The Villages is a unique community located in central Florida dedicated to Florida’s senior population. The locale has a population of approximately 79,000 residents, 84% of them seniors, and many of these seniors are dealing with the effects of being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia. Between 2014-2018, the death rate attributed to Alzheimer’s increased by almost 9% in The Villages, a rate that is less than many of the large metropolitan cities in Florida.
Alzheimer’s death rates in The Villages are lower than in other comparable areas in the state due to the high-quality memory care options available to seniors. A good quality memory care program helps reduce the impact of a dementia diagnosis by providing seniors with access to specialized speech and occupational therapies, as well as stimulating activities that can maintain or improve cognitive functioning.
This memory care guide covers a variety of memory care-focused topics, from the benefits/drawbacks of living in The Villages to a comparison of the cost of memory care throughout central Florida and how to pay for memory care services through government assistance or private pay options. The guide culminates with a short list of free memory care resources for seniors who live in The Villages.
Memory Care Facilities in The Villages, Florida
1550 El Camino Real, The Villages, FL, 32159
Get promises is writing. Bad and costly experience. Do not recommend.
Get promises is writing. Bad and costly experience. Do not recommend.
1490 Killingsworth Way, The Villages, FL, 34748
I went to Sumter Senior Living. They have regular assisted living in the big building next door, and the memory care is in a little building. It’s been very well designed for people with memory care n
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I went to Sumter Senior Living. They have regular assisted living in the big building next door, and the memory care is in a little building. It’s been very well designed for people with memory care needs, and it’s really decorated nicely. It was very familiar to me because it’s similar to the one where my mom is now. The staff seemed appropriate and the rooms were appropriate. They also have programs, but I didn’t get to see any of the residents participating in anything at that time. They just had residents in the dayroom by the TV, which was fine. They have two floors, and I like the way they have provided access to balconies with fresh air and sunshine that are safe for the residents. I think it has really good security. I think that would be a safe place for residents. The staff is definitely very professional.
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I went to Sumter Senior Living. They have regular assisted living in the big building next door, and the memory care is in a little building. It’s been very well designed for people with memory care n
… (read more)
I went to Sumter Senior Living. They have regular assisted living in the big building next door, and the memory care is in a little building. It’s been very well designed for people with memory care needs, and it’s really decorated nicely. It was very familiar to me because it’s similar to the one where my mom is now. The staff seemed appropriate and the rooms were appropriate. They also have programs, but I didn’t get to see any of the residents participating in anything at that time. They just had residents in the dayroom by the TV, which was fine. They have two floors, and I like the way they have provided access to balconies with fresh air and sunshine that are safe for the residents. I think it has really good security. I think that would be a safe place for residents. The staff is definitely very professional.
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2450 Parr Drive, The Villages, FL, 32162
Serenades at the Villages was beautiful. The facilities were very nice, neat, and clean. The staff was very friendly and the person who toured me was very helpful. He offered to find me, someone, to c
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Serenades at the Villages was beautiful. The facilities were very nice, neat, and clean. The staff was very friendly and the person who toured me was very helpful. He offered to find me, someone, to contact to look for other places. They showed me a calendar of activities and there was music and arts. Also before COVID, they had people coming in to do different presentations for them. They had private rooms and they had a shower that was wheelchair accessible. They had a nice courtyard with flowers that the residents could go out and sit in, too. It’s just that my dad needs more care than they could give.
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Serenades at the Villages was beautiful. The facilities were very nice, neat, and clean. The staff was very friendly and the person who toured me was very helpful. He offered to find me, someone, to c
… (read more)
Serenades at the Villages was beautiful. The facilities were very nice, neat, and clean. The staff was very friendly and the person who toured me was very helpful. He offered to find me, someone, to contact to look for other places. They showed me a calendar of activities and there was music and arts. Also before COVID, they had people coming in to do different presentations for them. They had private rooms and they had a shower that was wheelchair accessible. They had a nice courtyard with flowers that the residents could go out and sit in, too. It’s just that my dad needs more care than they could give.
