Parkinson's Care in Fort Smith, AR: In-Home Caregivers

Local figures

Parkinson’s Care in Fort Smith, AR: the local picture

31%

of residents 65+ have serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs (31% in Sebastian County)

13%

of residents 65+ have serious difficulty remembering, concentrating or deciding (11% in Sebastian County)

14,381

residents 65 or older (16% of Fort Smith)

10

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

4,261 Fort Smith residents 65 or older have serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs (31%; 31% in Sebastian County). The Census does not count Parkinson’s itself; these figures describe the kinds of help people locally need.

1,864 have serious difficulty remembering or concentrating (13%).

Medicare lists 10 home health agencies serving Fort Smith ZIP codes; when a doctor orders it, they provide skilled nursing and therapy at home.

Fort Smith compared with Sebastian County and Arkansas

Census figure	Fort Smith	Sebastian County	Arkansas
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty walking	31%	31%	26%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty remembering	13%	11%	9.9%
Residents 65+ with difficulty dressing or bathing	13%	11%	8.5%
Residents 65 or older	16%	17%	18%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	32%	28%	29%
Households with no vehicle	7.6%	6.0%	5.9%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$44,235	$44,729	—

Older residents in towns around Fort Smith

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Walking difficulty (65+)
Barling, AR	5.5 mi	990	27%
Van Buren, AR	7.1 mi	4,133	30%
Pocola, OK	8.7 mi	924	37%
Roland, OK	8.9 mi	411	35%
Greenwood, AR	12 mi	1,906	32%
Alma, AR	13 mi	782	25%

Home health agencies serving Fort Smith

Agency	Office	Distance	CMS quality stars	Services listed	Phone
Kindred At Home 1	Fort Smith, AR	0.6 mi	4 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy	(479) 452-0424
Adoration Home Health	Van Buren, AR	7.6 mi	4 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work	(479) 474-4892
The Home Health Team	Richardson, TX	213 mi	3.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, home health aides	(214) 613-0400
Access Home Health	Fort Smith, AR	0.6 mi	3 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work	(479) 441-5850
Elite Home Health	Fort Smith, AR	2.5 mi	3 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(479) 435-7194
Area Agency On Aging Of Western Arkansas Inc	Paris, AR	37 mi	3 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, home health aides	(479) 963-6868

Nursing homes near Fort Smith

Nursing home	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Certified beds	Phone
Covington Court Health And Rehabilitation Center	Fort Smith, AR	1.4 mi	5 of 5	140	(479) 646-5700
Chapel Ridge Health And Rehab	Fort Smith, AR	1.4 mi	4 of 5	74	(479) 452-1541
Methodist Health And Rehab	Fort Smith, AR	1.5 mi	3 of 5	145	(479) 452-1611

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

What it covers

What a caregiver experienced with Parkinson’s can help with

Medication reminders on the schedule the doctor set
Help walking, turning and getting up safely
Dressing and buttons when hands are stiff or shaky
Meals prepared the way the care team advises

Cost

What Parkinson’s care costs in Fort Smith

At the Arkansas median aide wage of $13.30 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,153 a month in wages, which is 31% of the $3,686 monthly median income of Fort Smith households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Arkansas's minimum wage is $11.00 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 caregiver experienced with Parkinson’s

Parkinson’s disease affects more than 1.1 million people in the U.S., and nearly 90,000 are diagnosed each year, according to the Parkinson’s Foundation. Its Helpline, 1-800-473-4636, answers questions from people with Parkinson’s and their families.

Questions worth asking: Have you cared for someone with Parkinson’s? What helped most? How do you keep medication reminders exactly on time? How do you help someone who freezes while walking? More in our parkinson’s care guide.

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

Questions

Parkinson’s Care in Fort Smith: common questions

How much does Parkinson’s care cost in Fort Smith?

At the Arkansas median aide wage of $13.30 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,153 a month in wages, which is 31% of the $3,686 monthly median income of Fort Smith households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Arkansas's minimum wage is $11.00 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

What should a Parkinson’s caregiver know?

Look for someone who has helped people with stiffness, slowness or tremor, keeps a strict routine, and knows safe transfers. Ask for a reference from a family of someone with Parkinson’s.

More near Fort Smith

More senior care near Fort Smith

Parkinson’s Care in nearby cities

Other care in Fort Smith

More for Fort Smith 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 Parkinson’s Care in Fort Smith, AR