The 10 Best Memory Care Facilities in Highlands Ranch, CO for 2024

Highlands Ranch is a large community of about 103,000 people in the southern region of the Denver metropolitan area. While only about 12% of the city’s population is aged 65 and over, the age group most likely to develop dementia, Alzheimer’s has had a significant impact on public health. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports that between 2016 and 2020, the number of Alzheimer’s-related deaths in the region climbed by 53.8%. This outpaced the increase of 47.3% in the total number of deaths in the region.

For many Highlands Ranch seniors and families impacted by dementia, residential dementia care is a practical option for addressing challenges such as changes in dietary needs, wandering and isolation. Residents live in comfortable housing and get daily meals and personalized care services from compassionate, highly trained caregivers, and they can participate in enriching, failure-free activities that promote cognitive and social engagement and encourage an active lifestyle.

Through this guide, readers can learn more about dementia care in Highlands Ranch, including how much care costs and some common ways residents pay for services. 

In Highlands Ranch, as in the rest of Colorado, memory care facilities are officially licensed as assisted living residences, and they’re regulated through the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. This department enforces minimum requirements for housing, care planning and dementia-related services to ensure a consistent standard of care.

• All forms of retirement income are subject to state income taxes in Colorado, including Social Security benefits. However, the state allows for a deduction of up to $20,000 for those aged 55 to 64 and a $24,000 deduction for those aged 65 and over. This may help some seniors afford memory care expenses in Highlands Ranch.
• Highlands Ranch is an affluent community with a relatively high cost of living, which may be a consideration for seniors and families seeking memory care services on a budget. On a cost of living index set to a national norm of 100, the city scores 143.1, about 22 points higher than the Colorado average. Fortunately, the state funds the Elderly, Blind and Disabled Waiver, which provides assistance with memory care expenses for qualified individuals.
• The air quality in the Highlands Ranch region is very poor, with the region earning failing scores for 24-hour particle pollution and ozone pollution from the American Lung Association. While this may impact the health and comfort of seniors with cardiovascular or respiratory conditions, memory care facilities often support residents’ health with indoor recreational activities and amenities throughout the year.
• On a 100-point crime index, Highlands Ranch scores 33.3 for property-related crime, which is in line with the national norm of 35.4. However, its violent crime score is several points below the national average at 14.2, which may provide peace of mind to families considering local residential memory care solutions.
• Highlands Ranch residents enjoy pleasant weather throughout the year, earning the city a score of 8.9 on a 10-point comfort index. Year-round temperatures range from 18 to 87 degrees Fahrenheit, and the city gets 19 inches of rainfall and 78 inches of snow annually. To help residents make the most of comfortable weather, many memory care facilities organize therapeutic recreational activities, such as picnics, bird-watching and gardening.

 

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 Highlands Ranch, memory care communities charge $6,875 monthly for services.

On average, dementia care facilities in Highlands Ranch charge $6,875 per month for housing and care, which is 16% higher than Colorado’s norm and about 22% higher than the nationwide average. Local care costs are economical compared to rates in Boulder, where facilities charge approximately $7,844 for care, but other cities in Central Colorado typically charge lower fees. For example, in Colorado Springs, residents pay about $1,000 less for care than seniors in Highlands Ranch, and in Fort Collins, care costs are competitive at $5,000. Similarly, in Pueblo, monthly rates come in about 31% lower than in Highlands Ranch.

Memory care residents in Highlands Ranch pay $6,875 per month on average for residential services. This is in line with the cost of home health care, which features skilled nursing services in the individual’s home, and it’s about $100 more than the cost of nonmedical in-home care. Seniors in nursing homes pay comparatively high monthly rates of $8,669, but seniors in assisted living facilities pay about 20% less for care. Adult day health care is even more affordable, with rates about 67% lower than memory care fees.

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 Colorado page.