The 5 Best Memory Care Facilities in Ouachita Parish, LA for 2024

Ouachita Parish has a population of approximately 155,000 people, with 14.3 percent over 65 years old. The Alzheimer's Association estimates there are 87,000 people living with Alzheimer's disease, dementia and other cognitive disorders in the state of Louisiana, and there are some seniors in Ouachita Parish in need of residential support for memory impairments.

Ouachita Parish currently has 17 memory care facilities for those dealing with advanced stages of dementia. Facilities are licensed and regulated by the Louisiana Department of Health and fall under the category of  Residential Care Facilities or  RCF's.

• One perk for senior citizens living in Ouachita Parish is that the state of Louisiana excludes Social Security benefits from state income tax. Louisiana also has some of the lowest local and state taxes in the country, which is a plus for families on a tight budget.
• While Ouachita Parish gets more rain yearly (about 56 inches) than the national average, it also gets an average of about 214 sunny days each year. Temperatures range from 33 degrees in January, typically the coldest month of the year, to an average of 93 degrees in July. Often memory care facilities offer supervised outdoor activities during nice weather, and there will be plenty of days here for residents to get fresh air.
• Crime rates are higher in Ouachita Parish than in most of the state. On a scale of 1 to 100, the county ranks 59.4 for violent crime compared to a national average of 31.1 and 52.5 for property crime compared to 38.1 nationally. This may be a consideration for those choosing to live in a memory care facility in the area; however, memory care facilities utilize video surveillance and alarms to help protect residents. 
• Air quality is quite low in Ouachita Parish with emissions exceeding the national quality standards about 20 to 30 percent of the time. Familes of seniors who have respiratory or cardiovascular conditions may want to consider alternative counties or talk to their doctor about how the air quality here might affect seniors' health. 

Memory Care costs in Ouachita Parish start around $3,339 per month on average, while the nationwide average cost of memory care is $5,694 per month.

It’s important to note that memory care rates in Ouachita Parish and the surrounding suburbs can vary widely based on factors such as location, the level of care needed, apartment size and the types of amenities offered at each community.

Learn more about these programs, plus who’s eligible, on our Memory Care in Louisiana page.

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.

Ouachita Parish-area memory care communities must adhere to the comprehensive set of state laws and regulations that all memory care communities in Louisiana are required to follow. Visit our Memory Care in Louisiana page for more information about these laws.