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930 Alverez Avenue, The Villages, FL, 32159
My mom’s care is very good at Élan Spanish Springs. The director does a very nice job. The nurses seem to be very professional. The place is very clean, upscale and nice. Everything seems to be 5-sta
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My mom’s care is very good at Élan Spanish Springs. The director does a very nice job. The nurses seem to be very professional. The place is very clean, upscale and nice. Everything seems to be 5-star. They provide laundry service, dining, music, bingo, and arts and crafts.
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My mom’s care is very good at Élan Spanish Springs. The director does a very nice job. The nurses seem to be very professional. The place is very clean, upscale and nice. Everything seems to be 5-sta
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My mom’s care is very good at Élan Spanish Springs. The director does a very nice job. The nurses seem to be very professional. The place is very clean, upscale and nice. Everything seems to be 5-star. They provide laundry service, dining, music, bingo, and arts and crafts.
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4725 Bellwether Lane, Oxford, FL, 34484
The Willows’ price was right, and the place was immaculate. For me, the location was perfect because it’s about three miles away. The staff was nice. My daughter went to their office and asked for emp
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The Willows’ price was right, and the place was immaculate. For me, the location was perfect because it’s about three miles away. The staff was nice. My daughter went to their office and asked for employment records which they gladly provided, and of all the places we looked out they have the lowest staff turnover. Everything is perfect. That’s why we picked it for my wife.
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The Willows’ price was right, and the place was immaculate. For me, the location was perfect because it’s about three miles away. The staff was nice. My daughter went to their office and asked for emp
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The Willows’ price was right, and the place was immaculate. For me, the location was perfect because it’s about three miles away. The staff was nice. My daughter went to their office and asked for employment records which they gladly provided, and of all the places we looked out they have the lowest staff turnover. Everything is perfect. That’s why we picked it for my wife.
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955 South US Hwy27/441, Lady Lake, FL, 32159
The Village Veranda at Lady Lake is beautiful. It’s new, it’s probably about two and a half years old, and some of the units have never even been lived in. It’s very competitive in pricing too. They h
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The Village Veranda at Lady Lake is beautiful. It’s new, it’s probably about two and a half years old, and some of the units have never even been lived in. It’s very competitive in pricing too. They have assisted living, which my father was in for a little bit and it is wonderful. I cannot say enough for the staff. He’s in memory care now, we’re pleased with it, and the staff is wonderful. I think they are getting ready to break ground for an independent living that’s not built yet.
The rooms are nice. My father was first in assisted living in a 1-bedroom apartment. It had a bedroom, a living room, and a kitchen. They’re new, very modern and the design is up-to-date. In memory care, his room is really big too. It’s not as big as his apartment in assisted living, but we got almost all his furniture moved over there. I can’t find much wrong with it. The rooms are probably even bigger in memory care too than in other places we’ve looked at.
The food is good. It’s not a 5-star restaurant but the fact that you see a lot of people eating it, then it must be good. They have a menu, a couple of daily specials that have choices of the things you want, and the chef will accommodate any wants you may have.
They have lots of activities in assisted living. There are different activities all the time. There are crafts, they have a library, and a lot of music people come in. Obviously, in-memory care, they have more memory-type activities. They encourage them with games and puzzles and different people come through to speak or do music. Their goal is really to keep them pretty much busy all day so they don’t just stay in a room and do nothing. Most people are out and about all day, so you don’t see them lying around sleeping.
The place is very nice. If something needs fixing, somebody’s right there, right away. There’s no luxury swimming pool or anything like that, but they have a huge courtyard in both assisted and memory care that are nice. Some of the residents have a little garden-type thing they have going where they grow things.
The staff would go out of their way when I had questions. I could call them on the weekend and it’s not the least bit inconvenient. They will reach out to me with multiple calls if they need something. They don’t just wait, they call you. One of them even takes pictures. My dad has been in memory care for not very long. They had taken pictures of him interacting and doing things, and they texted them to me. It’s only like 25 people over their memory care so the staff can spend a lot of time with them. They have a lot of parties. They just had an Oktoberfest yesterday. The staff is very interactive and my dad loves them.
