Memory Care Communities in New Orleans, LA

As the largest city in the state, New Orleans has higher average monthly fees for memory care than the rest of Louisiana. Both city and state fees, however, are well below the national average of $5,625 per month. In nearby Baton Rouge, costs are $5,156, and upstate in Shreveport, memory care costs average $4,837 per month. In nearby Houston, TX, costs are higher at $5,306 and to the north in Memphis, TN they are $5,250. The lowest average monthly costs for memory care in the region are in Mobile, AL at $4,404 per month.

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 monthly cost of memory care in New Orleans averages $4,966. This is somewhat higher than the state average of $4,685, but below the national average of $5,625.

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 Louisiana page.

Memory care is one of the most expensive types of senior care available in New Orleans. At $4,966, only nursing home care is more expensive at an average of $5,931 for a semi-private room. Adult daycare is the least expensive at $1,408, followed by assisted living in a community at $3,973. Non-medical in-home care and home health care both average $4,195 per month in New Orleans.

The Louisiana Department of Health regulates and oversees long-term care facilities within New Orleans and across the state. Adult residential care providers that segregate or offer special programs or units for residents with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia must adhere to standards that are enforced through policy development and regular inspection of facilities, treatment programs, food services and many other care services. 

• The health care system in New Orleans is extensive with lots of community-based facilities and several well-regarded hospitals such as the Tulane Medical Center and the Ochsner Medical Center that also have geriatric or neurology departments that focus on memory care.
• Living in New Orleans is more expensive than in the rest of Louisiana. But both the city and state enjoy a lower average cost of living than the rest of the U.S. For seniors with memory care needs, this translates into average monthly care costs of $4,966, well below the national average of $5,625. 
• New Orleans is famously tax-friendly to seniors. State and local government pensions, social security benefits, and military and civil services pensions are exempt from state income tax. In addition, taxpayers aged 65 and up can exclude up to $6,000 of other retirement income, including payments from private pensions, annuities and IRAs.
• Although temperate, the weather in New Orleans can be challenging. It can be hot, humid and rainy in the summer months. Hurricane season, which runs from June through November, brings its own concerns. That said, snow is hardly ever seen and the temperature rarely dips below 35 degrees Fahrenheit. 
• Crime and corruption are historically hot-button issues when it comes to living in New Orleans. It is currently one of the worst major American cities for incidents of violent crime. To cope with a pandemic era spike in property crime, the city is continuing to track and try to find effective solutions to the problem.  
• The AARP Network of Age-Friendly Communities is an international initiative aimed at helping cities better prepare for a rapidly growing aging population. Although New Orleans is not currently part of the official network, there is an AARP-sanctioned task force in place looking for ways to improve the city for seniors through better urban design and social and community programs.