The 5 Best Memory Care Facilities in Marathon County, WI for 2024

Marathon County is located in the west-central region of Wisconsin and has about 136,000 residents, over 17 percent of whom are aged 65 and over. According to data published by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, one in 10 seniors who are Medicare beneficiaries have Alzheimer's disease or dementia. The region is served by the Aging and Disability Resource Center of Central Wisconsin, which provides numerous services for local seniors with Alzheimer's and their caregivers.   

In Marathon County, memory care services are provided within community-based residential facilities and are licensed by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. Marathon County has five memory care facilities, including three in Wausau, one in Weston and one in Schofield. 

• The American Lung Association gave Marathon County a B for ozone pollution, indicating relatively low levels of this type of pollution. This may be beneficial for seniors in local memory care facilities who have cardiovascular disease or a respiratory condition.  
• In Marathon County, seniors pay state income tax on income from private pensions and retirement savings accounts. Social Security benefits and public pension income is not taxed at the state level, even that which is subject to federal tax. A senior’s source of retirement income may impact their memory care budget. 
• Marathon County's summers are warm and comfortable with highs around 80 degrees, and the county gets about 188 sunny days annually. Winters are chilly and snowy, with lows around 6 degrees and an average of 58 inches of annual snowfall. The region's snowfall may be a concern for families who travel locally to visit loved ones in memory care.
• The overall cost of living in Marathon County is about 10 percent below the national average. The region's relatively affordable housing costs and utilities may result in lower memory care expenses. Healthcare costs are on par with the national average and about 5 percent lower than the state average. 

Memory Care costs in Marathon County start around $4,341 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 Marathon 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 Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin page.

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