Respite Care in Sweetwater, TN: Breaks for Family Caregivers

Local figures

Respite Care in Sweetwater, TN: the local picture

1,620

residents 65 or older (25% of Sweetwater)

62%

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

62%

of residents 65+ report a disability (46% in Monroe County)

11

Medicare-certified hospices serve Sweetwater ZIP codes

Most older adults in Sweetwater live with someone: 62% 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 928 Sweetwater residents aged 65 or older report a disability (62%) (46% in Monroe County). Many of them rely on a spouse or adult child day to day.

Medicare lists 11 hospices serving Sweetwater ZIP codes. For someone on hospice, Medicare also covers short inpatient respite stays so the family caregiver can rest.

Sweetwater compared with Monroe County and Tennessee

Census figure	Sweetwater	Monroe County	Tennessee
Residents 65+ with a disability	62%	46%	36%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	38%	26%	29%
Residents 65 or older	25%	22%	17%
Residents 85 or older	2.6%	2.2%	1.6%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	19%	17%	11%
Households with no vehicle	9.2%	5.5%	5.2%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$37,273	$41,875	—

Older residents in towns around Sweetwater

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	65+ with a disability
Madisonville, TN	8.3 mi	1,164	60%
Loudon, TN	11 mi	1,354	45%
Athens, TN	12 mi	2,590	41%
Tellico Village, TN	13 mi	5,049	22%
Lenoir City, TN	18 mi	2,332	36%
Etowah, TN	19 mi	842	52%

Hospices serving Sweetwater

Hospice	Office	Distance	Phone
Caris Healthcare	Knoxville, TN	33 mi	(865) 694-4988
Covenant Hospice	Knoxville, TN	35 mi	(865) 374-0600
Adoration Home Health & Hospice Care East Tennesse	Cleveland, TN	35 mi	(423) 479-4581
Prisma Health Hospice And Palliative Care	Maryville, TN	36 mi	(865) 977-5702
University Of TN Medical Center Home Care Services -Knoxville TN	Knoxville, TN	42 mi	(865) 544-6222

Nursing homes near Sweetwater (ask about short stays)

Nursing home	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Certified beds	Phone
Wood Village	Sweetwater, TN	0.7 mi	4 of 5	89	(423) 351-1105
Waters Of Sweetwater A Rehabilitation & Nursing	Sweetwater, TN	1.7 mi	2 of 5	90	(423) 337-6631
Monroe Health And Rehabilitation Center	Madisonville, TN	8.8 mi	3 of 5	85	(423) 442-3990
River Grove Health And Rehabilitation	Loudon, TN	12 mi	2 of 5	180	(865) 458-5436

Straight-line miles from the center of Sweetwater. 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 Sweetwater

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 43% of the $3,106 monthly median income of Sweetwater 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 Sweetwater: common questions

Which hospices serve Sweetwater?

Medicare lists 11 hospices for Sweetwater ZIP codes, including Caris Healthcare, Covenant Hospice, Adoration Home Health & Hospice Care East Tennesse.

How much does respite care cost in Sweetwater?

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 43% of the $3,106 monthly median income of Sweetwater 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 Sweetwater. 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 Sweetwater

More senior care near Sweetwater

Respite Care in nearby cities

Other care in Sweetwater

More for Sweetwater 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 Sweetwater, TN