Author: Sarah Williams
Reviewed By: Catherine Braxton
Yes, sometimes a couple can live together in memory care. Some memory care facilities have designated accommodations for couples, often with separate bedrooms that connect to shared living spaces. Additionally, some communities let couples share regular companion suites. However, living together in a memory care facility may be more appropriate if both partners suffer from cognitive conditions.
Moreover, many communities require a dementia diagnosis to qualify for admission, and public funding wouldn’t usually cover a non-dementia spouse. Where one partner has dementia and the other doesn’t, alternative care settings or aging at home may be more suitable options.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, roughly 80% of people with dementia age at home, often with informal care provided by family members. The possibility of living separately can be devastating for couples. While remaining at home with family support may be suitable for individuals with early-stage dementia, they will generally need extra professional support as their disease progresses. In-home care may offer a solution, with visiting aides providing hands-on assistance and relieving caregiver burden, and home modifications can create a safer living environment.
Staying at home in a familiar environment can bring peace of mind and comfort to someone with dementia. Living with a life partner can also provide beneficial social engagement and reduce loneliness.
However, a spouse who cares for a partner with dementia may be at greater risk of cognitive decline, depression, stress and advanced physical decline. When deciding if remaining at home is a suitable option for you and your spouse, it’s also essential to consider how your relationship will change as cognitive function and memory decrease.
Some assisted living facilities offer specialized memory care services, generally in separate neighborhoods or wings. This long-term care setting may provide a compromise for couples affected by dementia, where each person can receive tailored care and support to meet their unique needs.
Some communities let partners share a room while accessing personalized services. Conversely, others accommodate partners in separate wings, allowing the non-dementia spouse to visit their partner and join some activities together.
This arrangement could enable the individual with cognitive decline to benefit from specialized memory care programming and a care team trained to work with people with dementia. At the same time, their spouse could enjoy the maintenance-free and communal lifestyle of assisted living alongside a range of enrichment activities to support their overall well-being.
