The 10 Best Memory Care Facilities in Berkeley, CA for 2024

 

Berkeley is an age-friendly community with an estimated 119,000 residents and a 65+ community that accounts for 15% of the population. In California, the Alzheimer’s Association projects a 22% increase in the number of people statewide living with Alzheimer’s, a disease diagnosed almost exclusively in those aged 65 and over. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly one in 10 deaths in the county were attributed to Alzheimer’s in 2020. Between 2016 and 2020, the number of Alzheimer’s-related deaths in the county increased by about 7%. While this wasn’t as significant as the increase in the number of all types of death, which was close to 14%, it shows the need for dementia care.

The Berkeley region has several memory care facilities, offering a practical long-term care solution for seniors with dementia. These facilities have highly trained caregivers and use evidence-based programming to create a welcoming, engaging environment. 

This guide provides more information on dementia care in Berkeley, including how much care costs and resources that can help families make informed long-term care decisions. 

In Berkeley, as in the rest of California, memory care facilities are officially licensed as assisted living facilities, and they follow rules set by the California Department of Social Services, Senior Care Licensing Program. This department enforces standard rules related to care planning, nutrition services and building requirements, along with additional regulations for facilities that provide memory care.

 

• Berkeley is a member of the AARP Age-Friendly Network, which is a designation given to communities that have taken steps to create a welcoming environment for seniors. The city has a high livability score of 63 for its reliable public transportation system, high access to health care and age-friendly housing.
• The air quality in the Berkeley region is relatively poor, which may negatively impact the health of seniors living with lung or heart conditions. The American Lung Association gives the city grades of F for 24-hour particle pollution and ozone pollution. However, the Berkeley region gets a passing score for annual particle pollution levels. To reduce the risk of harm from environmental pollutants, many dementia care facilities have air purification systems.
• State income taxes are relatively high in California, and Berkeley residents pay the full rate on almost all types of retirement income. However, seniors don’t pay state income taxes on Social Security benefits, which may help some families afford memory care expenses.
• The cost of living in Berkeley is very high, which may be prohibitive for some seniors. The city rates 238.3 on a cost of living index based on a national norm of 100. This is well above the state norm of 149.9, indicating that it’s among the most expensive places to live in California. Fortunately, the state funds the Assisted Living Waiver, which pays for some memory care services for seniors in the Berkeley region.   
• Berkeley is home to Alta Bates Summit Medical Center, a not-for-profit hospital that offers a range of specialties, including Alzheimer’s and Brain Health Services. On average, health services in Berkeley cost a little less than national norms, which may benefit those managing chronic conditions.

 

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.

Dementia care communities in Berkeley charge $7,899 per month for housing and services.

In Berkeley, memory care facilities charge $7,899, which is significantly higher than the California average of $6,563 and over $2,000 higher than the national norm. Similarly, care costs tend to be lower in other cities in Central California, including San Jose, where seniors pay $7,500 for care. In Santa Cruz and Vallejo, respective fees are even more competitive at $6,938 and $6,188, and in Modesto, memory care facilities charge nearly $3,000 less per month than in Berkeley.

Compared to other senior care options in Berkeley, memory care is expensive at an estimated $7,899 per month. Although this is several thousand dollars below the cost of nursing home care, other options tend to be more cost-effective. Seniors who obtain care at home pay $6,864 for non medical in-home care and $7,150 for specialized home health care, and seniors who don’t need dementia services pay $6,319 for assisted living. Likewise, memory care costs nearly $6,000 more than adult day health 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 California page.