Sunny Albuquerque, NM, has a population of 562,599 people. 15.9% of them are over 65, an age group for which Alzheimer’s disease is the fifth-leading cause of death. This mortality rate increases with age, and it’s estimated that, eventually, one-third of seniors will die with dementia. Between 2016 and 2020, Alzheimer’s-related deaths in Albuquerque rose by 33.07%. While this figure is alarming on its own, it’s projected to increase. Alzheimer’s cases in America are expected to rise to 12.7 million in 2050, compared to 6.5 million in 2020.

Fortunately, Albuquerque features a broad selection of dementia care communities for seniors experiencing cognitive decline. These communities are staffed around the clock by professionals who are trained to respond to the behaviors associated with Alzheimer’s, such as wandering, confusion and agitation. Staff also help residents with nutrition, hygiene and housekeeping. In memory care, seniors can take part in social activities and games designed to stimulate and preserve neurological health. This guide will discuss memory care in Albuquerque, some of the pros and cons of settling there and local resources available to seniors.

Directory of Memory Care Facilities in Albuquerque, NM

2016

The Woodmark at Uptown

7201 Prospect Place N.E., Albuquerque, NM, 87110

The Woodmark at Uptown is a full-service senior living community located in the Uptown area of Albuquerque, just a short distance from several shopping centers and medical facilities, and with conveni … (read more)
The Woodmark at Uptown is a full-service senior living community located in the Uptown area of Albuquerque, just a short distance from several shopping centers and medical facilities, and with conveni … (read more)

2014, 2015, 2016

Morada Albuquerque

1620 Indian School Road NE, Albuquerque, NM, 87102

Morada Albuquerque was nice. They did a lot of activities while I was there. They were all having a blast. The long halls would have been confusing for my mom. The director there, who took me on the t … (read more)
Morada Albuquerque was nice. They did a lot of activities while I was there. They were all having a blast. The long halls would have been confusing for my mom. The director there, who took me on the t … (read more)

Brookdale Tramway Ridge

4910 Tramway Ridge, Albuquerque, NM, 87111

Brookdale Tramway Ridge was older. We went to the memory care and the room they showed me wasn’t appealing for the tour. The dining area was OK. Then I saw some residents doing some tabletop activitie … (read more)
Brookdale Tramway Ridge was older. We went to the memory care and the room they showed me wasn’t appealing for the tour. The dining area was OK. Then I saw some residents doing some tabletop activitie … (read more)

BeeHive Homes of Albuquerque

6401 Corona Ave. NE, Albuquerque, NM, 87113

I like the Beehive Homes of Albuquerque mainly because my mom is pretty far along in her Alzheimer’s and there are a lot of people like her there. They have four different pods. The rooms were okay. T … (read more)
I like the Beehive Homes of Albuquerque mainly because my mom is pretty far along in her Alzheimer’s and there are a lot of people like her there. They have four different pods. The rooms were okay. T … (read more)

Avista Senior Living Albuquerque

3920 Juan Tabo Pl. NE, Albuquerque, NM, 87111

Avista Senior Living Albuquerque was wonderful. We were impressed with all the staff that we encountered. The man that took us on a tour was the activities director and everybody there was smiling, no … (read more)
Avista Senior Living Albuquerque was wonderful. We were impressed with all the staff that we encountered. The man that took us on a tour was the activities director and everybody there was smiling, no … (read more)

MorningStar Assisted Living & Memory Care of Albuquerque

8051 Palomas Ave NE, Albuquerque, NM, 87109

I was very impressed with MorningStar Assisted Living & Memory Care of Albuquerque. They do a very good job. The apartments were in good condition, they had different types of rooms you could sele … (read more)
I was very impressed with MorningStar Assisted Living & Memory Care of Albuquerque. They do a very good job. The apartments were in good condition, they had different types of rooms you could sele … (read more)

Everest Assisted Living

7524 Bear Canyon Rd. NE, Albuquerque, NM, 87109

The first choice I had was Everest Assisted Living because that was a wonderful, wonderful place. That’s the choice I made, and I was going to put my mother there before she had her stroke. I was alre … (read more)
The first choice I had was Everest Assisted Living because that was a wonderful, wonderful place. That’s the choice I made, and I was going to put my mother there before she had her stroke. I was alre … (read more)

MorningStar at North Ridge

8101 Palomas Avenue NE, Albuquerque, NM, 87109

MorningStar at North Ridge was a beautiful community. It’s a pretty luxurious setting, but the surrounding area looked like an old-fashioned style of decoration with lots of dark wood and the room its … (read more)
MorningStar at North Ridge was a beautiful community. It’s a pretty luxurious setting, but the surrounding area looked like an old-fashioned style of decoration with lots of dark wood and the room its … (read more)

