Respite Care in Ripley, TN: Breaks for Family Caregivers

Local figures

Respite Care in Ripley, TN: the local picture

1,060

residents 65 or older (14% of Ripley)

75%

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

48%

of residents 65+ report a disability (47% in Lauderdale County)

7

Medicare-certified hospices serve Ripley ZIP codes

Most older adults in Ripley live with someone: 75% 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 477 Ripley residents aged 65 or older report a disability (48%) (47% in Lauderdale County). Many of them rely on a spouse or adult child day to day.

Medicare lists 7 hospices serving Ripley ZIP codes. For someone on hospice, Medicare also covers short inpatient respite stays so the family caregiver can rest.

Ripley compared with Lauderdale County and Tennessee

Census figure	Ripley	Lauderdale County	Tennessee
Residents 65+ with a disability	48%	47%	36%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	25%	30%	29%
Residents 65 or older	14%	17%	17%
Residents 85 or older	1.7%	1.7%	1.6%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	20%	17%	11%
Households with no vehicle	16%	9.1%	5.2%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$41,094	$37,319	—

Older residents in towns around Ripley

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	65+ with a disability
Covington, TN	14 mi	1,644	45%
Brownsville, TN	19 mi	1,973	53%
Brighton, TN	22 mi	343	54%
Dyersburg, TN	23 mi	3,071	40%
Blytheville, AR	25 mi	2,302	43%
Osceola, AR	26 mi	884	52%

Hospices serving Ripley

Hospice	Office	Distance	Phone
Hospice Of West Tennessee	Jackson, TN	40 mi	(731) 664-4220
Tennessee Quality Care - Hospice	Jackson, TN	40 mi	(731) 410-2250
Caris Healthcare	Bartlett, TN	40 mi	(901) 465-2120
Amedisys Hospice Care	Bartlett, TN	43 mi	(901) 680-0378
Compassus-Memphis	Memphis, TN	49 mi	(901) 309-1855

Nursing homes near Ripley (ask about short stays)

Nursing home	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Certified beds	Phone
Lauderdale Community Living Center	Ripley, TN	0.8 mi	1 of 5	71	(731) 635-5100
Ripley Healthcare And Rehab Center	Ripley, TN	1.4 mi	3 of 5	144	(731) 635-5180
Haywood Post Acute	Brownsville, TN	12 mi	3 of 5	115	(731) 772-3356
Covington Post Acute	Covington, TN	15 mi	4 of 5	98	(901) 475-0027

Straight-line miles from the center of Ripley. 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 Ripley

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 $3,425 monthly median income of Ripley 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 Ripley: common questions

Which hospices serve Ripley?

Medicare lists 7 hospices for Ripley ZIP codes, including Hospice Of West Tennessee, Tennessee Quality Care - Hospice, Caris Healthcare.

How much does respite care cost in Ripley?

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 $3,425 monthly median income of Ripley 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 Ripley. 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 Ripley

More senior care near Ripley

Respite Care in nearby cities

Other care in Ripley

More for Ripley 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 Ripley, TN