The Top Memory Care Providers in the U.S.

Long-term care services are a lifeline for many seniors who need help completing daily activities. There are various types of care, including in-home care, assisted living, and community-based services. However, today, we're focusing on memory care, a specialized care option for those experiencing cognitive decline. 

Memory care providers serve millions of individuals experiencing dementia or Alzheimer's each year. For many people in the late stages of dementia, professional care services aren't optional. 

Specialized memory care facilities offer a way for these individuals to live safely, relieving their loved ones of many of the caregiving responsibilities they may have taken on throughout the progression of the disease. 

Our goal today is to familiarize you with some of the largest memory care providers in the United States. We'll focus on companies known for both their memory care and general prevalence in the long-term care industry. 

If you're interested in finding the best memory care provider or facility near you or your loved one, you can use LTC News's Care Directory. Our tool compiles tens of thousands of facilities to compare the best options in your area. 

The

Care Directory

Comprehensive caregiving & care facility listings in your area

Search Now

• Find and contact facilities near you
• Every major care and facility type
• View facility ratings and amenities
• Find quality care for you or a loved one

What Is Memory Care?

Memory care facilities provide long-term care to individuals who need specialized help coping with dementia, Alzheimer's, and other cognitive conditions. Workers at memory care facilities are specifically trained to provide safe and compassionate care to those with mental ailments and unique needs.  

Memory care is essential for those with varying levels of cognitive decline, as their programs can help slow disease progression and help individuals reconnect with the world and others despite their memory loss and disorientation. 

It's worth mentioning that memory care is not covered by traditional employer-provided health insurance plans, Medicare, or supplements. Medicaid is the only government assistance program that covers memory care; however, you must meet stringent income requirements to qualify.  

Memory care facilities can be very expensive and quickly deplete savings, especially since conditions like Alzheimer's and dementia can continue for years after starting care. The best way to cover memory care is through Long-Term Care Insurance, but the only time you can get a new policy is before you need long-term care. 

You can view how much memory care costs in your area with LTC News’s Cost of Care Calculator. Our calculator tool allows you to see how much memory care costs in your area or city right now and the estimated future cost of care. This can be a useful tool as you explore long-term care planning options like Long-Term Care Insurance. 

RELATED: When Is The Best Time To Apply For Long-Term Care Insurance?

1. Watermark Retirement Communities

Watermark Retirement Communities is a nationwide memory care provider, operating 70 communities in 18 states from coast to coast. They have been providing care for over 30 years and take a humanitarian approach to long-term care. 

Watermark believes there's a difference between keeping people safe and keeping them well; Watermark promises to excel at both. 

They’re known for their unique approach to long-term care, showcased best through their memory care programs:

• Prema Memory Support. This program provides a compassionate space for residents to integrate into the community. The program offers countless experiences that can help relieve agitation and give residents a sense of purpose. 

• BrainCafé. This program focuses on improving memory through workshops and sessions with professional memory care experts. The goal is to help residents build memories and tackle common memory problems. 

• 360Well. This wellness program looks at each resident holistically. Residents work with coordinators to help align their mental health and physical health through various physical and mentally stimulating activities. 

Watermark also offers several other beneficial programs for residents, including excursions, fitness, virtual reality, and university course offerings. 

2. Silverado Lives Enriched

Silverado Lives Enriched is a memory care provider operating in several locations nationwide. They provide stand-alone memory care communities to those in need, with specialized programs designed to help residents reconnect with the world around them despite their cognitive decline. 

Community spaces are specially designed to encourage socialization and mental stimulation while reducing depression. Silverado does this by offering lots of natural lighting, clubs, outings, gourmet meal services, allowing pets within the community, and much more. 

But Silverado doesn't stop at world-class amenities; they also offer unique programs catered specifically to those with cognitive decline: 

• Eversound. Silverado has a hearing program called Eversound that allows residents to hear movies and activities clearly through wireless headphones. There's evidence to prove a relationship between hearing and dementia, with good hearing shown to improve symptoms, while hearing difficulties can worsen symptoms and create agitation.

• Memory Boxes. Silverado offers memory boxes for each resident. Family members can help fill these boxes with important pictures and items from their loved ones' lives. This way, anytime they look at the memory box, residents can experience their past and possibly improve their memory.

• Sensory Programs. Silverado's sensory programs help residents engage in activities in multiple ways, stimulating their senses like touch, sight, and hearing. This can improve brain function and help residents feel more involved in activities. 