Mariposa Senior Care

7813 American Heritage Dr NE, Albuquerque, NM, 87109


Palmilla Senior Living

10301 Golf Course Road NW, Albuquerque, NM, 87114

Palmilla Senior Living is situated on a seven-acre property in Albuquerque, close to shopping and multiple medical facilities. Visitors speak warmly of Palmilla’s friendly, knowledgeable and welcomi … (read more)
Palmilla Senior Living is situated on a seven-acre property in Albuquerque, close to shopping and multiple medical facilities. Visitors speak warmly of Palmilla’s friendly, knowledgeable and welcomi … (read more)

2022

Life Spire Assisted Living – Albuquerque

9151 High Assets Way N.W., Albuquerque, NM, 87120

Located near a popular hair salon, and across the road from a cinema and a shopping center, Life Spire Assisted Living in Albuquerque is a homey and comfortable facility. Residents and visitors love t … (read more)
Located near a popular hair salon, and across the road from a cinema and a shopping center, Life Spire Assisted Living in Albuquerque is a homey and comfortable facility. Residents and visitors love t … (read more)

La Vida Llena

10501 Lagrima de Oro Rd NE, Albuquerque, NM, 87111


The Watermark at Cherry Hills

6901 San Vicente Ave. NE, Albuquerque, NM, 87109


2016

The Aldea House dba Heaven Sent LLC

6128 Aldea Ave. NW, Albuquerque, NM, 87114

The Aldea House dba Heaven Sent LLC is located in Albuquerque, New Mexico. This modern senior community is located near the Presbyterian Rust Medical Center, Desert Greens Golf Course and a variety of … (read more)
The Aldea House dba Heaven Sent LLC is located in Albuquerque, New Mexico. This modern senior community is located near the Presbyterian Rust Medical Center, Desert Greens Golf Course and a variety of … (read more)

Life Spire Assisted Living – Albuquerque NE

7500 Oakland Avenue NE, Albuquerque, NM, 87113

My sister has been in Life Spire Assisted Living – Albuquerque NE for a week now. It’s mid-sized. It’s not the smallest I looked at but it’s certainly not the largest either. The rooms were furnished … (read more)
My sister has been in Life Spire Assisted Living – Albuquerque NE for a week now. It’s mid-sized. It’s not the smallest I looked at but it’s certainly not the largest either. The rooms were furnished … (read more)

Casa Del Oso Assisted Living

7635 Arroyo Del Oso Ave NE, Albuquerque, NM, 87109


Willow Wood Assisted Living

1008 Chiricahua Ct SE, Albuquerque, NM, 87123


Albuquerque Uptown Assisted Living

7611 Indian School Road, Albuquerque, NM, 87110


Haven Care

7801 Academy Rd NE, Building 2, Albuquerque, NM, 87109

Primary care taker was verbally harsh, uncarinh, rude, took away residents dignity. My mother was pushed, she fell multiple times in the 2 months she was there. She had multiple bruises and injuries … (read more)
Primary care taker was verbally harsh, uncarinh, rude, took away residents dignity. My mother was pushed, she fell multiple times in the 2 months she was there. She had multiple bruises and injuries … (read more)

Tender Heart Assisted Living

4308 Tulane Drive NE, Albuquerque, NM, 87107


COVID-19 Rules for Memory Care in Albuquerque

Since most COVID-19 rules for Memory Care Communities and other Senior Living Facilities are set at the state level, you can view the specific rules for your state on our Guide to Memory Care in New Mexico. Keep in mind that every community has specific policies that they put in place to protect their residents, so you should contact your local community for more information. Additionally, you can contact your local Area Agency on Aging to learn more – find contact information here.

What to Consider About Memory Care in Albuquerque

In New Mexico, memory care communities are licensed and regulated by the Division of Health Improvement. This agency is also responsible for conducting investigations into abuse or neglect among facilities and for operating the Caregivers Criminal History Screening Program, which conducts background screening of potential caregivers. 

