Tulsa County, in Oklahoma, is home to more than 600,000 residents, 72,856 of whom are seniors aged 65 or older, the most vulnerable age group for Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Oklahoma has 64,000 seniors who have already been diagnosed, a number that’s expected to grow by over 18 percent before 2025. To assist those seniors with cognitive impairments,14 memory care facilities are located in the county, with the majority of them in Tulsa and Broken Arrow.
Throughout Oklahoma, including Tulsa County, memory care facilities are called assisted living centers and residential care homes and are licensed and regulated by the Long-Term Care Services Division of the Department of Health.
- Tulsa County’s crime rates are almost in line with the national averages. The county has a violent crime rate of 20.1, slightly lower than the national average of 22.7, and a property crime rate of 39.8, slightly higher than the national average of 35.4. These crime rates are unlikely to affect seniors in memory care facilities, but it’s always a good idea to ensure that prospective facilities have security measures in place, such as cameras, alarms and self-locking doors.
- Tulsa County has a cost of living of 93.1, slightly lower than the national average of 100. However, transportation and healthcare both rank higher than the average at 106.3 and 110.7, respectively. Seniors and their families looking for memory care facilities in the area might want to keep the higher costs of transportation and healthcare expenses in mind.
- On a scale where 100 represents the locations with the best air quality, Tulsa County has a rank of 39, almost 20 points lower than the national average of 58. Seniors with respiratory issues may find living in Tulsa County stressful.
- Oklahoma is a fairly tax-friendly state, which might be of interest to seniors and their families with tight budgets. Social security benefits are not taxed, although retirement savings account income, public pensions and private pensions are partially taxed.
Note: Data reported on this page was updated in 2019 and based on the latest 2018 figures.