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

Local figures

Personal Care in Unicoi, TN: the local picture

6.2%

of residents 65+ have difficulty dressing or bathing (8.8% in Unicoi County)

30%

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

102

residents 85 or older (2.7% of all residents)

8

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

About 52 Unicoi residents aged 65 or older have difficulty dressing or bathing (6.2%; 8.8% in Unicoi County). The Census Bureau calls this a self-care difficulty, and it is what personal care is for.

256 have serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs (30%), so many personal care visits also mean help getting to the bathroom or shower safely.

102 of the 844 older residents are 85 or older; needs for hands-on help rise with age.

Unicoi compared with Unicoi County and Tennessee

Census figure	Unicoi	Unicoi County	Tennessee
Residents 65+ with difficulty dressing or bathing	6.2%	8.8%	7.4%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty walking	30%	30%	23%
Residents 85 or older	2.7%	2.6%	1.6%
Residents 65+ with a disability	37%	44%	36%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	30%	29%	29%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	3.1%	13%	11%

Older residents in towns around Unicoi

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Self-care difficulty (65+)
Erwin, TN	7.0 mi	1,357	2.1%
Johnson City, TN	8.8 mi	11,382	8.1%
Elizabethton, TN	9.6 mi	2,950	12%
Jonesborough, TN	9.7 mi	1,309	2.4%
Oak Grove, TN	15 mi	1,100	5.7%
Spurgeon, TN	17 mi	755	8.9%

Home health agencies with aides 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
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
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
Maxim Healthcare Services	Johnson City, TN	6.8 mi	not rated	nursing, home health aides	(423) 202-9957

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 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 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 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 Unicoi: common questions

How much does personal 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 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 Unicoi

More senior care near Unicoi

Personal 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 Personal Care in Unicoi, TN