Parkinson's Care in Unicoi, TN: In-Home Caregivers

Local figures

Parkinson’s Care in Unicoi, TN: the local picture

30%

of residents 65+ have serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs (30% in Unicoi County)

11%

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

844

residents 65 or older (22% of Unicoi)

8

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

256 Unicoi residents 65 or older have serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs (30%; 30% in Unicoi County). The Census does not count Parkinson’s itself; these figures describe the kinds of help people locally need.

89 have serious difficulty remembering or concentrating (11%).

Medicare lists 8 home health agencies serving Unicoi ZIP codes; when a doctor orders it, they provide skilled nursing and therapy at home.

Unicoi compared with Unicoi County and Tennessee

Census figure	Unicoi	Unicoi County	Tennessee
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty walking	30%	30%	23%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty remembering	11%	10.0%	8.8%
Residents 65+ with difficulty dressing or bathing	6.2%	8.8%	7.4%
Residents 65 or older	22%	24%	17%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	30%	29%	29%
Households with no vehicle	2.0%	4.0%	5.2%

Older residents in towns around Unicoi

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Walking difficulty (65+)
Erwin, TN	7.0 mi	1,357	34%
Johnson City, TN	8.8 mi	11,382	23%
Elizabethton, TN	9.6 mi	2,950	29%
Jonesborough, TN	9.7 mi	1,309	20%
Oak Grove, TN	15 mi	1,100	14%
Spurgeon, TN	17 mi	755	20%

Home health agencies serving Unicoi

Agency	Office	Distance	CMS quality stars	Services listed	Phone
Ballad Health Homecare	Johnson City, TN	6.8 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(423) 431-6146
Nhc Homecare Johnson City	Johnson City, TN	6.8 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work	(423) 434-0163
Adoration Home Health	Kingsport, TN	23 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(423) 378-7331
Centerwell Home Health	Kingsport, TN	26 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work	(423) 230-1000
Amedisys Home Health	Johnson City, TN	14 mi	4 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(423) 952-2340
Beacon Home Health	Kingsport, TN	23 mi	3 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work	(865) 475-4138

Nursing homes near Unicoi

Nursing home	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Certified beds	Phone
Lakebridge, A Waters Community, LLC	Johnson City, TN	7.1 mi	3 of 5	109	(423) 975-0095
Christian Care Center Of Unicoi County	Erwin, TN	7.7 mi	4 of 5	50	(423) 743-3141
Center On Aging And Health	Erwin, TN	7.8 mi	3 of 5	120	(423) 743-7669

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 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 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 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 Unicoi: common questions

How much does Parkinson’s care 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).

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 Unicoi

More senior care near Unicoi

Parkinson’s Care 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.

In-Home Parkinson’s Care in Unicoi, TN