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The Village Veranda at Lady Lake is beautiful. It’s new, it’s probably about two and a half years old, and some of the units have never even been lived in. It’s very competitive in pricing too. They h
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The Village Veranda at Lady Lake is beautiful. It’s new, it’s probably about two and a half years old, and some of the units have never even been lived in. It’s very competitive in pricing too. They have assisted living, which my father was in for a little bit and it is wonderful. I cannot say enough for the staff. He’s in memory care now, we’re pleased with it, and the staff is wonderful. I think they are getting ready to break ground for an independent living that’s not built yet.
The rooms are nice. My father was first in assisted living in a 1-bedroom apartment. It had a bedroom, a living room, and a kitchen. They’re new, very modern and the design is up-to-date. In memory care, his room is really big too. It’s not as big as his apartment in assisted living, but we got almost all his furniture moved over there. I can’t find much wrong with it. The rooms are probably even bigger in memory care too than in other places we’ve looked at.
The food is good. It’s not a 5-star restaurant but the fact that you see a lot of people eating it, then it must be good. They have a menu, a couple of daily specials that have choices of the things you want, and the chef will accommodate any wants you may have.
They have lots of activities in assisted living. There are different activities all the time. There are crafts, they have a library, and a lot of music people come in. Obviously, in-memory care, they have more memory-type activities. They encourage them with games and puzzles and different people come through to speak or do music. Their goal is really to keep them pretty much busy all day so they don’t just stay in a room and do nothing. Most people are out and about all day, so you don’t see them lying around sleeping.
The place is very nice. If something needs fixing, somebody’s right there, right away. There’s no luxury swimming pool or anything like that, but they have a huge courtyard in both assisted and memory care that are nice. Some of the residents have a little garden-type thing they have going where they grow things.
The staff would go out of their way when I had questions. I could call them on the weekend and it’s not the least bit inconvenient. They will reach out to me with multiple calls if they need something. They don’t just wait, they call you. One of them even takes pictures. My dad has been in memory care for not very long. They had taken pictures of him interacting and doing things, and they texted them to me. It’s only like 25 people over their memory care so the staff can spend a lot of time with them. They have a lot of parties. They just had an Oktoberfest yesterday. The staff is very interactive and my dad loves them.
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13517 NE 86th Court, Lady Lake, FL, 32159
I got my wife over at HarborChase of Villages Crossing. She was moved there a little over a week ago. The fact that they’re right across the street from the hospital had a bearing on why I chose it. T
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I got my wife over at HarborChase of Villages Crossing. She was moved there a little over a week ago. The fact that they’re right across the street from the hospital had a bearing on why I chose it. The people seem very nice. They are very capable of handling whatever problems my wife has been having and will be having. The room is very nice and very comfortable. I have seen a number of activities that they have. They have a safari hunt where they use pictures of animals and foam rubber darts to shoot at animals. They have cards, and they have exercise in the dementia wing where they all got to put together and glue together small turkeys that they could give to their grandchildren. There are activities there. Food has been pretty good. The first day that she was there, I was there late enough and I actually got to have dinner with them and the food was decent. It isn’t a top brand restaurant where you get steaks, but the food is tasty and there seems to be enough of it to fill a person up. I know it’s a lot of money. It all depends on how my wife does as to whether it’s worth the value or not. She is in memory care with assisted living on the side.
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I got my wife over at HarborChase of Villages Crossing. She was moved there a little over a week ago. The fact that they’re right across the street from the hospital had a bearing on why I chose it. T
… (read more)
I got my wife over at HarborChase of Villages Crossing. She was moved there a little over a week ago. The fact that they’re right across the street from the hospital had a bearing on why I chose it. The people seem very nice. They are very capable of handling whatever problems my wife has been having and will be having. The room is very nice and very comfortable. I have seen a number of activities that they have. They have a safari hunt where they use pictures of animals and foam rubber darts to shoot at animals. They have cards, and they have exercise in the dementia wing where they all got to put together and glue together small turkeys that they could give to their grandchildren. There are activities there. Food has been pretty good. The first day that she was there, I was there late enough and I actually got to have dinner with them and the food was decent. It isn’t a top brand restaurant where you get steaks, but the food is tasty and there seems to be enough of it to fill a person up. I know it’s a lot of money. It all depends on how my wife does as to whether it’s worth the value or not. She is in memory care with assisted living on the side.
