Medication Reminders in Unicoi, TN: Help at Home

Local figures

Medication Reminders in Unicoi, TN: the local picture

11%

of residents 65+ have serious difficulty remembering, concentrating or deciding (10.0% in Unicoi County)

30%

of residents 65+ in households live alone (29% in Unicoi County)

9.5%

of residents 65+ have difficulty doing errands alone (13% in Unicoi County)

844

residents 65 or older (22% of Unicoi)

About 89 Unicoi residents 65 or older have serious difficulty remembering, concentrating or making decisions (11%; 10.0% in Unicoi County). Missed or doubled doses are a common reason families arrange reminder visits.

257 older residents live alone (30%), with no one at home to notice a missed dose.

Unicoi compared with Unicoi County and Tennessee

Census figure	Unicoi	Unicoi County	Tennessee
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty remembering	11%	10.0%	8.8%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	30%	29%	29%
Residents 65+ with difficulty doing errands alone	9.5%	13%	14%
Residents 85 or older	2.7%	2.6%	1.6%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	5.2%	5.1%	8.6%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	3.1%	13%	11%

Older residents in towns around Unicoi

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Memory difficulty (65+)
Erwin, TN	7.0 mi	1,357	9.6%
Johnson City, TN	8.8 mi	11,382	9.0%
Elizabethton, TN	9.6 mi	2,950	13%
Jonesborough, TN	9.7 mi	1,309	5.1%
Oak Grove, TN	15 mi	1,100	7.1%
Spurgeon, TN	17 mi	755	2.9%

Hospitals near Unicoi

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Mountain Home Va Medical Center	Mountain Home, TN	6.6 mi	5 of 5	(423) 926-1171
Johnson City Medical Center	Johnson City, TN	6.8 mi	1 of 5	(423) 431-6111

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

What it covers

What a caregiver for medication reminders can help with

Reminders at the times the doctor or pharmacist set
Checking a pill organizer or blister pack
Picking up refills and noticing when one is due
Keeping a simple log the family can see

Cost

What medication reminders costs in Unicoi

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. 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 caregiver for medication reminders

A caregiver reminds; giving medication (putting pills in the person’s hand or mouth, injections, eye drops on someone’s behalf) is generally reserved for licensed nurses or aides with a separate state certification. Ask your pharmacist about pill organizers and blister packs, which make reminders easier to check.

Questions worth asking: How do you remind without taking over? How would you check that a dose was taken? Can you pick up refills on the way? More in our medication reminders guide.

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

Questions

Medication Reminders in Unicoi: common questions

How much does medication reminders cost in Unicoi?

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. 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).

Can a caregiver give medication?

Usually not. A caregiver can remind and check; giving medication is generally reserved for licensed nurses or aides with a state medication certification. Ask your state’s rules if you need more.

More near Unicoi

More senior care near Unicoi

Medication Reminders in nearby cities

Other care in Unicoi

More for Unicoi 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.

Medication Reminders at Home in Unicoi, TN