In-Home Care for Veterans in Smithville, TN

Local figures

Veterans’ Home Care in Smithville, TN: the local picture

134

veterans aged 65 or older (16% of residents 65+)

859

residents 65 or older (16% of Smithville)

54%

of residents 65+ report a disability (42% in DeKalb County)

55%

of residents 65+ in households live alone (31% in DeKalb County)

About 134 Smithville residents aged 65 or older are veterans (16% of that age group; 15% in DeKalb County), out of 214 veterans of all adult ages in town.

54% of all residents 65 and older report a disability (42% in DeKalb County); ask the VA whether a veteran’s needs qualify for its home care programs before you hire privately.

Smithville compared with DeKalb County and Tennessee

Census figure	Smithville	DeKalb County	Tennessee
Residents 65+ who are veterans	16%	15%	16%
Residents 65+ with a disability	54%	42%	36%
Residents 65 or older	16%	19%	17%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	55%	31%	29%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty walking	26%	24%	23%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	24%	13%	11%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$21,463	$37,211	—

Older residents in towns around Smithville

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Veterans (65+)
Woodbury, TN	17 mi	311	3.9%
McMinnville, TN	19 mi	2,373	13%
Sparta, TN	20 mi	1,332	10%
Cookeville, TN	22 mi	4,960	17%
Algood, TN	27 mi	784	10%
Lebanon, TN	34 mi	7,242	16%

Hospitals near Smithville

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Dekalb Community Hospital	Smithville, TN	2.2 mi	not rated	(615) 215-5000
Stones River Hospital	Woodbury, TN	16 mi	not rated	(615) 563-4001
Saint Thomas River Park Hospital	Mcminnville, TN	19 mi	3 of 5	(931) 815-4101

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

What it covers

What a caregiver for a veteran can help with

Company and help around the house
Personal care: bathing, dressing, toileting
Rides to VA and other appointments
Meals and medication reminders

Cost

What veterans’ home care costs in Smithville

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 75% of the $1,789 monthly median income of Smithville 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 a veteran

The VA’s Homemaker and Home Health Aide program sends a trained aide, supervised by a registered nurse, to help eligible veterans with daily activities at home. The Aid and Attendance benefit adds monthly payments to a VA pension for veterans who need help with daily activities. The VA Caregiver Support Line is 1-855-260-3274.

Questions worth asking: Have you cared for veterans before? Can you drive to the VA medical center or clinic? Are you comfortable with the paperwork VA programs need? More in our veterans’ home care guide.

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

Questions

Veterans’ Home Care in Smithville: common questions

How much does veterans’ home care cost in Smithville?

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 75% of the $1,789 monthly median income of Smithville 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 the VA pay for in-home care?

For eligible veterans, VA programs such as Homemaker and Home Health Aide care can provide help at home, and Aid and Attendance can add to a VA pension. Ask the VA about eligibility; the Caregiver Support Line is 1-855-260-3274 (caregiver.va.gov).

More near Smithville

More senior care near Smithville

Veterans’ Home Care in nearby cities

Other care in Smithville

More for Smithville 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.