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9871 CR 121, Wildwood, FL, 34785
My husband is a memory care resident of Generations Senior Living at Lake Miona. It’s almost like a group home. They have six residents maximum, they have two CNAs around the clock, they have a doctor
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My husband is a memory care resident of Generations Senior Living at Lake Miona. It’s almost like a group home. They have six residents maximum, they have two CNAs around the clock, they have a doctor and a nurse on staff, and they have an activities director. It’s wonderful. They make the family come in and feel very welcome, the food is wonderful, and the CNAs are fantastic. I can’t say enough about this place, and I can’t believe I was fortunate enough to find it and take the last vacancy they had. The activities director comes three days a week and they have different activities. The medical team: a husband and wife, doctor, and nurse manage the medications, and they’re on call if there’s a need. So far we’re just extremely happy. It’s lovely, it’s a lock-down facility, and you have to come in and out with a code.
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My husband is a memory care resident of Generations Senior Living at Lake Miona. It’s almost like a group home. They have six residents maximum, they have two CNAs around the clock, they have a doctor
… (read more)
My husband is a memory care resident of Generations Senior Living at Lake Miona. It’s almost like a group home. They have six residents maximum, they have two CNAs around the clock, they have a doctor and a nurse on staff, and they have an activities director. It’s wonderful. They make the family come in and feel very welcome, the food is wonderful, and the CNAs are fantastic. I can’t say enough about this place, and I can’t believe I was fortunate enough to find it and take the last vacancy they had. The activities director comes three days a week and they have different activities. The medical team: a husband and wife, doctor, and nurse manage the medications, and they’re on call if there’s a need. So far we’re just extremely happy. It’s lovely, it’s a lock-down facility, and you have to come in and out with a code.
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17201 SE 109th Terrace Rd., Summerfield, FL, 34491
930 County Road 466, Lady Lake, FL, 32159
We toured the memory care area. It was a very nice place and everything. It was a nice place for what I needed it for: respite care. If it was an emergency, it would take too long to get him in. It wo
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We toured the memory care area. It was a very nice place and everything. It was a nice place for what I needed it for: respite care. If it was an emergency, it would take too long to get him in. It wouldn’t work for me. The director that I talked to, the rooms, the cleanliness, and the setup of the place were quite nice. They have a little courtyard too.
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We toured the memory care area. It was a very nice place and everything. It was a nice place for what I needed it for: respite care. If it was an emergency, it would take too long to get him in. It wo
… (read more)
We toured the memory care area. It was a very nice place and everything. It was a nice place for what I needed it for: respite care. If it was an emergency, it would take too long to get him in. It wouldn’t work for me. The director that I talked to, the rooms, the cleanliness, and the setup of the place were quite nice. They have a little courtyard too.
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10780 US-301, Oxford, FL, 34484
There is a place called Mission Oaks that was very nice. I was very impressed with this facility. Their activities sounded good. They had a lovely outdoor area for their memory care people. They didn’
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There is a place called Mission Oaks that was very nice. I was very impressed with this facility. Their activities sounded good. They had a lovely outdoor area for their memory care people. They didn’t lock them down somewhere. They have a screened porch. They have an outside garden area, where the people can go out and sit outside, and they could take their meals outside. I was very impressed with the fact that they would allow their Alzheimer’s/dementia people outside anytime they wanted to go. The lady that showed us around was very helpful and very nice. She had a lot of information to give.
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There is a place called Mission Oaks that was very nice. I was very impressed with this facility. Their activities sounded good. They had a lovely outdoor area for their memory care people. They didn’
… (read more)
There is a place called Mission Oaks that was very nice. I was very impressed with this facility. Their activities sounded good. They had a lovely outdoor area for their memory care people. They didn’t lock them down somewhere. They have a screened porch. They have an outside garden area, where the people can go out and sit outside, and they could take their meals outside. I was very impressed with the fact that they would allow their Alzheimer’s/dementia people outside anytime they wanted to go. The lady that showed us around was very helpful and very nice. She had a lot of information to give.
