The 10 Best Memory Care Facilities in Durham, NC for 2024

Durham, NC, is a city that’s home to over 285,000 residents, of whom 12.3% are seniors aged 65 and older. Alzheimer’s disease is a condition that affects a growing number of seniors each year. There are currently 6.5 million American seniors living with dementia, and the Alzheimer’s Association predicts that number is likely to reach 12.9 million by 2050.

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that between 2014 and 2018, the number of Alzheimer’s-related deaths in Durham increased by 8.7%, impacting the lives of 75 individuals in 2018. Dementia care facilities can help support the needs of those impacted by memory loss. These communities are staffed by specially-trained caregivers who are on=site around the clock to offer personalized assistance with daily tasks. They also often provide dementia-friendly programming and memory-focused therapies, along with daily meals, chore services and secure areas for socializing.

The following guide offers helpful information on what it’s like for seniors living in Durham, how much memory care facilities typically charge for services and where seniors can go for local support.

The Division of Health Service Regulation oversees the licensing and regulation of memory care facilities in Durham and the rest of North Carolina. It also conducts regular inspections of communities and provides ratings to help seniors and their families choose a senior living facility.

• Seniors in Durham have access to a number of hospitals in the Raleigh-Durham metropolitan area. This includes the nationally ranked Duke University Hospital. It has geriatric specialists to provide health and wellness care to older adults and a neurology department that provides services to people with dementia and other memory disorders. 
• The overall cost of living in Durham is 2.5% lower than the national average. Although this doesn’t bring a lot of savings, health care costs in the city are significantly lower than the North Carolina average, allowing seniors with medical conditions to save money. Memory care residents have fixed costs, which can also help people manage their budgets.
• Durham’s seniors experience 220 sunny days each year, slightly more than the U.S. average of 205. Although summers can be humid, winters stay relatively mild with only 4 inches of snow, compared to the national average of 28 inches.
• The State of the Air Report 2022 gives Durham County the highest grade for air quality, and it’s among the cleanest U.S. cities for ozone pollution. Clean air can help improve the health of seniors, especially those with respiratory conditions. 
• Most types of retirement income are taxed in North Carolina; however, there’s a large standard deduction that can help decrease the tax bill. Social Security income isn’t taxed at all, which can help many senior budgets. The sales tax in Durham is 7.5%, but prescription drugs are fully exempt.
• Durham and Durham County are members of the AARP Network of Age-Friendly Communities. This signifies that the leadership of both the city and county are committed to considering the perspectives of residents of all ages when making decisions. Each has an action plan that charts how to create a great community for people of all ages.

Note: Residential memory care is usually offered in assisted living facilities, and in general, memory care rates tend to be 20-30% higher than assisted living rates. No national database currently tracks memory care costs in the United States, so we’ve estimated the monthly memory care costs listed below by adding 25% to the rates listed in Genworth’s 2021 Cost of Care Survey.

Memory care in Durham costs an average of $6,000 per month, with exact prices varying based on location, services and amenities.

Durham’s memory care costs are almost $1,000 higher than the North Carolina average of $5,012. Seniors also pay more than the national average of $5,625. Of the surveyed cities that are nearby, Raleigh has the highest costs. Seniors there pay $6,735 per month for memory care, which is $735 more than those in Durham. Other communities are more affordable than Durham. The price in Rocky Mount is $5,587, and in Greensboro, seniors pay $4,750. The most affordable city nearby is Burlington, with a cost of $4,156 or $1,844 less than Durham.

In Durham, only nursing home care is less affordable than memory care. The cost for a semiprivate nursing home room is $7,026 per month, around $1,000 more than memory care. Assisted living costs $4,800 per month. In-home care and home health care both average $4,767 and provide care to seniors in their homes. At $1,636 per month, adult day health care is the least expensive option and may suit seniors who only need care during the day.

While many families use their own funds or personal assets to pay for memory care, there are plenty of additional options to cover these costs. Some additional ways to finance memory care costs include:

• Veterans Benefits
• Life Insurance Policy
• Long-Term Care Insurance
• Reverse Mortgage

For more information about different ways to finance memory care, visit our Memory Care in North Carolina page.