The 10 Best Memory Care Facilities in Columbia, SC for 2023

Columbia is the second-biggest city in South Carolina and is home to about 13,700 adults aged 65 and older. Alzheimer’s disease impacts the lives of many of these seniors every year. According to data from the CDC, there were 170 deaths from this disease in 2020, which was up 19.72% from 2016. The Alzheimer’s Resource Coordination Center reports that 11% of the senior population in South Carolina lives with Alzheimer’s disease, and many in this population benefit from dementia care.

The estimated 1,500 seniors in Columbia that have Alzheimer’s disease and other types of cognitive decline may find that memory care is their best living option. Memory care communities are specially designed to provide a safe and comfortable environment for residents with cognitive diseases. Communities are staffed around the clock by compassionate caregivers who go through extensive training working with seniors and families impacted by Alzheimer’s. Families can compare the cost of memory care in Columbia with other cities with this guide. They can also learn more about what the city offers seniors, including free and low-cost resources.

Senior care homes in Columbia are regulated by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control. This organization upholds resident rights through regular inspections, legislative recommendations and strict staffing standards. 

• Columbia’s cost of living is 15.5% more affordable than the national average. It’s also cheaper than the state average of 89.3 points, coming in at 84.5. 
• The city’s health care costs are 15.3 points above the nation’s average of 100. Affordable health care, however, is easily accessible, with the city having 268 Medicare-registered physicians per 100,000 people compared to the nationwide average of 210 per 100,000.
• Columbia’s water quality is one point above the U.S. median of 56. 
• As part of the WHO’s Age-Friendly Cities Network, Columbia is committed to improving infrastructure and opportunities for its aging population. 
• The city gets 46 inches of rain per year, which is much more than the national median of 38. However, Columbia gets only about 1 inch of snow per year, which is much less than the U.S. average of 28 inches. Columbia also sees more sunny days per year than most cities, at 217 compared to the average 205. 
• Crime rates here are above average, with violent crime at 39.5 compared to the nation’s 22.7 and property crime at 76.0 points, which is more than double the national average of 35.4. Fortunately, long-term care communities employ robust security measures to protect residents and their property. 
• There are around 14 hospitals and medical centers in the city, including the MUSC Health Columbia Medical Center Downtown, which treats heart failure, COPD and kidney failure. It’s also recognized for excellence in hip replacements. 

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 Columbia, memory care costs an average of $4,088 per month, although actual prices vary by location and care plan. 

The cost of memory care in Columbia is lower than the state average of $4,515 and lower than the U.S. average of $5,625. Within South Carolina, the only city with lower memory care costs is Sumter, where residents pay $759 less per month than they pay in Columbia. In Charleston, the same type of care has a monthly cost of $4,931. Hilton Head Island has the highest memory care costs in the state, averaging $5,625. 

Seniors may be able to save money in assisted living, which costs $3,720 per month in Columbia. Home care and home health care are $297 more expensive than memory care. The most expensive type of long-term care in Columbia is found in nursing homes, where a semiprivate room costs around $7,300. A private room is even costlier, at $7,908 per month. Adult day health care is the most affordable choice, averaging $1,376 a month.