3. Atria Senior Living

Atria Senior Living is a prominent long-term care provider, operating nationwide in 19 states. Atria offers many types of long-term care services including assisted living, independent living, and memory care. 

At Atria, memory care residents are treated with kindness and compassion. Caretakers work with residents and their families to learn and incorporate each resident's personality and unique interests into their care plans. 

In addition to this personalized care, Atria also offers specialized memory care programs:

• Life Guidance Neighborhoods. Residents' living spaces are based on neighborhoods and familiar living environments. They offer lots of natural light, navigable walking paths, and common areas for residents to enjoy their time. 

• Engage Life. This is a program that happens every day at facilities and helps residents get active and mentally engaged. Residents could participate in light physical activities like gardening or go to reminiscence therapy to improve their mood and reconnect with their past lives. 

• Atria Inner Circle Mobile App. One of the best parts of Atria's memory care program is the focus on family. Atria's caregivers and mobile app offer access to staff 24/7 and provide family members with regular updates on how their loved one is doing. This program also offers emotional support networks for family members who are grieving their loved ones or struggling with the transition into memory care. 

4. Sunrise Senior Living

Sunrise Senior Living has a 40-year legacy of revolutionizing long-term care, including memory care. Sunrise was built on the principle that seniors deserve a high quality of life despite their disabilities or care needs. 

Today, Sunrise provides care to over 20,000 residents across 250 communities. They employ over 22,000 caregivers and staff to ensure safety, cleanliness, and compassion for each of their residents. 

Sunrise Senior Living offers a personalizable memory care program with two main living programs: The Reminiscence Program and The Terrace Club. 

The Reminiscence Program is for seniors with moderate to severe cognitive decline, dementia, or Alzheimer's. This community works with individuals and their families to create a personalized space and routine for each resident that focuses on their passions and interests.

This program aims to help residents reconnect with some of their favorite moments and memories from life, such as family, hobbies, careers, or other meaningful parts of their lives.

In addition to reconnecting with their pasts, residents are monitored holistically to ensure they get the proper nutrients, social activity, and mental stimulation needed to reduce agitation and confusion. 

The Terrace Club is a program for those with moderate to mild cognitive impairment, dementia, or Alzheimer's. This care focuses on strengthening existing neural pathways and slowing the progression of Alzheimer's or dementia. Programs in the Terrace Club focus on social engagement, physical activity, mental stimulation, and holistic health. 

5. Pacifica Senior Living

Pacifica Senior Living operates many types of long-term care facilities, including memory care facilities. Pacifica provides care in 13 states, with over 100 communities, and takes pride in the welcoming feel of their communities.

As a memory care provider, Pacifica has the Amara Memory Support program. This program uses therapies and personalized connections to combat the challenges of Alzheimer’s and dementia.

By blending holistic health elements like movement, sensory stimulation, socialization, creativity, and spirituality, these programs can help patients live more fulfilling lives. Pacifica also offers special care programs for those struggling with cognitive abilities, including music therapy, reminiscence sessions, and sensory stimulation. 

6. Thrive Senior Living

Thrive Senior Living is a long-term care provider built on the principle that retired and older adults deserve the best quality of life possible. Thrive is aware that many seniors are looking to downsize, release household responsibilities, and enjoy their golden years in a safe, fulfilling, social, and beautiful environment. 

Thrive stands out with their memory care community staff. Each member, from the nurses to the chefs and assistants, is certified by the National Institute for Dementia Education. This means each member knows how to best care for those with cognitive decline. 

7. Belmont Village Senior Living

Belmont Village Senior Living is a long-term care provider operating in key locations across the country, including California, Texas, Georgia, Illinois, and more. Belmont has several incredible partnerships, including an agreement with UCLA and Vanderbilt to help them stay on the cutting edge of memory care research and techniques.  

Belmont is a unique memory care provider, because not only do they offer traditional memory care in a secure setting, but they also offer memory care for those with only mild cognitive impairment. 

This is an important distinction, as those with mild cognitive impairment benefit from memory care techniques for improving brain function; however, these individuals may not pose the same danger to themselves or others as those with progressed memory disease would. 

Belmont recognizes these differences and has two separate programs that cater to where your loved one is. With over 4,000 caregivers, Belmont can easily ensure a personalized care experience for your loved one, where they’ll receive compassionate and holistic services. 

8. Legacy Retirement Communities

Legacy Retirement Communities provides many types of senior living communities in the Midwest and Southwest regions of the country. They’ve been helping families in need since 1996, and their caregivers are specifically trained for memory care support. 

