Memory Care Communities in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Philadelphia is Pennsylvania’s second-most expensive city for memory care. Reading is slightly more costly at $7,150 per month. In contrast, Pittsburgh and Scranton rank as two of the most affordable cities for memory care, with average costs of $4,063 and $3,594, respectively. Memory care in Pennsylvania’s third-largest city, Allentown, costs an average of $5,980 per month. 

Note: Residential memory care is usually offered in assisted living facilities, and in general, memory care rates tend to be 20-30% higher than assisted living rates. No national database currently tracks memory care costs in the United States, so we’ve estimated the monthly memory care costs listed below by adding 25% to the rates listed in Genworth’s 2021 Cost of Care Survey.

The average monthly cost of memory care in Philadelphia is $7,106. This price is significantly higher than Pennsylvania’s statewide average of $5,125 and the U.S. average of $5,625.

Memory care residents in Philadelphia pay for services with a combination of private and public options. For example, state and federal health insurance programs reduce out-of-pocket costs for qualified individuals, while the VA funds several programs that provide coverage or cash assistance with long-term care. Additionally, private income and assets help individuals pay for remaining expenses, preventing disruptions in their care.

• Medicaid: The Pennsylvania Medicaid Community HealthChoices Program covers many costs related to memory care. While the program doesn’t pay for room and board, it applies to personal care, housekeeping, personal emergency response systems and medication management.
• Medicare: The federal health insurance program doesn’t pay for standard memory care services. However, it helps with the costs of specialized services some residents receive through third-party home health care providers.
• VA Benefits: The Geriatrics and Extended Care program, which is part of the VA Health Care for Elderly Veterans program, covers services such as personal care, meals and transportation. Additionally, veterans who qualify for Aid and Attendance or Housebound benefits receive an increased monthly pension, which can help them cover living and long-term care costs.
• Private payments: Memory care centers accept private funds toward all fees, including housing, personal care, meal services and housekeeping. This type of payment comes from monthly income, retirement savings, long-term care insurance and money earned from renting out or selling a house.

Memory care is the second most expensive type of senior care in Philadelphia. A semiprivate room in a nursing home is the most costly, with an average cost of $11,437 per month. Assisted living facilities are $5,685 per month, and home health care averages $5,339. Home care has a similar price at $5,329. The most affordable type of care is adult day health care, which costs $1,177 per month. 

The Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) at the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services is the regulatory body that oversees memory care facilities, nursing homes and other senior care facilities in Philadelphia and across the state. The OLTL regularly evaluates licensed facilities to ensure they meet or exceed a high standard of care. 

Benefits

• Pennsylvania offers significant tax relief on retirement income, including Social Security benefits and withdrawals from retirement savings accounts. Additionally, residents aged 60 and over don’t pay taxes on pension income. These measures support seniors and their families in managing memory care costs.
• As a longtime member of the AARP Age-Friendly Network, Philadelphia demonstrates an ongoing commitment to creating a welcoming environment for seniors and those with dementia. Its initiatives include improving safety for pedestrians and building affordable housing.
• With over a dozen hospitals within its city limits and many more nearby, Philadelphia offers outstanding access to medical care for seniors with dementia. Penn Medicine features a specialized Memory and Dementia Treatment Team and the Penn Memory Center, while Jefferson Health administers comprehensive dementia treatment through its neurology and geriatric departments.

Drawbacks

• Philadelphia ranks among the most expensive places to live in the United States, featuring a cost of living that exceeds the national norm by 14%. Fortunately, many local memory care centers accept the Medicaid CHC program, and our proprietary Caring.com database finds that over 40 facilities accept veterans’ benefits.
• With roughly 61 crimes per 1,000 people annually, Philadelphia reports some of the highest crime rates in the nation. To protect residents, memory care communities often have 24-hour security monitoring, automatically locking doors and alarm systems.