5 Memory Care Facilities near Merced, CA

Memory care facilities are intended for residents with cognitive difficulties such as dementia and Alzheimer's disease. California regulates these facilities through the Department of Social Services, which officially refers to them as assisted living facilities. Merced, located in central California with a population of about 83,000 and a senior population of 9.7 percent, has a total a four memory care facilities, including one outside the city limits. 

• Memory care residents can expect Merced to have a very comfortable climate, so special protection against the weather is likely unnecessary. This city has an average of 262 sunny days each year, which is considerably more than the U.S. average of 205 days. It rarely snows, and the average low temperature in January is 38 degrees. Merced has an overall comfort rating of 82 on a scale of 1 to 100 (most comfortable). In comparison, the U.S. average comfort rating is 54.

• Senior citizens will need to watch their budget to live in Merced, although the cost of living is quite low for central California. The overall cost of living is only 7.5 percent above the national average, with housing at 24 percent and utilities at ten percent above the U.S. average. Groceries and health care are also slightly below average.

• Memory care facilities in Merced should take extra measures to protect their residents, including security guards, surveillance cameras and alarms. The violent crime rate in this city is 66.2 on a scale of 1 to 100, with a higher rating indicating a higher crime rate. In comparison, the state average is 33.7, and the national average is 31.1. The rate of property crime is less of a concern at 49.5, although it’s still greater than the state average of 40.9 and the national average of 38.1. However, Merced’s property crime rate is still lower than the rate of 56.4 for the metropolitan area.

• The air quality in central California is generally poor, largely due to the high population density. Merced’s National Air Toxics Assessment (NATA) score is 44, compared to the national average of 58. This index uses a scale from 1 to 100, with high scores indicating better air quality. The NATA score is a composite score based on the relative risk of lung cancer and respiratory diseases.

Financial Assistance for Memory Care in Merced

Learn more about these programs, plus who’s eligible, on our Memory Care in California page.

More Ways to Pay for Memory 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.

Merced and the surrounding area are home to numerous government agencies and non-profit organizations offering help for seniors searching for or currently residing in a memory care community. These organizations can also provide assistance in a number of other eldercare services such as geriatric care management, elder law advice, estate planning, finding home care and health and wellness programs.

To see a list of free memory care resources in Merced, please visit our Memory Care in California page.

Merced-area memory care communities must adhere to the comprehensive set of state laws and regulations that all memory care communities in California are required to follow. Visit our Memory Care in California page for more information about these laws.