The 5 Best Memory Care Facilities in Shawnee County, KS for 2024

Out of the estimated 178,187 Shawnee County residents, approximately 17.6 percent are age 65 and over. As many as 12.2 percent of Shawnee County residents in the 65 and over age group have Alzheimer’s disease or another type of dementia. To provide them with specialized care, there are four memory care facilities in Shawnee County, located in the city of Topeka. In Kansas, including Shawnee County, memory care facilities are called residential health care facilities (RHCFs). The Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services is responsible for licensing these facilities.

• The cost of living in Shawnee County is 84.7, which is lower than the state and national averages of 90 and 100, respectively. It’s also lower than in various other Kansas counties, such as Sedgwick County. The lower living cost may be reflected in areas such as transportation, healthcare and memory care facility costs, which may be financially beneficial for seniors and their families.
  
• Shawnee County has a violent crime rate of 42.4 and a property crime rate of 43.3. While these numbers are higher than the U.S. averages of 31.1 and 38.1, seniors in memory care in Shawnee County are unlikely to be victims of violent crime or property crime because these facilities take plenty of security precautions to protect residents.
  
• Seniors may find Shawnee County winters to be harsh, as January lows can reach 19 degrees. The cold winter temperatures may also limit the time they can spend outdoors. Shawnee County ranks 44 out of 100 on Sperling’s Comfort Index, lower than the U.S. average ranking of 54.
  
• The air quality in Shawnee County ranks 61 out of 100, while the U.S. ranks 58. This means Shawnee County has slightly cleaner air than most other U.S. cities, which may be good for seniors who are sensitive to air pollution.

Memory Care costs in Shawnee County start around $6,805 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 Shawnee 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 Kansas 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 Kansas page.

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