The 3 Best Memory Care Facilities in Missoula, MT for 2024

Missoula, MT has a population of just under 75,000 people, 13.6% of whom are seniors over the age of 65. Missoula's senior population is at an increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease or dementia, and Alzheimer's deaths in the town increased by nearly 27% between 2016 and 2020. Unfortunately, this increase in Alzheimer's deaths is part of a larger nationwide trend. Alzheimer's currently ranks as the seventh leading cause of death in the country, and current projections predict there will be nearly 13 million Americans with the disease by 2050. Families in the Missoula area with a loved one affected by Alzheimer's can find support through dementia care options.

Memory care communities are a vital type of dementia care. They're safe and secure and the residential facilities provide 24-hour care and supervision for seniors in the later stages of memory-loss disorders. This guide provides an overview of the average memory care costs and local resources in Missoula.

The state of Montana regulates memory care facilities as "Category C" assisted living facilities. These are overseen by the Montana Department of Health and Human Services, which publishes assisted living rules and regulations, conducts regular and unscheduled visits and collects feedback from the public about their experiences with each licensed facility in the state.

 

• Montana has an overall cost of living that's in line with national averages. While Missoula has overall costs that are around 12% higher than these, much of that higher cost comes from the local real estate market, which is of little concern to most residents of memory care communities. To offset these areas, local costs for utilities and transportation are well below average.
• Seniors in memory care typically have greater medical needs, and the quality and cost of these go a long way toward determining older adults' quality of life. There are 297 physicians per 100,000 population in Missoula. The U.S.dem average is much lower, at just 210 per 100,000 people. Perhaps because of this greater access to physicians, health care costs in Missoula are around 2% lower than the national average.
• Missoula has generally good coverage from several prestigious hospitals and medical centers, each of which operates affiliated outpatient clinics and accepts Medicare from new patients. Providence St. Patrick Hospital, for example, operates a top-rated heart health clinic and conducts neuroscience research that's near the cutting edge of dementia studies. The medical center also offers several senior living resources, such as an online senior living planning tool.
• The crime rate in Missoula is average to below average, depending on which category of police report is being considered. On a 100-point scale, where the national property crime rate is 35.4, Missoula reports a 63.1. The situation is better with violent crimes, where on the same scale Missoula rates 24.5, while the national figure is 22.7. Violent crime has actually declined somewhat from its 2015 high in Missoula.
• Western Montana has a continental climate, with very comfortable summers and snowy winters. It experiences 40 inches of snowfall in winter, greater than the 28 inches nationwide. However, the area gets just 15 inches of rain a year, nearly half the 38 inches that's average for the rest of the country.
• Montana charges no sales tax, and Social Security income is exempt at the state level for seniors who earn less than a certain amount.

 

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.

Seniors in Missoula pay an average of $5,813 a month for memory care, though exact prices can vary with a facility's location, the level of care needed and amenities offered.

Memory care costs in Missoula are $250 a month higher than the statewide average, but they're only $188 higher than the national rate. Nearby cities span a wide range of prices, from the $5,844 high in Coeur d'Alene, ID, to the $4,375 low of Idaho Falls, ID. Between these, Billings averages $5,705 a month, while Great Falls averages $5,188. 

The close monitoring and extensive therapy offered in memory care facilities tends to drive up the cost. Depending on a senior's needs, other types of senior living might be more affordable and appropriate. In Missoula, both in-home care and home health care cost an average of $5,243 a month, while a month of room and caregiver support in an assisted living community averages $4,650. Semi Private rooms in area nursing homes cost significantly more than memory care, at an average of $9,125 a month in Missoula. 

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.