The 3 Best Memory Care Facilities in Gaffney, SC for 2024

Gaffney sits in South Carolina’s Upstate region and serves as the seat of Cherokee County. Local memory care facilities charge approximately $4,969 per month, which comes in well below state and national norms. The city has 2 memory care facilities within its limits, and 1 more operate in nearby communities, promoting competitive pricing and access to diverse care services.

In this guide, we help you find the best facility for your family’s needs by highlighting 29 reviews unbiased reviews from local residents and visitors. On average, memory care facilities in Gaffney receive a rating of 3 out of 5 stars stars.

South Carolina officially recognizes memory care facilities in Gaffney and the rest of the state as community residential care facilities and licenses them through the Department of Health and Environmental Control. This department publishes the minimum standards and best practices facilities must follow to obtain annual licensure, as well as details on residents’ rights.  

• Cherokee Medical Center, a 125-bed acute care facility, serves memory care residents in Gaffney through 24-hour emergency services and a range of specialties, including diabetes management, orthopedics and heart care. It also has a team of neurologists who diagnose and develop treatment plans for Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.
• Compared to counties in the state and nation as a whole, Gaffney’s Cherokee County displays subpar performance for health factors and outcomes. The average life expectancy of 71 years trends well below South Carolina’s average of 75.2 and the national norm of 77.6, pointing to gaps in geriatric care, and the county has some of the lowest flu vaccination rates in the country. Fortunately, memory care residents receive regular wellness monitoring and improved access to specialized services, promoting longevity and an improved quality of life.
• In a typical year, Gaffney reports around 560 crimes, or about 45 illegal incidents per 1,000 people. Its property crime rate comes in at about double the state and national averages, with the city reporting nearly 42 incidents per 1,000 people per year. However, the violent crime rate runs below South Carolina and U.S. norms at 3.53. While this poses a concern for those seeking local memory care solutions, many facilities have monitored access and high-security locks to keep residents safe.
• At 72.5, Gaffney’s cost of living score trends lower than state and national averages, marking it as a budget-friendly place to live. Although health care costs trend relatively high, exceeding the national norm by 13%, low housing and grocery costs promote competitive memory care rates.
• South Carolina provides a senior income tax deduction of up to $10,000, and it doesn’t tax Social Security benefits, helping many seniors put more of their income toward memory care costs. The state also exempts prescription drugs from sales taxes. 

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.

Memory care facilities in Gaffney charge around $4,969 per month for specialized housing and services.

In Gaffney, memory care facilities charge around $4,969 per month, which comes in significantly lower than the South Carolina median of $5,813 and the national norm of around $6,688. Monthly fees also run higher in neighboring cities, with seniors in Greenville paying about $840 more for specialized services and residents in Columbia paying about $1,560 more. In Sumter, fees surpass Gaffney’s median by around $1,770.

The median cost of memory care in Gaffney comes in at $4,969. By comparison, seniors in standard assisted living facilities pay lower rates of around $3,975 for non specialized personal care, while those who attend adult day health care pay around $1,560 for daytime personal care and medical monitoring. On the other hand, memory care rates compare favorably to home health care costs, with seniors paying roughly $4,957 for skilled nursing services at home. For seniors who need 24-hour medical support, nursing home care rates also run higher at around $8,699.

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 South Carolina page.