Johnston, Iowa, is home to 21,560 residents, including 2,800 senior citizens. Due to the aging population, Alzheimer's disease and related dementias are affecting a growing number of Iowa residents. According to the Alzheimer's Association, more than 64,000 Iowans have the disease, and the state is bracing for a 14 percent increase in diagnoses between 2018 and 2025.
In the rapidly growing Des Moines metropolitan area, 12 memory care facilities are dedicated to serving this population. According to state regulations, residential care facilities may operate separate dementia units or dedicate the entire property to memory care. These units may be monitored or locked as long as the facility has specially trained staff, written dementia care policies and an approved method for assessing new residents.