American Fork is a regional hub in north-central Utah County, Utah, and is home to around 29,527 residents, 9.5 percent of whom are aged 65 years and over. Fourteen memory care facilities within the area, two in the city and 12 in nearby neighborhoods, are capable of providing long-term care to members of this population who have Alzheimer’s, dementia and other cognitive disorders. In American Fork and the rest of Utah, employees of assisted living facilities are required to have documented orientation and training on dementia care, including maintaining a safe dementia patient environment within their respective facilities.
The city is also home to an Intermountain Healthcare facility, the American Fork Memory Clinic, which specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of memory disorders, as well as research programs and clinical trials for new treatment options.
- Social Security retirement benefits in American Fork and the rest of Utah are subject to a 5 percent flat income tax rate. This also applies to other types of retirement income, including pension and retirement accounts incomes. Although seniors are entitled to a small credit against these taxes, the additional cut in their income provides a substantial dent on the family’s budget for memory care expenses.
- The American Lung Association’s list of most polluted cities ranks the Salt Lake-Provo-Orem metro area, which includes American Fork, 18th and 8th in ozone and short-term particle pollution, respectively. This translates into a major health consideration for seniors with respiratory illnesses.
- The overall cost of living in American Fork, pegged at 118, is higher than the national index and is at almost the same level as the whole Provo-Orem metro area and the rest of the state. Health care in American Fork is one of the biggest contributors to the high cost of living, which may greatly impact seniors’ long-term memory care needs. Grocery is slightly lower at 91, making daily supplies a little more affordable.
- Although American Fork enjoys a comfortable year-round climate, it is susceptible to extreme conditions during the winter and summer months. Winter months register low average temperatures of 20 degrees and 55 inches of snow per year, almost double the nation’s average of 26 inches. Summer's high average, on the other hand, is listed at 91 degrees, way above the comfortable range of 70 to 80 degrees. Families need to be assured that their chosen facilities are capable of protecting residents from extreme conditions.