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1477 Huey Street, Wildwood, FL, 34785
7330 Powell Road, Wildwood, FL, 34785
COVID-19 Rules for Memory Care in The Villages
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 Florida. 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 The Villages
As with other senior care facilities in the state of Florida, memory care communities are licensed and managed by the Agency for Health Care Administration, a segment of the Bureau of Health Facility Regulation. The agency is also responsible for the investigation of complaints, in addition to ensuring that each facility is safe and compliant with state requirements.
Benefits and Drawbacks of Memory Care in The Villages
- The Villages is a city and a community of seniors designed specifically for the elderly and their needs. It has all of the shopping, restaurants and entertainment venues that comparable cities possess, with the added benefit of other services that seniors need, including medical and financial organizations.
- The summers are hot and often humid, but most of the year is pleasant and warm, with temperatures in the winter rarely dropping below 50. The area also has significant sunshine. Rainfall is frequent in the summer but rarely lasts more than a few minutes. The UV and heat indexes in the summer can be dangerous, but most places have air conditioning to stay out of the sun.
- Florida is extremely tax-friendly to seniors. Not only is there no state income tax here, but seniors also don’t need to worry about their Social Security or pension being taxed, and there is no inheritance tax. These tax advantages make a senior’s savings last longer than they would in other states.
- The health care available to seniors in The Villages goes above and beyond what would be offered in most metropolitan areas. The community has its own hospital, UF Health The Villages® Hospital, which is nationally recognized for its heart failure and stroke care. There are also treatment centers dedicated to seniors who have dementia, including that available at The Villages Health center.
- The Villages is a very safe place for seniors to live, with a crime rate that is much lower than the Florida state average. In particular, seniors enjoy an overall crime rate that is more than 70% lower than the national average and a property crime rate that is more than 90% below the national average.
Paying for Memory Care in The Villages
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.
The cost of memory care in The Villages is approximately $6,500 per month, which is higher than the national average by almost $1,000 per month and is also higher than the state average by $1,500.
The Cost of Memory Care in Nearby Cities
The Villages has some of the higher memory care costs in the region, particularly when considering the overall lower cost of care in the rest of the state. This may be due to the high number of seniors who live in The Villages. Compared to Lakeland and Tampa, The Villages’ memory care costs are expensive, representing $2,400 more per month than Lakeland and $2,300 more than Tampa. The cost in The Villages is also $1,700 more per month than Ocala and almost $1,200 more than Homosassa Springs.
Memory Care vs. Other Types of Care in The Villages, FL
The Villages offers a number of care options for seniors in the city. Memory care costs are situated toward the upper range of care options. It is more expensive than adult day health care by almost $4,800 per month. Fortunately, memory care is only around $790 per month more than in-home care and home health care. It is also more expensive than assisted living by around $1,200 per month. For seniors who need more attention and medical care than they can receive in a typical memory care community, the cost of care increases. A semi-private room in a nursing home costs almost $8,700 per month, more than $2,000 more than for memory care services.
Nursing Home (semiprivate room)
Financial Assistance for Memory Care in The Villages
In The Villages, 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 Florida 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 Florida page.
Free Memory Care Resources in The Villages
The Villages offers a good variety of senior services to help the elderly thrive. The problem is navigating through the huge variety to pick out the one service that is needed the most. The following table lists some of the area’s free memory care resources, providing an overview of their services and contact information.
The Sumter County Sheriff's Office received funding to create the DREAM program, known as the Dementia Recovery, Education and Management program, that allows caregivers to track seniors with dementia through a wristwatch or Jiobit device that includes GPS capabilities. This plans to address the tendency of seniors with dementia to wander.
This is the local chapter for the Alzheimer's Association, a 501(c)3 organization that offers services to seniors who have been diagnosed with dementia. This chapter provides caregiver certification classes, access to support groups and activities, connection opportunities for those who have been diagnosed in the early stages of dementia and other educational programming and fundraising opportunities.
Sponsored in part by the United Way of Hernando County, Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida provides no-cost service to residents who live in Sumter and other central Florida counties. The organization helps seniors create life planning documents such as advance directives, last wills, Power of Attorney, and inheritance/estate papers.
Memory Care Laws and Regulations in The Villages
The Villages Memory Care Communities must adhere to the comprehensive set of state laws and regulations that all Memory Care Facilities in Florida are required to follow. Visit our Memory Care in Florida page for more information about these laws.
