The 10 Best Memory Care Facilities in Silver Spring, MD for 2024

 

According to a 2024 study by the Alzheimer's Association, 1 in 3 Americans die with dementia. It also projects the number of people with Alzheimer's will more than double from today's 6 million by 2050. CDC figures for Silver Spring don't necessarily support this assertion. The area's Alzheimer-related deaths rose by 23.71% between 2016 and 2020, but deaths from all causes in the same period rose by 29.34%. However, every death is a tragedy. That 23.71% figure equates to 55 people, where 11.7% of the 81,000 residents are seniors.

There's no cure for dementia yet, but dementia care is constantly improving. Memory care facilities provide seniors facing cognitive decline with tailored programs designed to slow down dementia's advance. Staff is specially trained, and the general ambiance is consciously calm to reduce residents' levels of anxiety. 

This guide looks at the benefits and drawbacks of living in Silver Spring and the costs of memory care in relation to other cities and types of care. It also considers financial assistance options and lists free and low-cost resources for families.

Maryland's memory care facilities are regulated by the Department of Health's Office of Health Care Quality. It licenses and monitors facilities, conducting unannounced inspections and reviewing complaints to determine if facilities continue to comply with license conditions. These include matters relating to patient safety, staff training, fire safety, building regulations and health and safety.

 

• Silver Spring's residents aren't far from quality health care because there are several hospitals in the area and many more in nearby Washington, D.C. The CDP's medical facilities include Holy Cross Hospital, a 449-bed nonprofit teaching hospital specializing in over 40 areas of medicine. There's also White Oak Medical Center, which specializes in stroke, heart and vascular care.
• Silver Spring's proximity to the country's capital factors in its above-average cost-of-living index of 130.8. But it's worth noting housing costs are the primary reason, while the health care cost index of 86.8 is only 2.4 points above Maryland's average. Additionally, Silver Spring is home to a large nonprofit hospital that typically charges lower fees than for-profit facilities.
• Statistically, living in Silver Spring reduces a person's likelihood of being a victim of crime. The rate of violent crime averages 20.4/100, while the national average is 22.7. Property crime is also below the norm, at 31.5/100, while the country's is 35.4. Families considering memory care may also be pleased to know a condition of licensing is the provision of security measures, such as keypad-entry doors and surveillance cameras.
• Families who prefer temperate climates may like the four distinct seasons enjoyed in Silver Spring. However, this means chilly winters where temperatures can drop to 25 degrees, although summer highs of 88 degrees mean seniors can enjoy the outdoors without excessive heat. Annually, the region gets around 14 inches of snow, which, although half the U.S. average, may mean it's sometimes safer indoors. Rainfall is about 44 inches annually, which is about 6 inches more than average. However, it's the reason Silver Spring can boast so many green spaces in such a busy location.
• Silver Spring has a health cost index of 100.1/100, which is normal for the country. The air quality averages 24, which is below the national average of 58, and the water quality is five points below the country's 55. However, Silver Spring excels in medical care, boasting 506 physicians per 100,000 people, greatly surpassing the national average of 210.

 

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.

The median fee for memory care in Silver Spring is $7,435 per month, although it can be higher or lower because each facility has a unique pricing policy.

Silver Spring's median monthly fee of $7,435 is the highest in the region, exceeding the state average by $875 per month and the national average by $1,810. Comparisons with other cities in the area typically show wide gaps. Cumberland's median equals Maryland's, so the gap is also $875 per month. This widens to $1,497 in Baltimore and $1,647 in Hagerstown. 

Memory care's median fee of $7,435 reflects the higher levels of care provided, as does the $11,467 for a semiprivate room in a nursing home. Both care for people at all stages of dementia. Other care types can help with more manageable memory loss conditions that don't require 24/7 care. They include assisted living, which averages $5,948, and adult day care, which typically costs $2,282 per month. Home and home health care both average $5,339, although this median fee will almost certainly rise for round-the-clock care.

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 Maryland page.