Memory care facilities offer private furnished apartments to residents to create a sense of home. In addition to helping with activities of daily living, Legacy Retirement Communities also offer top-notch security and safety measures to ensure residents aren’t wandering or endangering themselves or others. 

9. Benchmark Senior Living

Benchmark Senior Living is a Northeast-based long-term care provider with an exceptional memory care program. They’ve received national recognition as a great place to receive memory care and a great place for caregivers to work.  

At Benchmark, there are five levels of memory care. Each level offers the same benefits as provided in an assisted living facility, such as help with personal care, with the addition of specialized memory care services to help slow the progression of cognitive diseases and offer memory support at each stage of progression. 

Here are the five stages of memory care offered:

• Mind & Memory Plan 1. This plan is for residents who need some help with daily living and are experiencing the first levels of cognitive impairment. 

• Mind & Memory Plan 2. This plan is for residents who need a bit more help with activities of daily living and have moderate or progressed levels of cognitive decline. 

• Mind & Memory Plan 3. This level of care is for those who need a lot of help in daily life and have severe Alzheimer’s or dementia.  

• Mind & Memory Plan 4. This level is for residents who need total or complete help with one or more activities of daily living and have severe cognitive decline. 

• Mind & Memory Plan 5. This level is for residents who need round-the-clock assistance with daily living. They may also need behavioral or emotional support due to cognitive decline, confusion, and agitation. 

Benchmark Senior Living also offers respite care services for family caregivers who need a break. Respite care services at Benchmark involve short-term stays, where your loved one will receive standard memory care services during their stay, including specialized memory care and consistent help with daily activities. 

10. Brookdale Senior Living

Brookdale Senior Living has been a leading long-term care provider since 1978. Brookdale has over 640 communities in over 41 states, making them one of the most far-reaching senior living options available. 

Brookdale has four pillars of memory care: a welcoming community, nutrition, quality care, and daily memory care programs. A few standouts include the Clare Bridge Program, which focuses on:

• Dining. Proper nutrition is the baseline of living healthily, and it’s especially important for those with cognitive decline who need every bit of nutrients they can get. Brookdale offers gourmet quality meals to help encourage residents to eat and get the vitamins they need throughout the day.  

• Identity Preservation. One of the hardest parts of memory care is watching people lose touch with who they once were. Brookdale helps residents reconnect with hobbies, passions, and memories so residents can feel joy from the things they once loved. 

• Daily Engagement. Consistent mental stimulation through activities and social engagement can help reduce agitation and improve mood. At Brookdale, staff members ensure each resident gets the mental stimulation they need each day. 

• Solace Program. Even residents experiencing a moderate to severe level of cognitive decline get help improving brain function each day. Brookdale believes in the importance of continued cognitive care, even when dementia symptoms seem hopeless. 

Home Care Resource: Amada Senior Care

Memory care facilities are vital for those with progressed cognitive decline; however, in the early stages of cognitive impairment, your loved one may greatly benefit from home care. 

But not just any home care provider; we are proud to partner with Amada Senior Care, the best home care resource available. With unique expertise and stellar quality care, tens of thousands of Americans nationwide trust and prefer Amada Senior Care.   

If you think home care is the best option for your loved one right now, you can use Amada’s care finder tool to find caregivers near you or your loved one. 

Choosing the Best Memory Care Provider 

Finding a good fit for your loved one is essential to helping them work through their cognitive decline. Memory care facilities are lifelines and last hopes for millions of families in need of personalized, compassionate care. 

Any of the providers in the list offer superb care across many areas of the country. The best choice for you depends on your loved one’s preferences and the amenities and programs you’re looking to get out of a professional care resource. 

LTC News can help you search through more memory care providers with our Long-Term Care Directory. Our directory tool lets you compare tens of thousands of care services, including memory care, assisted living, nursing homes, community-based options, and more. 

The

Care Directory

Comprehensive caregiving & care facility listings in your area

Search Now

LTC News also offers caregiving resources and articles to help you navigate long-term care with your loved one: 

• What Is Alzheimer’s Disease: Causes, Stages, and Treatment – Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, responsible for severe memory loss and cognitive impairment. This article covers the nitty-gritty details of the disease, including why scientists think it happens, the stages of progression, and the best treatment options. 

• Assisted Living and Memory Care Facilities—This guide explores the differences between assisted living and memory care facilities so you can choose the option that will best serve you or your loved one. 

• The Long-Term Care Spectrum: From Independent Living to Skilled Nursing – This article offers a broad overview of the most common forms of long-term care and why some options may work better for you.