Memory Care in Wilmington, Delaware
12.9% of Wilmington’s 70,898 residents are aged 65 and up. Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias impact an ever-growing share of older adults in Wilmington — dozens of seniors die from Alzheimer’s-related causes every year in the city. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of Alzheimer’s-related fatalities in Wilmington rose from 141 deaths in 2014 to 224 in 2018. This equates to an increase of 58.8%, over four times the rate at which Wilmington’s total death rate increased during this same time frame (14.6%). Considering the disproportionate rate at which Alzheimer’s-related deaths are growing in the city, it’s obvious that dementia is becoming an increasingly grim concern for Wilmington.
However, Wilmington is home to many memory care programs that help slow the progression of dementia. These facilities utilize specialized therapies and care approaches to reduce the incidence of Alzheimer’s related symptoms such as memory loss, sundowning, aggression, wandering and personality changes. This guide provides a high-level look at memory care in Wilmington, including the benefits and downsides of retiring here, average memory care costs in nearby cities and local Alzheimer’s-oriented senior resources.
Memory Care Facilities in Wilmington, DE
The Lorelton
2200 West 4th St., Wilmington, DE, 19805
Sunrise Senior Living of Wilmington
2215 Shipley Road, Wilmington, DE, 19803
Foulk Manor South
407 Foulk Road, Wilmington, DE, 19803
Arden Courts of Wilmington
700 1/2 Foulk Rd, Wilmington, DE, 19803
Rockland Place
1519 Rockland Road, Wilmington, DE, 19803
Somerford House & Place of Newark
4175 Ogletown-Stanton Road, Newark, DE, 19713
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COVID-19 Rules for Memory Care in Wilmington
Since most COVID-19 rules for Memory Care Communities and other Senior Living Facilities are set at the state level, you can view the specific rules for your state on our Guide to Memory Care in Delaware. Keep in mind that every community has specific policies that they put in place to protect their residents, so you should contact your local community for more information. Additionally, you can contact your local Area Agency on Aging to learn more – find contact information here.
What to Consider About Memory Care in Wilmington
The Division of Health Care Quality, a subagency of the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services, oversees, regulates and licenses assisted living facilities that offer memory care services in Wilmington. The Division of Long Term Care Residents Protection investigates allegations of abuse against residents, thereby promoting a high quality of care throughout the state’s memory care facilities.
Benefits and Drawbacks of Memory Care in Wilmington
- Seniors may consider moving to Wilmington to help their savings last longer. The city’s overall cost of living is 10.1% below the national average and 12.8% below Delaware’s statewide cost of living. Although seniors who move to memory care communities pay a monthly fee that’s inclusive of housing, seniors interested in buying homes may also appreciate Wilmington’s median home price of $257,200, 11.8% below the national median of $291,700.
- Wilmington is a magnet for crime in Delaware. On a scale from 1 to 100, where lower scores indicate less crime, Wilmington’s violent crime rating is 80.1, nearly four times the U.S. average of 22.7. Wilmington’s property crime rating is also high, being assessed at 68.7, nearly twice the national average of 35.4. Fortunately, assisted living facilities with memory care programs offer enhanced security measures such as closed-circuit camera systems, keycard-only entries and exits and fenced-in courtyards and other outdoor areas.
- Wilmington experiences average summers and cool winters. The city’s average July high is 86.1 degrees Fahrenheit, right in line with the U.S. average of 85.8 degrees. Wilmington’s average January low is 25.2 degrees, 3.5 degrees higher than the U.S. average of 21.7 degrees. The city receives just 13 inches of snowfall per year, less than half the national average of 28 inches.
- Delaware is one of just five states with no state sales tax. Wilmington also imposes no local sales taxes on local commerce, helping seniors make their finances stretch further.
