In Nebraska, there are an estimated 34,000 people aged 65 and over with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, and a portion of them reside in Columbus. Approximately 15.9 percent of the 23,128 residents in Columbus are 65+ years of age. To accommodate the need for Alzheimer’s and dementia care, there are two memory care facilities in the city.
In Columbus and statewide, assisted living facilities (ALFs) are licensed by the Department of Licensure and Regulation, which is a division of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. There are requirements for memory care facilities in Columbus and the rest of Nebraska related to staffing and staff training, which were put in place by the Alzheimer’s Special Care Disclosure Act.