The 10 Best Memory Care Facilities in Arnold, MO for 2024

 

Arnold sits near the Meramec River in the southern region of the St. Louis metropolitan area and has a large senior community that makes up 18.4% of its 21,000 residents. In the city, memory care facilities charge about $5,125 monthly for services. Although this exceeds the Missouri rate of $3,750, it’s hundreds of dollars below the national cost of $5,625. There are 2 memory care facilities to choose from in Arnold proper, along with 17 more close by.

This guide features 157 reviews reviews of memory care communities throughout the Arnold region and indicates an average rating of 4.33 out of 5 stars stars.

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services licenses and regulates all memory care facilities in Arnold and the rest of the state. This department publishes guidelines for operation, including staffing requirements, intake and discharge criteria and care planning. It also provides information on residents’ rights and how to report substandard conditions and care.

 

• Arnold doesn’t have its own hospital, but Mercy Hospital South sits 6 miles outside the city in St. Louis. This hospital houses the county’s only Level II Trauma Center and serves as a Joint Commission Comprehensive Stroke Center. It also has a team of neurologists who provide comprehensive care for Alzheimer’s and related dementias.

 

• Jefferson County falls in the 50-75th percentile for health outcomes and factors, indicating a moderate range of health care amenities and resources for seniors. The average life expectancy lines up with the state norm at 75.6 but is significantly lower than the national average of 78.5. However, 55% of Medicare beneficiaries routinely get the flu vaccine versus 51% nationally, reducing the spread of illness in residential facilities. These factors contribute to the county’s overall ranking of 48 out of the state’s 115 ranked counties.

 

• AARP Missouri provides a variety of support and resources to seniors and families in Arnold, including age-friendly virtual fitness classes, health screenings and tips on where to find flu and COVID-19 vaccines. Additionally, the organization publishes details on things to consider when researching long-term care communities.

 

• Arnold has a total crime index of 31, meaning that it’s safer than 31% of neighborhoods across the nation, and its crime rate is higher than 65% of communities in Missouri. However, compared only to cities with similar population sizes, Arnold’s crime rate is average. The violent crime rate is below national norms, and although residents face an above-average risk of becoming victims of property-related offenses, memory care communities have features, such as security gates and locked entry points, to promote residents’ safety.

 

• Arnold seniors who bring in less than $85,000 per year don’t pay state income taxes on their Social Security benefits, and those whose income comes in at or below $25,000 qualify for a $6,000 exemption on their income from retirement savings accounts.

 

• The overall cost of living in Arnold is 4.7% below the national norm, with residents spending 15% less on housing and 7% less on health care here than in a typical U.S. city. This promotes competitive memory care rates.

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.

Memory care facilities in Arnold charge approximately $5,125 per month for specialized care.

In Arnold, memory care residents pay around $5,125 per month for dementia support, which is hundreds of dollars higher than Missouri’s average of $3,750 but economical compared to the national average of $5,625. By comparison, other cities in the region have lower monthly care costs, including Springfield, where rates come in at $4,063, and Columbia, where seniors pay $3,500 for care. Additionally, Cape Girardeau and Jefferson City have competitive rates compared to Arnold, with respective monthly norms averaging $3,173 and $2,594.

Memory care rates in Arnold come in at about $5,125 per month. While this is higher than the $4,100 seniors in assisted living pay for nonspecialized personal care, as well as the $1,918 adult day health care clients pay for skilled nursing and care services in a community setting, it’s economical compared to other local senior care options. For example, private agencies charge $5,482 per month for in-home care, which accommodates seniors seeking personal care in their own homes, and home health care, which includes skilled nursing services. Additionally, nursing homes charge higher rates of $5,627 for around-the-clock medical supervision, intensive skilled nursing and personal care services.

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 Missouri page.