In Auburn, Massachusetts, 20 percent of the town's 16,700 residents are 65 or older. As senior citizens become the fastest-growing segment of the state's population, age-related medical conditions, such as Alzheimer's disease, are increasingly common. Already, 130,000 adults in Massachusetts, including 7,600 in the county, are living with dementia.
Age-related memory loss has an enormous socioeconomic impact due to the care that patients require. When these needs become too difficult, families may turn to specialized memory care facilities. In Auburn and all of Massachusetts, the state Executive Office of Elder Affairs certifies dementia special care units based on their ability to ensure the well-being of dementia patients. Auburn is home to two memory care facilities, and a dozen others are located in Worcester County.