The 5 Best Memory Care Facilities in Rome, GA for 2024

 

Located at the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, Rome is a welcoming city near health care amenities and numerous dementia care facilities. While the Alzheimer’s Association projects a 27% uptick in Alzheimer’s diagnoses in Georgia over the next few years, area residents have seen a downward trend of Alzheimer’s-related deaths. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Alzheimer’s was the underlying cause of 12.5% of deaths in 2016. In 2020, the CDC linked only 8.2% of deaths to this disease. The number of Alzheimer’s deaths dropped by 18.4% during this time period, even though the number of deaths from all causes climbed by 23.8%.

The Rome region has several memory care facilities for older adults living with dementia, providing comprehensive care in a secured environment. These facilities offer evidence-based therapies, engaging activities for memory loss patients, meal services and assistance with daily living activities.  

Through this guide, readers can find more information about memory care in Rome, including how much care costs and resources that provide dementia support. 

The Georgia Department of Community Health licenses memory care facilities in Rome and the rest of the state. This department enforces minimum standards for care planning, staff ratios and security. The department also publishes information on residents’ rights and what to do in instances of substandard care. 

 

• Rome is located in Floyd County, which the AARP designates as an age-friendly community. The community has a livability score of 46 based on its access to grocery stores and parks, regional air quality and high local patient satisfaction ratings. This may make it a favorable option for those seeking memory care services.
• Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center, a 304-bed full-service hospital, and AdventHealth Redmond, a nonprofit hospital with over 250 affiliated physicians, are located in Rome proper. These hospitals provide a full range of health care services, including geriatrics and neurology. To further promote access to health care, many memory care facilities have on-call physicians and dedicated office space for on-site medical services.
• Rome has warm, humid summers and short, mild winters, making the city an attractive retirement destination for prospective memory care residents sensitive to cold weather. During the warm season, which lasts from late May through mid-September, daytime temperatures range from 82 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Winters are comfortable, with daytime temperatures ranging between 52 and 59 degrees Fahrenheit.
• The American Lung Association reports that the air quality in the Atlanta metropolitan area, where Rome is located, is subpar. The region ranks 47th worst in ozone pollution among 227 communities and 37th worst in annual particle pollution among 200 communities. While this may impact seniors’ health, many memory care facilities have indoor activities throughout the year, as well as air purification systems.
• Most Georgia seniors have low state income tax bills due to the state’s retiree-friendly tax laws, which may help some seniors and families afford dementia care expenses in Rome. Social Security benefits are tax-exempt for all seniors, and there’s a maximum deduction of $65,000 to reduce what seniors owe on other forms of retirement income.

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 Rome, memory care facilities charge $5,366 per month for care.

Memory care residents in Rome pay average monthly rates of $5,366 for housing and dementia services. Although this is about 21% higher than what’s typical for Georgia, it’s lower than the national average of $5,625. Rates in other cities in the region tend to be lower, with seniors in Athens paying $5,230 for care and those in Gainesville paying $4,866. Similarly, in Macon, care costs are 33% below Rome’s average, and in Warner Robins, care costs are 36% lower.

With monthly care costs coming in at $5,366, memory care is one of the most expensive senior care solutions in the Rome region. Seniors who live at home pay monthly norms of $4,576 for in-home care and home health care, and assisted living facilities, which provide residential care but not dementia support, charge $4,293 for services. Even so, memory care costs about 26% less than nursing home care, which provides around-the-clock medical support in a hospital-like setting.

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 Georgia page.