If a loved one is living with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia, you surely have a lot of questions. What are the advantages of adult day care, or is home care appropriate? What types of care options are available? What is the monthly cost of dementia or memory care? Will long-term care insurance cover the costs?
“Beginning the search for a memory care community can be daunting,” says Vickie Rodenwoldt who is the Director of Assisted Living at The Village at Gainesville. “But answers are just a phone call away. We’re here to guide families on this journey.”
What Is Memory Care?
Simply stated, memory care, also called memory support, is a form of residential living that provides specialized care and support to those with memory loss caused by Alzheimer’s disease or dementia.
Memory care is available in a variety of settings, including assisted living communities, stand-alone memory care communities and skilled nursing facilities. This type of care can also be offered at senior living communities that provide a continuum of care on campus. The Village at Gainesville is a perfect example. This rental retirement community in Gainesville, FL, offers direct admission to its memory support services. Memory support is offered in two residences, Laurel Square and Azalea Trace.
Is Your Loved One Ready for Memory Care?
Many people in the early stages of Alzheimer’s or dementia can live on their own. As the disease progresses, they can remain in their home if a family member or paid caregiver provides regular support with activities of daily living. A family may even find that an adult day care program is ideal for providing supervision, support and engagement during the day. But there will come a time when your loved one needs more care than you can safely provide at home. When that time comes, residential memory care is the answer.
What Is the Cost of Dementia Care in Florida?
The costs associated with memory care are often the first concerns of families. While there’s no national database that tracks memory care costs in the United States, according to seniorlink.com, dementia care can range from as little as $750 per month to the high end of up to $24,000 per month. Those amounts are at the extreme ends of the spectrum, and most Florida families will find a solution with costs closer to the middle.
Rates and fee structures will vary among senior living communities. Other factors, including residence choice (shared room vs. private room), will affect cost.
Why Is The Cost Of Memory Care More Than Assisted Living?
The cost of memory or dementia care is usually 20%-30% higher than assisted living rates. There are a number of reasons for this difference:
- Alzheimer’s and dementia care require ongoing caregiver training and specialized skills. The caregiving team at The Village at Gainesville receives training in both the Botes Memory Method and the Positive Approach to Care® (PAC).
- Specialized staffing. Some memory care communities offer specialized staff to enhance the memory care experience. The Village at Gainesville memory care team includes a music therapist. Music therapy helps reduce rates of resident depression, stress, and anxiety.
- Memory care communities have lower resident-to-staff ratios. Both Laurel Square and Azalea Trace at The Village at Gainesville are committed to optimal staffing ratios. This allows those caregivers to focus on the strengths, talents and personal preferences of residents while providing support to family members.
- Memory care communities feature purposeful design and unique features (e.g., calming colors on the walls, special lighting to reduce glare). These design strategies promote independence, reduce confusion, and provide residents with helpful cues.
What Is Included in the Monthly Fee?
Most monthly memory care fees will include housing, meals, and 24-hour care for residents. Higher levels of care may increase the cost. Some memory care rates are all-inclusive. At The Village at Gainesville, all-inclusive fees cover the following:
- Personalized care delivered by a licensed nurse and highly trained team
- State-of-the-art memory methodology blending the Botes Memory Method and the Positive Approach to Care® (PAC)
- 24-hour nursing and health care staff on site
- Private residences with full- or half-baths
- Housekeeping, linen, and personal laundry services
- Scheduled transportation
- Three meals served restaurant-style each day
- Assistance with bathing, dressing and grooming
- Health monitoring and medication management under the direction of a licensed nurse
- Extended Congregate Care (ECC) license for assisted living to better serve our residents in times of need
- Shared spaces, including kitchens, living rooms and dining rooms
- Specialized programming
- Safe, secure courtyard
How To Pay for Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care
Most often, memory care is paid for with private funds.
Long-Term Care Insurance
If your loved one has a long-term care insurance policy, it may cover some of the costs of memory care. Coverage will vary depending on your loved one’s policy.
Medicare
Medicare is a federal program that provides health coverage to those over age 65 or to those who have a disability.
If memory care is delivered in a skilled nursing facility, and there are medical needs in addition to Alzheimer’s or dementia, Medicare may cover the costs, up to 100 days.
Medicare does not cover the cost of memory care if it’s delivered within an assisted living facility, memory care community, or continuing care retirement community.
For more information regarding Medicare coverage, see Medicare’s website.
Medicaid
Medicaid provides health care coverage to eligible elderly adults, people with disabilities and others.
Some memory care providers will accept Medicaid to cover some costs; however, communities only set aside a limited number of beds for Medicaid residents.
Learn more about Medicaid benefits at Medicaid.gov.
Choosing a Memory Care Community
To choose a memory care community that meets your expectations as well as your loved one’s needs, do your research. Start out online, learning about communities in the area. Consider the residence choices, services and amenities, staff and training, and safety record. When you find several that meet your criteria, schedule an on-site visit and tour. That is truly the best way to get a feel for the community and the care provided.
Looking for Memory Care in Gainesville, Florida? See What The Village at Gainesville Offers.
Visit The Village at Gainesville and explore the memory support offered on this vibrant campus. At our specialized Azalea Trace and Laurel Square neighborhoods, you’ll find the memory care, floor plan options, services, amenities, and staffing that make The Village at Gainesville the choice for Alzheimer’s and dementia care in Gainesville. For immediate assistance, call the community at 352-231-8706.