The 5 Best Memory Care Facilities in Dauphin County, PA for 2024

Dauphin County is in central Pennsylvania, south of the coal mining towns and north of the factory-fueled cities in York County. It's home to 275,720 people, with 55,000 of them age 65 and older, some of whom are living with Alzheimer's disease. Around 11.6 percent of the state population enrolled in Medicare has been diagnosed with some form of dementia and could benefit from an Alzheimer's special care unit (SCU), as they're called in the state. These units are licensed by the Office of Long-Term Living, and they must provide specialized training to the staff and implement strict safety protocol to safeguard their residents. Dauphin County has four SCUs, with two in Harrisburg, one in Middleton and one in Hershey.

• The air quality in Dauphin County is poor. The American Lung Association gave it grades of  "D" and "F" for ozone and particle pollution, respectively. Seniors with diseases, such as asthma, lung cancer or COPD may find their ailments are aggravated by the county's air.
• Dauphin County is home to world-class medical facilities, including those specializing in brain health and dementia care, such as Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and Wellspan Good Samaritan Hospital, in the event of medical emergencies or illness.
• The cost of living in the county is a bit lower than the U.S. average of 100 at 96. Housing is the lowest category at 81, while groceries are 6 points below the state average of 100 at 94. Health care, however, is above the median at 111, but that may be negated by the low housing and food costs.
• The climate is just about equal to the U.S. median figures, which explains Sperling's Comfort Index of 47 out of 100. Rainfall in Dauphin County is a few inches off the national average, as is snowfall. High temperatures in July only reach 84 degrees and January lows stay above 20. Dauphin County has eight fewer sunny days annually than an average U.S. area.

Memory Care costs in Dauphin County start around $6,156 per month on average, while the nationwide average cost of memory care is $5,743 per month.

It’s important to note that memory care rates in Dauphin County and the surrounding suburbs can vary widely based on factors such as location, the level of care needed, apartment size and the types of amenities offered at each community.

Learn more about these programs, plus who’s eligible, on our Memory Care in Pennsylvania page.

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.

Dauphin County-area memory care communities must adhere to the comprehensive set of state laws and regulations that all memory care communities in Pennsylvania are required to follow. Visit our Memory Care in Pennsylvania page for more information about these laws.