In Massachusetts, where an estimated 130,000 residents have Alzheimer's, it's important for counties and cities to have enough memory care facilities to accommodate this population. This is no exception in Barnstable County, where there are eight memory care facilities. Barnstable County, which consists of Cape Cod and nearby islands, is home to 213,444 residents, 29.9 percent of whom are 65 or over.
In Barnstable County as in the rest of Massachusetts, memory care facilities are known as “Dementia Special Care Units”, (DSCUs). In addition, some assisted living facilities in Barnstable County may include a Special Care Residence, or SCR, for residents with dementia, Huntington's disease or other mental health issues.