The Best Communities in Fairfax County, VA

There are 1.1 million residents living in Fairfax County, Virginia and more than 13 percent of its population is made up of seniors aged 65 and older. Many seniors in the area require specialized care for dementia-related disorders such as Alzheimer's Disease, which affects about 150,000 seniors in the state. 

There are 18 memory care facilities in Fairfax County that provide supportive services and residential care to seniors with dementia. In Virginia, these facilities are officially classified as assisted living facilities and are subject to similar rules and regulations as those that provide basic assisted living services to seniors. The Virginia Department of Social Services is responsible for monitoring all assisted living facilities in the state. 

• According to the American Lung Association, Fairfax County's air quality has been given a passing grade. However, the area does have high levels of ozone pollution, which can result in adverse health effects for seniors, especially those who have respiratory or cardiovascular health conditions. 
  
• The Fairfax County area is home to world-class medical facilities, including those that specialize in brain health and dementia care such as Inova Fairfax Hospital and Medical Center, in the event of medical emergencies or illness.
  
• The cost of living in Fairfax County is more than 70 percent higher than in the average U.S. city. As a result, families can expect the cost of memory care in the area to be higher as well and those on a budget may wish to consider facilities in less expensive parts of the state.  
  
• The weather in Fairfax County is reasonably mild throughout the year. In the summertime, the average high temperature is only 85 degrees while in January, the coldest month of the year, the average low is a comfortable 25 degrees. This means that seniors living in memory care facilities the area may have more opportunities to spend supervised time outdoors. 

Memory Care costs in Fairfax County start around $8,112 per month on average, while the nationwide average cost of memory care is $5,694 per month.

It’s important to note that memory care rates in Fairfax 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 Virginia 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 Virginia page.

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