Personal Care in Knoxville, TN: Help With Bathing & Dressing

Local figures

Personal Care in Knoxville, TN: the local picture

8.5%

of residents 65+ have difficulty dressing or bathing (6.6% in Knox County)

24%

of residents 65+ have serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs (20% in Knox County)

3,348

residents 85 or older (1.7% of all residents)

16

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

About 2,294 Knoxville residents aged 65 or older have difficulty dressing or bathing (8.5%; 6.6% in Knox County). The Census Bureau calls this a self-care difficulty, and it is what personal care is for.

6,442 have serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs (24%), so many personal care visits also mean help getting to the bathroom or shower safely.

3,348 of the 28,120 older residents are 85 or older; needs for hands-on help rise with age.

Knoxville compared with Knox County and Tennessee

Census figure	Knoxville	Knox County	Tennessee
Residents 65+ with difficulty dressing or bathing	8.5%	6.6%	7.4%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty walking	24%	20%	23%
Residents 85 or older	1.7%	1.7%	1.6%
Residents 65+ with a disability	36%	32%	36%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	42%	30%	29%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	14%	9.5%	11%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$40,720	$56,033	—

Older residents in towns around Knoxville

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Self-care difficulty (65+)
Powell, TN	6.4 mi	2,329	2.8%
Halls, TN	7.7 mi	2,785	4.0%
Karns, TN	9.0 mi	798	13%
Alcoa, TN	11 mi	2,276	5.1%
Louisville, TN	12 mi	1,059	0.5%
Seymour, TN	12 mi	2,935	14%

Home health agencies with aides serving Knoxville

Agency	Office	Distance	CMS quality stars	Services listed	Phone
Centerwell Home Health	Knoxville, TN	5.7 mi	5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(865) 450-1160
Covenant Homecare	Knoxville, TN	4.5 mi	4 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(865) 374-0600
Amedisys Home Health Care	Knoxville, TN	4.5 mi	4 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(865) 584-2510
Adoration Home Health	Knoxville, TN	12 mi	4 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(865) 531-9713
Enhabit Home Health	Knoxville, TN	2.7 mi	3.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(865) 584-4010
University Of TN Medical Center Home Care Services	Knoxville, TN	2.7 mi	3 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(865) 544-6200

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

What it covers

What a personal care aide can help with

Bathing or showering, with a shower chair if needed
Dressing and undressing
Toileting and incontinence care
Grooming: hair, shaving and oral care

Cost

What personal care costs in Knoxville

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 39% of the $3,393 monthly median income of Knoxville 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 personal care aide

The Census Bureau asks whether a person has difficulty dressing or bathing, which it calls a self-care difficulty; it is the clearest sign that someone needs personal care. Medicare does not pay for personal care when it is the only care needed (Medicare.gov), but many state Medicaid programs do for people who qualify.

Questions worth asking: How do you protect a client’s dignity during bathing and toileting? Are you trained in safe transfers? Can you keep the same morning or evening hours each day? More in our personal care guide.

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

Questions

Personal Care in Knoxville: common questions

How much does personal care cost in Knoxville?

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 39% of the $3,393 monthly median income of Knoxville 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 personal care and companion care?

Companion care is company and help around the house. Personal care is hands-on help with the body: bathing, dressing, toileting and grooming. Many caregivers offer both; say in your posting which you need.

More near Knoxville

More senior care near Knoxville

Personal Care in nearby cities

Other care in Knoxville

More for Knoxville 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 Personal Care in Knoxville, TN