The 3 Best Memory Care Facilities in Salem County, VA for 2024

Nearly 20 percent of Salem City County's 25,000 residents are seniors aged 65 or older, many of whom are living with dementia. Those who have been diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease or another form of dementia, the latter of which affects an estimated 150,000 seniors in Virginia, often require residential care in one of the area's two memory care facilities. 

Memory care facilities in Virginia are closely regulated by the Virginia Department of Social Services, which provides a similar set of rules for both memory care and assisted living facilities. As such, both levels of care are often provided at the same location. 

• The Salem City County area is home to world-class medical facilities, including those that specialize in brain health and dementia care such as LewisGale Medical Center, in the event of medical emergencies or illness. 
  
• Crime rates in Salem City County are higher than in the average U.S. city. On a scale of one to 100 where one represents low crime and 100 represents high crime, property crime in the county is rated 44.3 and violent crime is rated 45.7. By comparison, property crime in the average U.S. city is only rated 38.1 and violent crime is only rated 31.1. It's important to make sure that memory care facilities have taken measures to protect residents from becoming victims of crime. 
  
• Although the temperature is reasonably mild in Salem City County during the summertime, when combined with the area's above-average rainfall levels the climate can be fairly humid and at times, uncomfortable. Some seniors may find the summers in the area too uncomfortable and their families may want to consider memory care in other areas. 
  
• The cost of living in Salem City County is about 10 percent below the national average. Families who have tight budgets for memory care should find the area reasonably priced. 

Memory Care costs in Salem County start around $3,445 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 Salem 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.

Salem 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.