

Home Health Aides in Athens, TN