Benefits and Drawbacks of Memory Care in Albuquerque

  • Seniors in Albuquerque have access to a selection of quality medical centers, including Presbyterian Hospital, which is regionally ranked by US News and World Report as the #1 in New Mexico. The city also has more than the national average of primary care physicians per resident, with 104 for every 100,000, compared to the national average of 82 per 100,000 residents. Residents with Alzheimer’s have access to specialized neurological treatments at the Memory & Aging Center at UNM, the state’s only dementia research center.
  • Albuquerque joined the AARP Age-Friendly Network in 2017, pledging to make the community more senior-friendly by addressing the needs of seniors who live in and around the city. This includes adding more programs geared toward seniors and increasing the ability of seniors to travel throughout the city freely by bus or foot.
  • Albuquerque has a cost of living that is 9% below the national average, allowing seniors to make the most of the money they have coming in. From groceries and utilities to rent and transportation, everything is more affordable.
  • Like many southwest cities, Albuquerque has a pleasant, dry climate, which can help seniors with respiratory illnesses, arthritis and other chronic pain disorders. The humidity rarely reaches above 60% with more than 230 days of sunshine each year. 
  • As of early 2022, income tax on Social Security has been eliminated, so seniors can enjoy the full value of their monthly income. New Mexico also offers a low state and local sales tax of just 7.8%, so regular purchases don’t eat away at a senior’s income. 

Paying for Memory Care in Albuquerque

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.

The Cost of Memory Care in Nearby Cities

The cost of memory care in Albuquerque is $5,938, approximately $300 more per month than both the state and national averages. In comparison to other cities across the state, memory care in Albuquerque is generally more expensive, representing almost $940 higher per month than that of Farmington, located in the northwest corner of the state, and approximately $300 more per month than that of Las Cruces, located at the southern edge of the state. Still, memory care in Albuquerque is far cheaper than in Sante Fe, where memory care is more than $1,300 higher per month than in Albuquerque.

$5938

Albuquerque

$5623

New Mexico

$5625

The United States

$4999

Farmington

$5619

Las Cruces

$7268

Sante Fe

he Cost of Other Types of Senior Care 

Costing $5,938 per month, memory care provides seniors with more advanced medical care than other types of senior care in Albuquerque. By the numbers, memory care is almost $1,300 per month more than in-home care and in-home health care, which focus on caring for seniors in their own homes. Additionally, it is almost $1,200 more than assisted living care is per month. In contrast, memory care services in Albuquerque are less expensive than nursing home services. For a semi-private room in a local nursing home, seniors with dementia will pay nearly $8,500 per month, about $2,500 more than they would pay for memory care. 

$4671

Homemaker Services

$4671

Home Health Aide

$2427

Adult Day Health Care

$4750

Assisted Living

$5938

Memory Care

$8479

Nursing Home (semiprivate room)


Financial Assistance for Memory Care in Albuquerque

In Albuquerque, there are options for seniors who need financial assistance paying for Memory Care. For more information about other options, who qualifies, and how to apply, Memory Care in New Mexico page.

More ways to pay for memory care in New Mexico

More Ways to Pay for Memory 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 New Mexico page.

Free Memory Care Resources in Albuquerque

Seniors and family members of those with dementia who live in Albuquerque may have difficulty finding resources that cater to their unique needs. The following table is a collection of free or low-cost memory care resources located throughout Albuquerque and Bernalillo County that can help seniors find the services they need.

Resource

Contact

Description

505-764-6400

The Department of Senior Affairs is responsible for meeting the needs of seniors who live in Albuquerque. They coordinate home repair services, hot meals, information and referral services, and in-home care in respite care and help manage household tasks.

505-764-6464

The transportation department caters to seniors in the county who need transportation for non-medical errands, medical appointments and access to local meal sites and multigenerational centers. They also have an on-demand service for other transportation around the county with a three-day advanced notice.

505-298-1700

The Share Your Care Adult Day Services program is offered to seniors who need a safe place to go during the day when family members are at work. There are seven locations to choose from across the county, each of which engages seniors in social and creative activities that are customized to meet their needs. Alzheimer's and memory care seniors are welcome. 

800-432-2080

The New Mexico Aging and Long-Term Services is a one-stop location for seniors who need information, referrals to care and access to local services. The department also provides assistance in signing up for health insurance plans and facilitates contact between seniors and the LTC Ombudsman.

800-272-3900

The New Mexico chapter of the Alzheimer's Association is a non-profit organization that advocates and supports residents who have Alzheimer's disease and their families. They run a 24-hour helpline and a system of support groups to allow seniors to connect with others who also have dementia. It also offers free classes on dementia and caring for those with dementia.

Memory Care Laws and Regulations in Albuquerque

Albuquerque Memory Care Communities must adhere to the comprehensive set of state laws and regulations that all Memory Care Facilities in New Mexico are required to follow. Visit our Memory Care in New Mexico page for more information about these laws.

Memory Care Laws and Regulations in New Mexico