Memory Care Communities in Columbia, Maryland

Memory Care costs in Columbia start around $6,355 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 Columbia 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.

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 Maryland page.

Columbia is a large city in east-central Maryland with a population of nearly 100,000 people, with those who are 65 and over making up almost 14 percent of the population. It's estimated by the Alzheimer's Association that 110,000 Marylanders have Alzheimer's disease, primarily diagnosed in seniors age 65 and over. The number of state residents with the disease is expected to increase to 130,000 by 2025. 

The Columbia area has three dozen memory care facilities, giving families plenty of options to choose from. Three of these facilities are located in the city, and the other 30 are in nearby cities, including Laurel, Ellicott City and Catonsville. While some memory care facilities have their own dedicated building, most are situated within assisted living facilities, also called assisted living programs. 

• Maryland does not tax Social Security benefits, but income from retirement accounts is fully taxable. The amount of money that a senior can put in their memory care budget may vary depending on where their retirement income is coming from.    
• Columbia's summers are warm and humid, and the winters are cold and windy. Over the course of the year, the city's temperatures range from the mid-20s to the mid-80s. Seniors who enjoy relaxing outdoors may find Maryland's humid summers and icy winters uncomfortable. 
• Columbia is located about 20 miles away from the Johns Hopkins Memory and Alzheimer's Treatment Center, which offers a nationally recognized model of care for those with dementia.
  
• Columbia's property crime and violent crime rates are higher than state and national medians, which may be a consideration for families who are transitioning their loved ones to memory care in this city. On a 100-point scale, where a higher rate indicates higher crime, Columbia's property crime rate is 42.1 and the violent crime rate is 39.9. The U.S. averages are 38.1 and 31.1, respectively.