The 10 Best Memory Care Facilities in Orange, CA for 2023

 

Located in dementia-friendly Orange County, the city of Orange offers support and access to care for seniors and families impacted by memory loss. Alzheimer’s has had a marked impact on the city’s senior community, which makes up 14% of the estimated 136,000 residents, indicating the need for robust dementia care solutions. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of deaths related to Alzheimer's disease increased by 19% between 2020 and 2016, comparable to the increase of 21% across the number of deaths from all causes. In both reporting years, about 11% of deaths in the county were tied to Alzheimer's.

Memory care doesn't provide a cure for Alzheimer's, but it can improve the individual’s quality of life and access to dementia-informed therapies. This care option features comfortable housing and open floor plans to encourage self-direction, along with trained caregivers who administer individualized care plans.

This guide provides an overview of memory care in Orange, including how much care costs and popular options for covering services. It also highlights supportive agencies and programs in the region.

In Orange, memory care facilities are licensed through the California Department of Social Services, Senior Care Licensing Program. This department enforces rigorous standards related to staff training, care planning and security features and protocols to promote residents’ security and quality of life.

 

• State income taxes are relatively high in California, and Orange seniors pay the full tax rate on almost all forms of retirement income. However, Social Security benefits are excluded from taxation, which may provide financial benefits for those who rely primarily on this form of income.
• The American Lung Association records an above-average number of high-ozone and high-particle days in the Orange region, earning the community failing scores in these air quality metrics. However, the organization assigns the region a passing score for annual particle pollution levels. To further support seniors’ health and comfort, many memory care communities are equipped with air purification systems.
• Two hospitals are in Orange proper and serve local seniors, promoting access to primary care and specialized services. These include Providence St. Joseph Hospital Orange and UCI Medical Center, which is home to the UCI Health Memory Disorders Program. Through this program, seniors and families can connect with clinicians and may participate in research opportunities.
• The cost of living in Orange is high, even by California’s standards. On a 100-point cost of living index based on national norms, the city rates 164. By comparison, the rating for the state is 149.9, indicating that living costs are considerably higher in Orange than in the typical California city. Housing is particularly expensive, making memory care an attractive alternative to living in a private residence.
• Orange has a Mediterranean climate that gives it mild winters with lows averaging 46 degrees and warm, dry summers with highs in the mid-80s. The city gets about 14 inches of annual rainfall, with just 35 days per year receiving measurable precipitation, and there are 277 days of sunshine versus 205 nationally. This may provide a therapeutic environment for prospective memory care residents who enjoy relaxing outdoors.

 

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 Orange pay a median of $6,563 monthly for housing and dementia services.

In Orange, memory care facilities charge monthly median rates of $6,563 for services, which is consistent with California’s norm but considerably higher than the national average of $5,625. Local care costs are about $1,560 more than rates in Riverside, but other cities in Southern California typically have more expensive care. Seniors in San Diego pay $6,844 on average for care, and in Oxnard, rates exceed Orange’s norm by $625 per month. Orange may be a cost-effective alternative to memory care in El Centro, where monthly care costs around $7,688.

With monthly rates averaging $6,563, memory care is one of the costlier senior care options in Orange. Seniors who arrange private in-home care or home health care pay about $650 less per month for services, and those without memory impairments pay $5,250 for standard assisted living. Adult day health care is less costly than memory care at $1,652, but seniors in nursing homes pay comparatively high rates of $9,125.

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.