Memory Care Communities in Thornton, Colorado

Area seniors pay about $91 less than the statewide median for memory care services. Similarly, the local fee sits $438 lower than the standard national price. Grand Junction and Boulder offer lower monthly rates than Thornton, with typical savings of $469 and $500, respectively. Conversely, the baseline monthly investment in Thornton is less than in Pueblo by $260.

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.

Standard monthly pricing for memory care in Thornton runs $6,250.

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 Colorado page.

Compared to memory care at $6,250, nursing home care is the priciest option, costing $3,134 more for around-the-clock medical support. Home health care and in-home care, providing medical and daily activity assistance respectively, are $1,567 and $1,377 more expensive. Assisted living presents a more affordable choice at $5,000, offering residential support and social activities for $1,250 less. The most budget-friendly is adult day health care, at $4,300 less than memory care, providing daytime supervision and support in a community setting. 

In addition to licensing statewide memory care communities, the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment surveys facilities as part of the Medicare and Medicaid certification process. The team also ensures that providers comply with rules and regulations, which include requirements for specialized dementia care training. It also investigates complaints from residents, their families and members of the public.

• Thornton scores six points above average in AARP’s Livability Index, with particularly favorable ratings in the opportunity, transportation, neighborhood and health categories. The city received its lowest score for housing access and affordability. However, memory care communities offer accessible living environments for aging adults, typically with step-free access, grab rails and easy-to-navigate layouts. Furthermore, lower-income seniors may qualify for financial assistance from Health First Colorado — the state Medicaid program.
• Colorado offers a reasonably tax-friendly landscape for retirees. Seniors aged 55 and older qualify for yearly income tax deductions of $20,000, increasing to $24,000 when they reach 65. Sales tax exemptions on prescription drugs and groceries may also help reduce older adults’ expenses.
• As part of the wider Denver area, Thornton benefits from Dementia Friendly Denver’s projects. The non-profit organization educates the public on dementia-related issues and encourages businesses to adopt dementia-friendly policies to improve local living conditions for those impacted by cognitive decline. It also runs training sessions for government employees and religious leaders.
• Annual living costs in Adams County range from $24,564 to $39,180 for single retirees with health care needs, depending on individuals’ housing situations. Senior homeowners tend to pay slightly lower-than-average living costs, with mortgage-free individuals seeing the most significant savings. Conversely, renters pay around 109% of the national norm.
• Property crime rates in Thornton trend on the high side compared with national and state medians; the local rate of 35.21 is 3.73 points higher than Colorado’s and 15.21 higher than the nation’s. However, violent crimes are less prevalent locally, with a 1 in 350 chance of experiencing a violent incident compared with 1 in 203 statewide.