The inviting town of Summerville offers a range of benefits to older adults who call it home, including a warm climate and retiree-friendly tax laws. Of its 51,000 residents, a little over 13% are aged 65 and over, the age group most likely to be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. While this is lower than the senior population in the average U.S. city, the rate of fatalities from Alzheimer’s has increased considerably in recent years. In 2014, there were 37 Alzheimer’s-related deaths in the Summerville region, making up 5.6% of the total number of fatalities in the county. In 2018, the CDC reported 80 deaths linked to Alzheimer’s, which equates to over 9% of cases. The total death rate went up by about 31% during that period, but Alzheimer’s deaths increased by over 116%.
For those with dementia, residential memory care is a practical solution that provides compassionate specialized care, around-the-clock monitoring and dementia-informed recreational programs. This guide provides an outline of the benefits and drawbacks of obtaining memory care services in Summerville, along with an overview of the cost of care in this region. It also summarizes resources available to those with memory loss and their loved ones.