The small city of Fredericksburg is home to roughly 28,000 people, about 10 percent of whom are over the age of 65. The city lies on the Potomac River in the northernmost region of Virginia, where the Alzheimer's Association reports that 140,000 people are living with the disease. Over the next several years, that population is expected to increase to about 190,000.
To support local seniors with dementia, the Fredericksburg area has 10 memory care facilities, with eight located in the city and another two just outside of the city limits. These facilities, which are also called "special care units," or SCUs, may be freestanding or located within an assisted living facility that meets special requirements for staffing, staff training, safety and admission procedures.