Respite Care in Etowah, TN: Breaks for Family Caregivers

Local figures

Respite Care in Etowah, TN: the local picture

842

residents 65 or older (23% of Etowah)

74%

of residents 65+ in households live with someone, often a family caregiver

52%

of residents 65+ report a disability (40% in McMinn County)

8

Medicare-certified hospices serve Etowah ZIP codes

Most older adults in Etowah live with someone: 74% of residents 65 and older in households do. When one of them needs care, the person they live with usually provides most of it, and respite is what keeps that sustainable.

About 374 Etowah residents aged 65 or older report a disability (52%) (40% in McMinn County). Many of them rely on a spouse or adult child day to day.

Medicare lists 8 hospices serving Etowah ZIP codes. For someone on hospice, Medicare also covers short inpatient respite stays so the family caregiver can rest.

Etowah compared with McMinn County and Tennessee

Census figure	Etowah	McMinn County	Tennessee
Residents 65+ with a disability	52%	40%	36%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	26%	24%	29%
Residents 65 or older	23%	20%	17%
Residents 85 or older	3.8%	1.9%	1.6%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	12%	9.9%	11%
Households with no vehicle	5.4%	4.2%	5.2%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$30,511	$44,304	—

Older residents in towns around Etowah

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	65+ with a disability
Athens, TN	9.3 mi	2,590	41%
Madisonville, TN	16 mi	1,164	60%
Sweetwater, TN	19 mi	1,620	62%
Cleveland, TN	22 mi	9,174	42%
Hopewell, TN	23 mi	436	43%
Wildwood Lake, TN	25 mi	521	57%

Hospices serving Etowah

Hospice	Office	Distance	Phone
Adoration Home Health & Hospice Care East Tennesse	Cleveland, TN	20 mi	(423) 479-4581
Gentiva I	Cleveland, TN	20 mi	(423) 458-6455
Hospice Of Chattanooga Holdings, LLC	Chattanooga, TN	41 mi	(423) 892-4289
Amedisys Hospice, An Adventa Company	Chattanooga, TN	41 mi	(423) 499-0018
Caris Healthcare	Chattanooga, TN	41 mi	(423) 899-4044

Nursing homes near Etowah (ask about short stays)

Nursing home	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Certified beds	Phone
Etowah Health And Rehabilitation	Etowah, TN	0.7 mi	1 of 5	120	(423) 263-1138
Starr Regional Health & Rehabilitation	Etowah, TN	1.9 mi	5 of 5	88	(423) 263-3646
Life Care Center Of Athens	Athens, TN	8.2 mi	2 of 5	128	(423) 745-8181
Nhc Healthcare, Athens	Athens, TN	8.5 mi	5 of 5	86	(423) 745-0434

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

What it covers

What a respite caregiver can help with

Taking over the usual routine while you are away
Meals, medication reminders and personal care
Company and activities
Overnight cover for a weekend or a trip

Cost

What respite care costs in Etowah

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 53% of the $2,543 monthly median income of Etowah 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 respite caregiver

Family caregivers carry most long-term care in the U.S., and burnout is a common reason a home arrangement breaks down. The federal National Family Caregiver Support Program funds respite through local Area Agencies on Aging, and the ARCH National Respite Locator lists respite programs by state.

Questions worth asking: Can you do a short paid visit first, while I am home? Are you available at short notice if I am ill? Can you stay overnight, and what do you charge for it? More in our respite care guide.

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

Questions

Respite Care in Etowah: common questions

Which hospices serve Etowah?

Medicare lists 8 hospices for Etowah ZIP codes, including Adoration Home Health & Hospice Care East Tennesse, Gentiva I, Hospice Of Chattanooga Holdings, LLC.

How much does respite care cost in Etowah?

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 53% of the $2,543 monthly median income of Etowah 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).

Does Medicaid or Medicare pay for respite care?

Medicare pays for short inpatient respite stays only for people on its hospice benefit (Medicare.gov); the hospices on this page serve Etowah. Many state Medicaid home and community-based programs, veterans’ programs and the National Family Caregiver Support Program fund respite. Our guide TennCare CHOICES: how to get paid to care for a family member in Tennessee covers Tennessee.

More near Etowah

More senior care near Etowah

Respite Care in nearby cities

Other care in Etowah

More for Etowah 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.

Respite Care in Etowah, TN