Memory Care Facilities in Bowling Green, KY

Bowling Green, an age-friendly community with a senior population that accounts for 11% of its 75,000 residents, offers a supportive environment for those seeking dementia care and treatment options. While the Alzheimer’s Association projects a 15%  increase in the number of Kentucky seniors living with Alzheimer’s in the coming years, some communities may experience this increase to a lesser extent. In Bowling Green, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that between 2016 and 2020, the number of Alzheimer’s-related deaths went up by 12%. This is modest compared to the 29% increase the CDC reported for deaths from all causes.

Bowling Green has several memory care facilities to meet the needs of seniors and families affected by dementia. These facilities provide a secured, nurturing environment where residents have access to dementia-informed recreational and therapeutic activities, specialized meal plans and hands-on assistance with daily activities.

This guide provides more information about memory care in Bowling Green, including details on how much care costs and an overview of supportive resources that help seniors and families navigate their care options.

The Kentucky Department for Aging and Independent Living certifies memory care facilities in Bowling Green and the rest of Kentucky. This department sets minimum standards for the services all facilities must provide and enforces rules related to housing, building security, staff training and care planning. It also publishes information on residents’ rights and agencies that provide advocacy for seniors.

• Bowling Green is a member of the AARP Age-Friendly Network, meaning that its leaders have put policies in place to foster a safe and welcoming environment for seniors, including those with memory loss. The city’s livability score of 51 reflects its range of transportation options and amenities, as well as the number of local parks, grocery stores and libraries.
• Kentucky exempts Social Security benefits from income taxes, and there’s an exemption of up to $31,110 per person to reduce what seniors owe on pension income or withdrawals from retirement savings accounts. This may help some seniors afford memory care expenses in the Bowling Green region.
• In Bowling Green, summers are warm with temperatures ranging from 80 to 88 degrees Fahrenheit, and conditions tend to be very humid throughout the spring, summer and fall months. In the winter, daytime temperatures range from 45 to 53 degrees Fahrenheit, and February is the snowiest month with about 3 inches of snowfall. To promote year-round comfort, many memory care facilities have individually controlled thermostats in residents’ rooms.
• The American Lung Association reports that the air quality in the Bowling Green region is very good, which may benefit seniors living with heart and lung conditions that often accompany dementia. The organization gives Warren County, where Bowling Green is located, an A for its ozone pollution levels, as well as a passing score for annual particle pollution and a B for 24-hour particle pollution.
• GoBG, the public transportation service in Bowling Green, provides affordable, easy-to-use transportation services for seniors and those visiting loved ones in long-term care. Reduced fares are available to seniors aged 60 and over, which may make this service a budget-friendly alternative to paid services available through local memory care facilities.

• Bowling Green boasts a cost of living that is lower than the national average. On a scale where the national average is 100, Bowling Green's cost of living comes in at 93.3. Housing and related expenses like utilities are some of the city's most inexpensive categories. Not surprisingly, then, the cost of memory care facilities in Bowling Green also comes in lower than the national average.
• Kentucky does not tax social security income. As a result, seniors living in Bowling Green will enjoy some extra money in the bank. They may opt to put this money toward memory care facility expenses.
• Bowling Green's violent crime rate is below the national average, which can offer some peace of mind for seniors and their families as they search for memory care facilities. Property crime, which includes burglary and motor vehicle theft, rates are higher than the U.S. average. As a result, seniors and their caregivers will want to inquire about safety precautions at both memory care facilities in town.
• Bowling Green's climate offers a taste of all four seasons. In the winter, temperatures drop to the 20s. The area sees modest snowfall totaling just six inches a year, which is well below the national average. During summer months, the temperatures rise to as high as 88 degrees in July. Bowling Green receives about 50 inches of rain a year, which is above the national average.

 

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 Bowling Green, memory care facilities charge monthly median rates of $4,375.

Memory care facilities in Bowling Green charge $4,375 per month for care, which is comparable to the Kentucky average of $4,310 and 22% lower than the national norm. In Elizabethtown, monthly rates are a little lower than in Bowling Green at $4,031, and seniors may save about 12% on monthly care costs by opting for services in Owensboro. However, Bowling Green may be an economical alternative compared to Lexington, where facilities charge considerably higher rates of $5,710. Across state lines in Nashville, TN, memory care costs exceed norms in Bowling Green by 17%.

Seniors in Bowling Green pay $4,375 per month on average for memory care, which is moderate compared to other senior care options in the city. This monthly rate is 9% lower than what agencies charge for basic in-home care and specialized home health care, and it’s nearly half the cost of nursing home care, which starts at $8,425 for semi-private accommodations. On the other hand, seniors who don’t need memory support pay comparatively competitive rates of $3,500 for assisted living, and those who attend adult day health care facilities for daytime services pay $1,712.  

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 Kentucky page.