- Wilmington has experienced significant urban decay due to significant economic decline in recent history. Even though most seniors who are considering moving to a memory care community won’t be affected by Wilmington’s high unemployment rate (10.3%), which is 71.6% higher than the national average (6%), Wilmington’s urban decay still presents several downsides that everyone, including seniors, has to deal with. Some of these downsides include increased poverty, increased crime, low citywide living standards and elevated pollution levels.
Paying for Memory Care in Wilmington
Assisted living communities sometimes provide memory care, typically offered as an add-on service. Memory care services cost 20-30% more than base-level assisted living care. There aren’t any authoritative resources about memory care costs in the United States, so we estimated the costs below by increasing the assisted living costs from Genworth’s 2021 Cost of Care Survey by 25%.
The Cost of Memory Care in Nearby Cities
On average, memory care providers in Wilmington charge $7,591 per month. This rate is $97 more than Delaware’s state average ($7,494) and $1,966 more than the national average ($5,625). Monthly memory care costs in nearby cities range considerably, starting at $5,938 (Baltimore) and rising as high as $9,363 (Ocean City). On average, memory care facilities in Philadelphia charge $7,106 per month, whereas those in Salisbury average $6,225.
The Cost of Other Types of Senior Care
Adult day care only costs $1,343 per month in Wilmington, thousands of dollars less than any other senior care option. Home care and home health care both cost $5,339, closely followed by assisted living at $6,073. Nursing homes charge between $12,653 for semiprivate and $12,836 for private rooms.
Note: Data for Wilmington was unavailable, so data for the nearest city, Dover, was used instead.
Financial Assistance for Memory Care in Wilmington
In Wilmington, there are options for seniors who need financial assistance paying for Memory Care. For more information about other options, who qualifies, and how to apply, Memory Care in Delaware 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 Delaware page.
Free Memory Care Resources in Wilmington
Although larger cities have significantly more resources for seniors who live in memory care facilities, Wilmington still has several supports and services for seniors with dementia. Local government agencies and nonprofit organizations provide several valuable resources, including health insurance information and assistance, civil legal representation, dementia-oriented support groups and mental health counseling.
Resource
Contact
Service
(800) 336-9500
The Delaware Medicare Assistance Bureau fulfills the role of Delaware's state health insurance assistance program, providing free health insurance counseling to seniors with the goal of empowering people to make better health insurance decisions by better understanding their options. DMAB, once known as ELDERinfo, employs well-trained counselors who provide answers, information and assistance on questions, issues and concerns..
(302) 575-0660
The Community Legal Aid Society, Inc.'s Elder Law Program renders select legal assistance to older adults in Delaware ages 60 and up. Although CLASI's ELP only covers civil law, its trained, practicing attorneys assist seniors with advanced health care directives, powers of attorney, consumer protection, Medicaid and public benefit issues and housing problems. The nonprofit organization offers a slate of self-help resources on its website that help seniors understand the basics of the aforementioned areas of civil law.
(800) 272-3900
The Delaware Valley Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association covers an eight-county area in southern New Jersey, southeast Pennsylvania and all of Delaware, providing various supports and resources to seniors with Alzheimer's disease and their friends, family members and caregivers. The Delaware Valley Chapter sets up and oversees area support groups and provides helpful online tools such as virtual education classes, a virtual library and a community resource finder.
(302) 994-1660
The Wilmington Vet Center provides help for veterans and their families in a confidential, clinical yet non-medical setting. Licensed, skilled counselors provide cognitive-behavioral therapy for anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and other DSM-V diagnoses.
(800) 223-9074
The Delaware Aging and Disability Resource Center serves the Blue Hen State by acting as a one-stop access point for resources, supports and services related to aging and disability. The organization also assists seniors in deciding what services are best for them and helps them find the services they need. The Delaware ADRC's website hosts its free Services Guide, a comprehensive directory of local resources that help seniors.
Memory Care Laws and Regulations in Wilmington
Wilmington Memory Care Communities must adhere to the comprehensive set of state laws and regulations that all Memory Care Facilities in Delaware are required to follow. Visit our Memory Care in Delaware page for more information about these laws.
