The 5 Best Memory Care Facilities in Champaign, IL for 2024

Located in east-central Illinois, Champaign offers access to medical facilities and recreational amenities and is a prime option for seniors and families seeking comprehensive dementia care solutions. This city has nearly 89,000 residents, and while only about 11% are aged 65 and over, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that this disease has had a serious impact on the health and life expectancy of local seniors. According to the CDC, the number of Alzheimer’s-related deaths increased by 56.7% between 2016 and 2020, even though the total number of deaths in the region only went up by 16.7%.

Caring for someone with dementia can be challenging, especially as the condition progresses, but fortunately, there are several residential memory care communities in the Champaign region that can help. These facilities provide secured housing, daily meals and specialized recreational activities and therapies for those with memory loss.

This guide provides a closer look at dementia care in Champaign, highlighting how much seniors in this city pay for residential care, along with some supportive resources for those impacted by dementia.

The Illinois Department of Public Health is responsible for licensing memory care communities in Champaign and the rest of the state. This department enforces dementia-specific rules related to staffing, staff training and building requirements, and it monitors compliance with regular inspections and by following up on complaints regarding substandard services and conditions.

• Champaign has been a member of the AARP Age-Friendly Network since 2017 and is recognized as an age-friendly community for the strides its leaders have taken toward creating a safe, welcoming environment for seniors. It ranks among the top communities in the nation for high access to public transportation, stores and libraries, as well as comparatively high patient satisfaction.
• Seniors in Illinois don’t pay state income taxes on disbursements from retirement savings accounts, public or private pensions or Social Security benefits. While property taxes are relatively high in the state, seniors with memory impairments may avoid this burden by transitioning to a residential dementia care facility.
• Champaign’s overall cost of living is among the lowest in the state, which may appeal to seniors and families seeking an affordable community for dementia care. On a 100-point index based on living costs nationwide, the city rates 79.2. This is about 15 percentage points below the Illinois median and 20% lower than the national average and may result in competitive memory care pricing.
• Historically, crime occurs at a higher rate in Champaign than in a typical U.S. city, although the frequency of property and violent crime has been decreasing over the past two decades. On a 100-point index, the nation scores 22.7 for violent crime and 35.4 for property-related offenses. In Champaign, the respective rates are a little higher at 37.9 and 42.3. Fortunately, many memory care facilities promote a safe environment for residents through advanced security measures, such as alarm systems and surveillance cameras.  
• Champaign scores 8.6 on a 10-point comfort index compared to the nation’s score of 7.8, indicating generally pleasant temperatures throughout the year. On average, the city gets 41 inches of rain and 20 inches of snow annually, and temperatures range from lows of 17 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter to highs of 84 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer. To keep residents safe and prevent off-site wandering in extreme temperatures, memory care facilities have fully secured indoor and outdoor common areas.

 

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.

In Champaign, memory care residents pay approximately $5,938 per month for services.

Memory care facilities in Champaign charge $5,938 per month on average, which is about 6% higher than the state average of $5,610 and the national norm of $5,625. Local care costs are moderate compared to rates in nearby cities. Seniors typically pay less for care in Decatur and Danville, where respective monthly fees come in at $5,478 and $5,173. However, in Springfield, care costs are 8% higher than in Champaign, and in Bloomington, monthly fees are about 9% higher.

In Champaign, memory care communities charge monthly median rates of $5,938 for care. This is about $145 less than the cost of nursing home care, but it’s hundreds of dollars higher than other senior care options within the city. For example, seniors who arrange private in-home care and home health care in their own homes pay about 12% less than memory care residents. Similarly, seniors who don’t have memory-related conditions pay average monthly rates of $4,750 for assisted living.

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 Illinois page.