The 10 Best Memory Care Facilities in Murrells Inlet, SC for 2024

Murrells Inlet is a welcoming community of about 10,000 residents, 36% of whom are seniors. Despite the community’s large senior community, which is typically associated with an increase in the number of residents living with Alzheimer’s, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that the number of Alzheimer’s-related deaths in the Murrells Inlet region dropped by about 23% between 2016 and 2020. The percentage of deaths linked to Alzheimer’s disease in the region decreased from 9.4% to 5.6% during this period. 

Despite the CDC’s optimistic report, the need for effective dementia care solutions in Murrells Inlet is strong. Fortunately, the city has several high-quality memory care facilities. These facilities provide practical care solutions for seniors and families impacted by dementia through secured housing, dementia-friendly dining and recreational programming and hands-on care. 

This guide provides more information on memory care in Murrells Inlet, including details on how much this type of care costs, options seniors and families have for covering care and supportive resources that provide information and guidance. 

 

All memory care facilities in Murrells Inlet are licensed through the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control. This department has high standards for staffing and staff training, care planning and security requirements, which it enforces through an initial and annual licensing process and regular on-site inspections. It also conducts background checks on prospective caregivers.

• Murrells Inlet is home to Tidelands Waccamaw Community Hospital, a Joint Commission-accredited hospital with 124 beds and over three dozen health care providers across a broad range of specialties, and Grand Strand Medical Center is located just 20 miles away in Myrtle Beach. To promote access to medical care, many memory care facilities in the city provide transportation services to doctor’s appointments and therapy sessions.
• Murrells Inlet’s weather is warm throughout the year, which may appeal to older adults who enjoy participating in therapeutic outdoor activities. Year-round temperatures range from 39 to 88 degrees Fahrenheit, with the most comfortable weather coming in the late spring and early autumn. Summers are typically muggy, and conditions are partly cloudy year-round. Fortunately, memory care facilities have secured indoor and outdoor common areas that residents can enjoy with a reduced risk of wandering.
• According to the American Lung Association, the Myrtle Beach region, where Murrells Inlet is located, ranks among the cleanest metropolitan areas in the nation for ozone pollution. Because ozone pollution can exacerbate heart and lung conditions in seniors, the city may be a favorable option for older adults seeking residential dementia support.
• The Waccamaw Regional Council of Governments provides transportation services for those aged 60 and over in Murrells Inlet and the surrounding region. This volunteer-based service provides free nonemergency rides to medical appointments and human services agencies and can supplement paid services seniors obtain through memory care facilities.
• South Carolina doesn’t tax Social Security benefits, and it provides a $15,000 deduction to reduce what seniors owe for other types of retirement income. This can significantly increase how much seniors and families can put toward memory care expenses in the Murrells Inlet region. 

 

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 Murrells Inlet, memory care residents pay approximately $5,088 monthly for housing and dementia support.

Memory care facilities in Murrells Inlet charge roughly $5,088 per month for their services. While this cost is 13% higher than the South Carolina average, it remains several hundred dollars below the national average of $5,625. Comparable cities in South Carolina offer competitively priced care, such as Charleston, with rates at $4,931, and Florence, where fees are 15% lower than those in Murrells Inlet. Sumter stands out with significantly lower monthly rates of $3,329. In comparison, Murrells Inlet presents a budget-friendly alternative to Hilton Head Island, where monthly rates exceed the local norm by 11%.

 

Memory care residents in Murrells Inlet pay $5,088 per month for dementia support. While this rate is 20% lower than the cost of nursing home care, it remains relatively high compared to other senior care options in the city. For instance, seniors receiving private home health care services pay $4,767 per month, while those arranging non medical in-home care pay $4,576. Seniors who don't require memory support pay approximately 20% less for assisted living, and those attending adult day health care programs pay $1,300.

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 South Carolina page.