Memory Care Communities in Kalispell, Montana

Seniors in Kalispell pay $5,813 per month for memory care. By comparison, state and national norms come in hundreds of dollars lower at $5,563 and $5,625, respectively. Within the state, seniors in Billings pay slightly lower rates of $5,705, and in Great Falls, facilities charge $5,188 for care. Across state lines in Idaho, rates are even more competitive compared to Kalispell’s average, with Lewiston seniors paying $5,524 for residential dementia care and memory care communities in Idaho Falls charging $4,375.

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 Kalispell, memory care residents pay an average monthly rate of $5,813 for care.

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 Montana page.

Memory care rates in Kalispell come in at $5,813, exceeding the costs of most other senior care options in the city. For example, seniors pay $5,243 per month for in-home care, which includes personal care at home from private caregivers, as well as home health care, which features skilled nursing services, such as medication administration and disease management. Seniors who don’t require memory support but need personal care services in a residential setting pay $4,650 for assisted living. Only nursing home care, which is for those who need 24-hour medical support, is costlier than memory care at $9,125.

The Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services licenses and oversees all memory care communities in Kalispell and the rest of the state. This department promotes a consistent standard of care by enforcing rules for the scope of services facilities provide, as well as minimum requirements for staffing, security and care planning.

• Montana doesn’t have a sales tax, reducing the overall cost of living, and low property taxes promote affordable memory care expenses. While the state taxes all forms of income, including Social Security benefits, retirees below certain income thresholds can claim deductions to reduce what they owe to the state.

• Two hospitals are located in Kalispell proper, including Greater Valley Health Center and Logan Health Medical Center. Together, these hospitals offer a full range of services for seniors with memory loss, including neurology services, cardiovascular care and orthopedics.

• Flathead County, where Kalispell is located, ranks 7th out of 47 surveyed counties in Montana for general health and falls in the 75-100th percentile for health outcomes. The average life expectancy in this region is 79.1 years, which is a little higher than Montana’s average of 78.4 and the national norm of 78.5, and there is one primary care physician per 1,100 residents compared to a national ratio of 1:1,310, reducing seniors’ wait times to obtain basic health screenings and services.

• Kalispell’s cost of living is 2.1% below the national norm, appealing to seniors seeking memory care services on a budget. Although utility expenses exceed the national norm by 12.2%, residents spend 25.6% less on housing, 16.2% less on food and 7.9% less on health care services. Additionally, the Big Sky Home and Community Based Services Waiver Program helps qualified seniors pay for residential memory care.

• Kalispell has an overall livability score of 55 on the AARP Livability Index, indicating an above-average range of amenities and benefits for seniors. Some factors that positively impact this score include the region’s numerous parks and low rate of preventable hospitalizations. Additionally, it has a walkability score of 9.66 compared to 6.17 nationally, letting many family members visit loved ones in memory care without relying on vehicle transportation.

• Kalispell ranks as safer than just 10% of U.S. communities and 7% of Montana cities, and its property and violent crime rates exceed what’s typical in similarly sized communities. Fortunately, memory care communities support residents’ safety through measures such as monitored surveillance systems and escorted transportation.