The 10 Best Memory Care Facilities in Allentown, PA for 2023

Home to nearly 126,000 people, just over 12% of Allentown’s residents are seniors aged 65 and older, and these individuals are at a growing risk of developing some form of memory loss. More than one-tenth of American seniors are currently living with Alzheimer’s disease, and studies project that by 2050, roughly 12.9 million seniors will be diagnosed with some form of dementia. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of Alzheimer’s-related deaths in Allentown has increased more than 37% from 2016 to 2020, which is almost double the increase in deaths of all causes during that period.

As these numbers grow, so does the need for dementia care. Seniors in Allentown have access to numerous memory care facilities where they can receive personalized care and support, along with specialized programming, thoughtfully planned activities and cognitive therapies. This guide outlines key information about living with dementia in Allentown, including available community resources, how much memory care services cost and some of the positive and negative aspects of living in the city.

In Pennsylvania, memory care communities and other senior care centers, nursing homes and home-based care programs are regulated and licensed through the Pennsylvania Department of Health. This agency is responsible for approving the design of new facilities, investigating complaints about a facility and ensuring that they meet the needs of their residents by conducting regular inspections. 

• Allentown is a safe place for seniors to live, offering a lower property and violent crime rate than the national average, with a value of 164 violent crimes committed per 100,000 residents and 1,301 property crimes per 100,000 reported in 2019. While the U.S. and the state of Pennsylvania both experienced an increase in violent crimes from 2019-2020, Allentown’s violent crime rate decreased by nearly 65%.  
• Seniors in the Allentown area have access to high quality medical treatments through three different county hospitals, including the high-performing Lehigh Valley Hospital, ranked high performing in Geriatrics and Neurology by U.S. News and World Report. They also have access to the Penn Memory Center, located just an hour away in Philadelphia, which offers support services and access to cognitive fitness programs.
• The Lehigh Valley is a sprawling area connecting the cities of Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton, and stretching far into the rural segments on the outskirts of Lehigh county. The LANta Bus Service runs throughout these areas, providing access to medical facilities and government offices. Seniors also have access to LANtaVan, a rideshare program for seniors and disabled individuals that provides next-day door-to-door service at a low price for those over the age of 65 for areas that the bus doesn’t reach.
• Retirees in Pennsylvania find it tax-friendly. The state does not tax Social Security or retirement account payments, such as those with 401(k) and IRA accounts. The state also exempts senior pension income for those aged 60+ and has a low sales tax rate, so seniors can do more with the money they make. 
• For those who enjoy a four season climate, Allentown represents an ideal location. Summers can often be hot and humid, but spring and fall are temperate, and with more than 200 days of sunshine per year–about the same as the nation’s average–there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy the moderate temperatures. Allentown also has a UV index of less than the national average, minimizing the harmful effects of the sun. 

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 Allentown is approximately $6,000 per month. This is higher than both the state average and the national average for memory care, amounting to a difference of around $850 and $350, respectively.

Memory care costs in Allentown are also higher than the cost of memory care in the more centrally-located city of Scranton, where seniors can access memory care options for around $3,600, nearly $2,400 less per month than in Allentown. On the other hand, Allentown seniors pay less for memory care than many seniors in eastern Pennsylvania. In fact, they pay nearly $430 less per month than those in East Stroudsburg and almost $1,200 less than those in Reading. Memory care in Allentown is also much less expensive than it is in its closest eastern neighbor, Trenton, where seniors pay an average of $4,200 more per month for care. 

Memory care costs more than that of other types of senior care, including home-based care and assisted living. In Allentown, this rings true, as memory care services cost $780 more than home care and $740 more than home health care. It is also around $400 more per month than an assisted living community. However, the biggest discrepancies in cost occur between memory care and the Genworth study’s least expensive and most expensive care types. Memory care is nearly $3,600 more per month than adult day health care but more than $7,200 less expensive than the cost of a semi-private room in a nursing home.

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 Pennsylvania page.