Youngstown lies in northeastern Ohio along the Pennsylvania border and within driving distance of Lake Erie. Of 64,604 people here, 17.1 percent are 65 and older, the age range most susceptible to Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia. According to the Eastern Ohio Chapter of Alzheimer's Association, 60,000 seniors in the 17-county area currently have the disease. This includes those in Youngstown with Alzheimer's and related cognitive impairments, and the city has one memory care facility, with six more available in surrounding communities.
These facilities are stand-alone buildings or housed within assisted living facilities and referred to as Residential Care Facilities. In Ohio, the Department of Health oversees the licensing and regulations for both types of facilities.