Memory Care Communities in Columbus, Ohio

The majority of seniors in Columbus who need memory care reside in secured wings of assisted living communities. The unique challenges involved in caring for those with memory impairments require a highly skilled team of caregivers, the cost of which is 20-30% more than assisted living. Since there is no report for the cost of memory care, we estimated the price by adding 25% to the cost of assisted living care in the 2021 Genworth Cost of Care Survey.

When trying to decide how to pay for memory care, one of the first questions that comes up is "How much does it cost?" With the impact of inflation, it's more important than ever to have up-to-date information when making a financial plan for senior living. To help shed light on real senior living prices, Caring.com has compiled proprietary cost data from its network of more than 75,000 senior living providers to provide insight into the average cost of memory care in Columbus and 53 other cities in Ohio.

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 Ohio page.

Seniors can expect costs for senior living to reflect the level of care provided. Price is influenced by factors such as amenities, location and services, among others. In Columbus, assisted living is expensive relative to other options, averaging $4,409 per month. In comparison, memory care averages $4,190 per month while also providing vital, dementia-friendly services. Independent living is on the more affordable end for less intensive care and supervision, averaging $2,945.

Memory care and assisted living communities are often housed together within the same building, and both are regulated and licensed by the  Ohio Department of Health (ODH), under the umbrella of “residential care facilities.” The ODH is responsible for providing initial licensure and conducting inspections on site to ensure that the community complies with state care regulations.

• Columbus is a member of the AARP’s Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities, which means that the elected leaders of Columbus have made a commitment to work toward making their city more senior-friendly. In the few years since it completed its strategic planning, Columbus has already improved accessibility to seniors when traveling between different neighborhoods. 
• In Columbus, weather conditions change very quickly no matter what the season, making it difficult to plan anything in advance. With 190 cloudy days each year, Columbus is also considered one of the dreariest cities in the country, particularly during the winter, when it isn’t unusual for residents to go without sunlight for months. In the summer, consistently high humidity levels can make temperatures downright unbearable. Of course, there are always plenty of things to do around town to distract from the unpleasant weather.
• The cost of living in Columbus averages around 11% less than the national average, making it one of the best cities for seniors who are living on a budget. The city is in the top quarter of U.S. cities for affordability. With the exception of the housing market, the cost of other commodities and services is also below the state and national average. 
• Getting around the city is more difficult for seniors who live in Columbus than those who live in other cities. The city’s main bus service, COTA, has yet to expand its service to much of the suburbs, and in general the suburbs have a low “walkability” score, making it hard for seniors to get around without a private vehicle. The city is working on solutions to this problem through a special on-demand service called COTA//Plus designed to connect some of the less-traveled areas of Columbus. 
• Top-notch medical care is scattered across the city, so regardless of where seniors live, they have easy access to advanced treatment facilities and hospitals. Ohio Hospital for Psychiatry is one of the state’s most comprehensive inpatient dementia care centers in the country. The Center for Cognitive and Memory Disorders through the OSU Wexner Medical Center also provides research-driven treatment for seniors throughout the state; the center has conducted more than 100 clinical trials in the field and was the first health care facility in Central Ohio to offer deep brain stimulation.