Memory Care in Kentucky

In Kentucky, where seniors comprise nearly 17% of the population of 4.5 million, Alzheimer’s is increasingly becoming a public concern. According to data published by the Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s is the sixth-leading cause of death in the state, and the number of those with this disease is projected to increase in coming years. In 2018, the organization estimated that 71,000 Kentucky residents aged 65 and over were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. By 2025, that number is projected to increase by about 20% to 86,000 seniors.

Fortunately, Kentucky residents have access to a range of programs and services through government and nonprofit agencies that improve the lives of those with this diagnosis. The state is also home to outstanding medical facilities, including the University of Kentucky Albert B. Chandler Hospital, a 569-bed acute care hospital in Lexington, and St. Elizabeth Healthcare Edgewood-Covington Hospitals in Edgewood. Overall, health care costs in the state, such as hospital stays and primary care services, are about 10% lower than in the nation as a whole.

Memory care can either be offered on its own in a community designed especially for those with dementia or Alzheimer’s, or, more often, it’s provided as a service in a separate wing of an assisted living facility. Memory care programs are designed specifically for those with memory impairment, and the facilities often coordinate social activities and schedules specifically for the needs of those living with Alzheimer’s or dementia.

This guide provides an overview of memory care services in Kentucky, including how much residents pay for this type of care and how rates compare to those in nearby cities and other senior care types. It also provides an overview of the financial options available to memory care residents, the regulations governing memory care facilities and statewide resources for seniors and families affected by dementia.

Note: There are no authoritative data sources with national memory care cost data. However, dementia services are provided in assisted living facilities that are licensed to provide this level of care and typically cost 20-30% more than standard assisted living. To estimate memory care costs, we’ve added 25% to the assisted living rates published in the Genworth 2021 Cost of Care Survey.

In Kentucky, older adults pay $4,310 per month for residential dementia services, which is over $1,000 lower than the national rate of $5,625. Local care costs are over $2,000 cheaper than rates in Virginia, which exceed the national median at $6,563. In Indiana, rates are more competitive but still higher than in Kentucky at $5,354, and in West Virginia, seniors pay $5,200. Tennessee seniors pay $5,131 for residential dementia services.  

Owensboro is the most budget-friendly city in Kentucky to obtain memory care services, with facilities charging approximately $3,860 per month for care. In Elizabethtown, rates are a little higher but still affordable at $4,031. In Bowling Green and the Louisville region, rates are consistent with the state median at $4,375, and in the Lexington area, residential dementia costs are higher than the national rate at $5,710.

Memory care facilities in Kentucky charge $4,310 for services, making it among the more moderately priced senior care options in the state. Those who need personal care but don’t require dementia services pay $3,448 for assisted living, and adult day health care services are even more affordable at $1,690 per month. Basic homemaker services and home health aide services cost $4,767 monthly. Older adults with more extensive care needs may require nursing home placement, which costs $7,178 for semiprivate rooms and $7,969 for private accommodations.

Note: For the purposes of this guide, when we say “Memory Care” we are referring to memory care provided in a “social setting,” such as an Assisted Living Facility. This is the most common way to receive Memory Care and is the best fit for all but the frailest seniors. Sometimes the actual service of memory care can be provided in a Nursing Home (“medical setting”), so the financial assistance options will be very different. To learn more about the financial assistance options available for memory care provided in a nursing home, read our guide to Nursing Home Care in Kentucky.

Currently, Kentucky Medicaid doesn’t cover memory care services directly through the regular program or indirectly via waiver programs. However, this program provides comprehensive health insurance coverage for medical expenses, such as inpatient and outpatient primary and specialty services, over-the-counter and prescription medications, emergency medical transportation and speech and physical therapy. When used alongside Medicare, it can eliminate or significantly reduce out-of-pocket medical expenses, which may leave more money in the bank for residential memory care services.