Memory Care Communities in Lafayette, Louisiana

Memory care in Lafayette costs about $128 more than the median cost across Louisiana, but it’s over $800 cheaper than the U.S. average. The nearby city of Monroe offers a much lower average cost at $3,313. Costs in New Orleans and Baton Rouge are slightly higher than Lafayette with median costs of $4,966 and $5,156, respectively. Houma is the most expensive city for memory care in Louisiana at $6,000 per month.

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 in Lafayette costs about $4,813 per month. Exact rates vary based on the facility’s location and amenities.

Using a mix of financial strategies enables many seniors and families to afford memory care services in Lafayette. The most common payment types for this level of care include private payments and Medicaid. Additionally, our proprietary Caring.com database lists several memory care units in the city that accept veteran’s benefits.

• Medicaid: Louisiana’s Medicaid program provides coverage for memory care services through the Community Choices Waiver. This waiver doesn’t cover room and board, but it pays for personal care, nursing services and one-time expenses such as initial move-in fees.
• Medicare: Medicare doesn’t pay for nonmedical memory care services. However, it pays for skilled nursing services, rehabilitative therapies and durable medical equipment residents receive in long-term care.
• VA Benefits: The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs funds two programs that can help seniors pay for memory care, including Aid and Attendance and the Geriatrics and Extended Care program. These programs help older adults pay for services such as meal preparation, transportation and custodial care.
• Private Payments: Memory care residents typically rely on private income and assets to pay for personal care services, housing and recreational therapies. This money may come from monthly income, retirement savings, long-term care insurance or a home sale.

For seniors who want to age in place, in-home care and home health care are both options that cost about $1,000 less than memory care. Assisted living is another cheaper option for older adults who need help with personal care and medication management at around $3,850 per month. The most expensive option with the greatest amount of skilled care is a nursing home facility, which costs about $459 more per month than memory care for a semiprivate room.

Memory care facilities in Lafayette and throughout Louisiana fall under the regulation of the Health Standards Section of the Louisiana Department of Health. This department licenses all facilities and enforces compliance with regulations to protect residents in those facilities. It also investigates complaints about various types of care facilities.

Benefits

• In general, Lafayette residents pay 22% less on health care, 14% less on housing and 18% less on utilities than the U.S. norm. This may contribute to affordable memory care expenses.
• Lafayette has four hospitals and numerous urgent care clinics, giving memory care residents access to diverse medical services. Two local hospitals, Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center and Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center, provide specialized care for Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia.
• The American Lung Association reports that the Lafayette region experiences an average of only three days per year when pollution levels are high enough to affect vulnerable individuals. This promotes the health and comfort of memory care residents, particularly those living with heart or lung conditions.

Drawbacks

• Lafayette reports around 49 crimes per 1,000 people annually. This rate exceeds norms in a typical U.S. city, and it runs high compared to average rates in cities with similar population sizes. Fortunately, seniors in memory care facilities benefit from enhanced security features such as automatically locking exterior doors, fully enclosed courtyards and monitored surveillance systems. 
• Lafayette has long, hot summers with temperatures exceeding 90 degrees Fahrenheit, impacting the comfort of those sensitive to heat. Fortunately, winters in this city are mild, and memory care communities often have individual climate control to accommodate varying preferences.