Meal Preparation for Seniors in Memphis, TN

Local figures

Senior Meal Preparation in Memphis, TN: the local picture

14%

of residents 65+ have difficulty doing errands alone (14% in Shelby County)

38%

of residents 65+ in households live alone (33% in Shelby County)

10%

of households have no vehicle (8.2% in Shelby County)

89,268

residents 65 or older (14% of Memphis)

About 12,219 Memphis residents 65 or older have difficulty doing errands such as shopping alone (14%; 14% in Shelby County). Shopping and cooking are often the first things to become hard.

33,025 live alone, and many people eat better with company at the table.

10% of Memphis households have no car (8.2% in Shelby County), so a caregiver who shops on the way can matter as much as one who cooks.

Memphis compared with Shelby County and Tennessee

Census figure	Memphis	Shelby County	Tennessee
Residents 65+ with difficulty doing errands alone	14%	14%	14%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	38%	33%	29%
Households with no vehicle	10%	8.2%	5.2%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	17%	13%	11%
Residents 65 or older	14%	15%	17%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	11%	11%	8.6%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$45,532	$54,632	—

Older residents in towns around Memphis

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Errand difficulty (65+)
Germantown, TN	11 mi	9,854	11%
Southaven, MS	11 mi	7,431	11%
Horn Lake, MS	12 mi	2,935	16%
Bartlett, TN	12 mi	10,412	14%
Olive Branch, MS	13 mi	6,291	15%
West Memphis, AR	13 mi	3,648	21%

What it covers

What a caregiver who cooks can help with

Planning meals around tastes and any diet the doctor set
Grocery shopping and putting it away
Cooking, and making extra for the days between visits
Company at meals, and noticing if appetite changes

Cost

What meal preparation costs in Memphis

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 35% of the $3,794 monthly median income of Memphis 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 caregiver who cooks

Meal help is non-medical and is often the first help a family arranges. A caregiver can follow a diet the doctor has set but does not design medical diets.

Questions worth asking: What do you like to cook, and can you follow a special diet? Can you shop on the way and keep receipts? Will you eat with my parent, or only cook? More in our senior meal preparation guide.

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

Questions

Senior Meal Preparation in Memphis: common questions

How much does meal preparation cost in Memphis?

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 35% of the $3,794 monthly median income of Memphis 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).

Can a caregiver cook for a special diet?

Yes, if the diet is written down: low salt, soft foods, diabetic-friendly meals and so on. Designing a medical diet is a job for a doctor or dietitian.

More near Memphis

More senior care near Memphis

Senior Meal Preparation in nearby cities

Other care in Memphis

More for Memphis 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.