Stroke Recovery Care in Athens, TN: Help at Home

Local figures

Stroke Recovery Support in Athens, TN: the local picture

1.2 mi

to the nearest hospital with an emergency department (Athens)

30%

of residents 65+ have serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs (26% in McMinn County)

14%

of residents 65+ have difficulty dressing or bathing (11% in McMinn County)

13

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

Hospitals with an emergency department near Athens: Starr Regional Medical Center Athens in Athens (1.2 mi); Sweetwater Hospital Association in Sweetwater (13 mi); Rhea Medical Center in Dayton (23 mi). With stroke signs, call 911 rather than driving.

343 Athens residents 65 or older have difficulty dressing or bathing (14%; 11% in McMinn County), and 722 have serious difficulty walking: the two kinds of help most often needed in the weeks after a stroke.

Athens compared with McMinn County and Tennessee

Census figure	Athens	McMinn County	Tennessee
Residents 65+ with difficulty dressing or bathing	14%	11%	7.4%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty walking	30%	26%	23%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty remembering	10%	11%	8.8%
Residents 65 or older	18%	20%	17%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	40%	24%	29%
Households with no vehicle	4.9%	4.2%	5.2%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$43,710	$44,304	—

Older residents in towns around Athens

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Self-care difficulty (65+)
Etowah, TN	9.3 mi	842	7.3%
Sweetwater, TN	12 mi	1,620	13%
Madisonville, TN	14 mi	1,164	11%
Dayton, TN	23 mi	1,465	15%
Hopewell, TN	23 mi	436	16%
Loudon, TN	24 mi	1,354	9.7%

Hospitals near Athens

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Starr Regional Medical Center Athens	Athens, TN	1.2 mi	3 of 5	(423) 745-1411
Sweetwater Hospital Association	Sweetwater, TN	13 mi	1 of 5	(865) 213-8200
Rhea Medical Center	Dayton, TN	23 mi	2 of 5	(423) 775-1121
Affiliate Of Vitruvian Health	Cleveland, TN	27 mi	2 of 5	(423) 339-4100

Home health agencies serving Athens

Agency	Office	Distance	CMS quality stars	Services listed	Phone
Centerwell Home Health	Chattanooga, TN	46 mi	5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work	(423) 892-1122
Amedisys Home Health Chattanooga	Chattanooga, TN	43 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(423) 472-3069
Nhc Homecare Athens	Athens, TN	0.0 mi	4 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work	(423) 745-4246
Adoration Home Health And Hospice Care East TN	Cleveland, TN	22 mi	4 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(423) 337-3833
Accentcare Home Health Of Tennessee	Chattanooga, TN	43 mi	4 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(423) 855-6233

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

What it covers

What a caregiver for stroke recovery can help with

Help with bathing, dressing and meals
Safe walking and transfers
Rides to rehabilitation and follow-up appointments
Practising the exercises therapists set

Cost

What stroke recovery support costs in Athens

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 37% of the $3,643 monthly median income of Athens 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 for stroke recovery

More than 795,000 people in the U.S. have a stroke every year, about 610,000 of them for the first time (CDC). Many go home to recover.

Questions worth asking: Have you cared for someone after a stroke? How do you help with one-sided weakness during transfers? Can you drive to rehabilitation appointments? More in our stroke recovery support guide.

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

Questions

Stroke Recovery Support in Athens: common questions

How much does stroke recovery support cost in Athens?

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 37% of the $3,643 monthly median income of Athens 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).

What does a caregiver do after a stroke?

Helps with personal care, meals and moving safely, takes the person to therapy, helps them practise what therapists set, and keeps the family informed. Medical and therapy decisions stay with the care team.

More near Athens

More senior care near Athens

Stroke Recovery Support in nearby cities

Other care in Athens

More for Athens 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.

Stroke Recovery Support at Home in Athens, TN