Memory Care Communities in Wausau, Wisconsin

Memory care in Wausau falls on the low end of the cost spectrum. The U.S. average is 9.1% higher, and the Wisconsin state average is even more expensive at $5,750. In fact, the area offers the lowest memory care prices in Wisconsin. Costs in Eau Claire are $313 more per month, and rates in Green Bay rise to $5,563. Milwaukee’s costs are 29.1% higher than those in Wausau, and prices in Racine are the most expensive at $6,813.

Note: Residential memory care is usually offered in assisted living facilities, and in general, memory care rates tend to be 20-30% higher than assisted living rates. No national database currently tracks memory care costs in the United States, so we've estimated the monthly memory care costs listed below by adding 25% to the rates listed in Genworth's 2021 Cost of Care Survey.

Seniors in Wausau can expect to pay about $5,156 per month for memory care, but this can vary based on accommodations and care packages.

Memory care costs reflect the high level of security and services that it offers. Other care types provide less intensive care and are, therefore, less expensive. Adult day care programming, for instance, costs an average of $2,600 per month, but it may not meet the needs of seniors experiencing memory loss. Assisted living communities offer a cost savings of over $1,000 per month, but their care packages may not include the supervision or specialized activities memory care provides. Nursing homes are more expensive than memory care communities by nearly $4,000, but their services are geared toward people with complex medical issues.

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services regulates the state’s memory care communities. Each facility must be licensed and regularly inspected to ensure compliance with Wisconsin’s standards of care. This may give seniors and their families peace of mind that communities provide quality services with properly trained staff members in a clean, safe environment.

• Wausau offers a below-average cost of living for its residents. In fact, the overall cost of living comes in at 80.6 compared to the U.S. average of 100. Most expense categories also fall below average, including housing, transportation and groceries. Even seniors in memory care can benefit from the cost savings that may make their rent and care rates lower.
• Wausau’s climate is mixed. Winters are cold and snowy with an average of 56 inches of snow per year and January lows that fall to about 4 degrees. Summers, however, rate a 9.1 out of 10 on the comfort index, with July highs of about 80 degrees. Memory care communities offer controlled climate, so residents can live in comfort year-round. Also, since many services are available right on-site, residents rarely have to fight the weather.
• Crime rates in Wausau are below average, which can give seniors and their families greater peace of mind. The city’s violent crime rate is 15.1, well below the U.S. average of 22.7. Property crime is relatively low as well, with a rating of 32.5 compared to 35.4 on average.
• Wausau’s residents are served by the Aspirus Wausau Hospital, which provides primary and emergency care as well as specialties such as cardiology, cancer care and neurology. Orthopedics and surgery are available as well.
• The city is a member of the AARP Age-Friendly Network. This means that Wausau has made special efforts to create a livable, caring environment for seniors. AARP age-friendly communities develop action plans that include everything from improving transportation and modifying spaces for greater accessibility to increasing opportunities for social participation for seniors.