Types of Memory Care

Memory care provides safety, structure, and support for people experiencing memory loss and cognitive decline, including those who have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia.

Many different types of memory care services are available in the U.S., empowering families to choose the type of care that meets their loved one’s needs. We created this guide to help you and your family more easily compare different memory care options, including:

• In-Home Memory Care: With this option, your loved one receives personalized care from a licensed nurse or home health aide while remaining in the comfort of their own home. 
• Assisted Living with Memory Support: Many assisted living communities feature a memory support wing or unit that is dedicated to residents with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. 
• Standalone Memory Care Communities: Standalone memory care communities are secure, specially designed residential facilities that are exclusively focused on providing care for people with memory loss and cognitive decline. 
• Skilled Nursing with Memory Care: Skilled nursing care, which can be provided at home or at a medical facility, is appropriate for memory loss patients who have complex medical needs, such as patients who require intubation or infusions.

In-Home Memory Care

In-home memory care helps people with early and mid-stage dementia receive high-quality caregiving or skilled nursing care in the comfortable, familiar surroundings of their own home. Flexible and convenient, in-home memory care provides support personalized to your loved one’s emotional, physical, and medical needs as they evolve. 

Depending on the severity of cognitive impairment, in-home memory care can include emotional support, medication management, and assistance with daily tasks of living (ADLs), such as getting dressed and using the bathroom. Your loved one’s needs will be continuously monitored and re-evaluated to ensure that in-home care remains a safe and medically appropriate option.

Memory Care in Assisted Living Communities

Many senior living communities have memory care and assisted living services on the same campus. There are some communities where independent living is included too. A benefit to having different levels of care is residents can move seamlessly from one type of community to another as their needs change.

Many communities are supportive of couples with differing needs. For example, the wife may be in assisted living, but her spouse needs memory care services. They can both live together in special apartments that can accommodate different needs.

Standalone Memory Care

Standalone memory care facilities are medical centers that exclusively provide care for individuals with moderate to severe memory loss. Because they offer comprehensive services within a supervised, highly secure environment, standalone memory care can be an ideal option for individuals who: 

• Are at high risk of wandering 
• Can’t remain safely at home due to cognitive decline 
• Have symptoms of mid-stage to advanced dementia or memory loss

Memory care facilities differ from memory care units in assisted living communities in several ways. For instance, standalone memory care communities have more robust security features than assisted living communities, such as keypad entries and elevator codes. Additionally, staff at standalone memory care receive special training in 24-hour dementia care.

The quality, services, and state regulations for memory care vary from location to location, which is why it's important to conduct facility visits, talk with friends and family, read recent reviews, and consult your loved one's doctor for recommendations.

Skilled Nursing and Memory Care

Skilled nursing is specialized medical treatment ordered by a doctor and delivered by a licensed medical professional, such as a registered nurse (RN). Skilled nursing may be necessary if your loved one has complex medical needs in addition to memory loss, such as requiring intubation or managing multiple health conditions.

Skilled nursing can be offered in medical facilities or your loved one's home. For example, skilled nursing is frequently provided within nursing home settings. Although the terms are often used interchangeably, nursing homes are distinct from skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). The main difference is SNFs are designed for short-term care, while nursing homes function as long-term residences. 

SNFs staff nurses, doctors, CNAs, and other skilled healthcare professionals that deliver and provide:

• Care for terminal or chronic illness that needs 24-hour medical care and supervision
• Wound care, IV therapies and more complicated medical management
• Physical, speech or occupational therapy
• Medication management and administration
• More of a hospital-like setting
• Private and semi-private rooms

If your loved one needs memory care and medical support, they have the option to stay in an SNF (or nursing home) or a memory care community. Both options offer:

• Round-the-clock care
• Meals
• Medically trained staff
• Help with Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)
• Secured entrances
• Housekeeping and laundry services

Before choosing an option, it’s important to review what coverage might be available for your family, including Medicare and Medicaid. For example, Medicare Part A may cover up to 100 days per benefit period of inpatient care at a skilled nursing facility if specific conditions are met, such as entering the SNF within 30 days of leaving a hospital.

Cost of Memory Care by Type

The cost of memory care ranges significantly, depending on factors like location, insurance coverage, duration of care, the specific facility or community you choose, and the level of memory care needed. For instance, standalone memory care facilities typically have higher costs than in-home memory care providers.

According to data from the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing and Care (NIC), the average monthly cost for residential memory care is about $8,400, while the average monthly cost for in-home memory care is closer to $6,300.

It’s also important to understand what services are included in the baseline price versus those that are charged separately. Assisted living facilities typically bill separately for memory care services, which can raise the base price of assisted living—around $4,500 per month on average—anywhere from 20% ($5,400 per month) to 30% ($5,850 per month) on average.

While private insurance plans often don’t pay for long-term residential or in-home care, they may help cover other dementia or Alzheimer’s-related expenses, such as medical exams, medications, and mobility aids like canes or walkers. Various additional resources are also available to help you cover the costs of memory care. Potential options to explore include: 

• Long-term care insurance (LTC)
• Medicaid and Medicare coverage 
• VA benefits for U.S. military veterans

How to Choose the Right Memory Care Option

Selecting the right in-home dementia care service or memory care community for your loved one is one of the most important decisions you’ll ever make. Before choosing, be sure to set up an in-person consultation and ask specific questions about the type of care being offered.

Be sure to talk to your loved one’s primary care provider (PCP), who can also advise you on how to choose a memory care option that meets their medical needs.