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

 

Alameda sits in the Bay Area’s East Bay region and consists of three islands, as well as a small section of the mainland. There are 18 memory care communities in the Alameda region, including 1 facilities within the city, giving seniors and families a variety of options to choose from. Memory care facilities in Alameda charge about $7,899 per month, which is considerably higher than California’s cost of $6,563 and the national rate of $5,625.

This guide includes 303 reviews reviews of local memory care communities. Based on these reviews, facilities have an average rating of 2.5 out of 5 stars stars.

Memory care facilities in Alameda and the rest of California obtain licensing and regulation through the California Department of Social Services, Community Care Licensing Division. This division requires facilities to follow standard rules for care planning, building features and nutrition services. The department also operates a complaint hotline that fields calls related to substandard care and conditions.  

 

• Alameda is a member of the AARP Age-Friendly Network, meaning that its officials have put policies in place to enhance seniors’ comfort and safety. The city has a high livability score of 64 and performs particularly well in the AARP Livability Index’s Health metric for its low preventable hospitalization rate and the adequate number of health care professionals.

 

• Alameda Hospital, which sits in Alameda proper, serves as a private nonprofit hospital with 161 beds, along with a range of specialties. This hospital features a Senior Health program that focuses on providing age-specific education and resources for older adults, including a Fall Prevention Center. It also provides lab services, emergency care and orthopedics, among other services.

 

• Out of California’s 58 ranked counties, Alameda County comes in 13th for overall health and sits in the 75-100th percentile for factors and outcomes that impact seniors’ quality of life and access to care. The county’s overall life expectancy is among the highest in the nation at 82.8 years. Additionally, there are just 2,172 preventable hospital stays per 100,000 Medicare enrollees compared to the national norm of 2,809, which indicates access to robust outpatient care.

 

• Alameda is a relatively expensive place to live, with average living costs surpassing the national norm by 67%. Residents spend about 45% more on utility expenses and 43% more on housing in this city. While this drives up memory care costs, many facilities in the region accept the California Assisted Living Waiver, which covers services for qualified memory care residents.

 

• California’s income tax rate is among the highest in the nation, topping out at 13.3% for high earners. Fortunately, the state has some retiree-friendly policies, including full exemptions for Social Security benefits and a senior income tax exemption in addition to the standard personal exemption.

 

• The air quality in Alameda County is poor, with the American Lung Association giving the county failing scores for particle and ozone pollution. Fortunately, many memory care communities have air filtration and purification systems to support residents’ comfort.

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 communities in Alameda charge roughly $7,899 per month for specialized care.

In Alameda, seniors pay about $7,899 per month for memory care, surpassing California’s average rate of $6,563, as well as the national norm of $5,625. Most cities in Central California have comparatively budget-friendly care, including Santa Cruz, where monthly fees are below Alameda’s average at $6,938, and Modesto, where seniors pay $5,000. However, Alameda serves as a cost-effective alternative to Santa Rosa, where facilities charge $8,810.

Memory care facilities in Alameda charge around $7,889 per month for residential services, which is hundreds or thousands of dollars more than what seniors pay for care in other settings. For example, home health care agencies charge lower rates of $7,150 for skilled nursing services in the individual’s home, and seniors who only need personal care and companionship at home pay $6,864 for in-home care. Similarly, assisted living facilities charge $6,319 for residential services without dementia support. Seniors who attend adult day health care facilities pay $1,950 for daily assistance with personal care, skilled nursing and meals in a community setting. Only nursing home care, which features intensive skilled nursing services in a hospital-like environment, is costlier than memory care at $11,566.

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.