Part of the Chattanooga, Cleveland and Athens combined statistical area, Athens is a small, quiet community that is home to 13,615 people, 18 percent of whom are 65 years and older. The city is also home to some of the 120,000 seniors in Tennessee who have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. Because the state does not have a standard income tax, all forms of retirement income go untaxed. This saves seniors hundreds of dollars in taxes each year, which is ideal for those who need to pay for memory care housing.
Athens has two memory care facilities, and both allow their residents to live in one place as their care needs change. Regulated by the Tennessee Department of Health, there are two types of communities that provide care for those with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia: Assisted Care Living Facilities and Residential Homes for the Aged.