Memory Care Communities in Green Bay, Wisconsin

The cost of living in Green Bay is typically lower than state and national averages and this is reflected in its cost for memory care, which is $187 per month less than the state average. Nearby Appleton costs $860 per month more and Oshkosh is almost $900 higher. Both Fond du Lac and Wausau have lower average costs, at $344 and $407 less per month, but are still comparable to Green Bay. 

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 cost of memory care in Green Bay is $5,563 per month, depending on services and amenities provided.

Memory care residents in Green Bay often pay for long-term care expenses through a combination of personal funds and financial assistance programs. This strategy lets them effectively plan for long-term care expenses without depleting their financial assets. By understanding the programs they qualify for and knowing how to leverage personal funds to pay for dementia care, seniors can maintain financial stability while ensuring they have access to necessary support.

• Medicaid: Wisconsin’s Medicaid program offers provision for memory care services through several programs, including Family Care Partnership, the IRIS program and Personal Care Services. Depending on the program a resident qualifies for, they may use this coverage to help them pay for personal care services, meals, housekeeping and transportation.
• Medicare: Medicare, like most health insurance programs, doesn’t pay for nonmedical memory care services. However, seniors who access specialized skilled nursing or rehabilitative services may use their Medicare coverage to reduce their overall monthly care costs.
• VA Benefits: The VA funds three programs to help seniors cover memory care fees such as housing, personal care and recreational activities. These are the Geriatrics and Extended Care program, Aid and Attendance and Housebound benefits.
• Private payments: Seniors use private funds, including monthly income, retirement savings and long-term care insurance, to pay for housing, personal care and other services they receive in memory care.

There are several options when it comes to senior care in Green Bay, and nearly all of them are more affordable than memory care, which often requires more dedicated assistance. Nonmedical in-home care and home health care provided by licensed or certified medical professionals both cost $510 less, and adult day health care is the least expensive option at $1,040 per month for specialized respite care. All three of these options include a senior caregiver. For those needing continual medical supervision, nursing home facilities cost $2,939 more per month when sharing a semiprivate room.

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services’ Division of Quality Assurance oversees the licensing for memory care and other types of long-term care facilities in Wisconsin. It also monitors these establishments to ensure they live up to the standards and regulations set out by the state, and they recommend fines or other actions when inconsistencies are found. 

Benefits:

• In Green Bay, the cost of living runs roughly 4% below the national baseline. This leads to competitively priced memory care fees and benefits seniors and families seeking budget-friendly residential dementia support.
• The AARP Livability Index gives Green Bay a livability score of 57. This puts it in the top half of U.S. cities for seniors, with those in memory care benefiting from a low preventable hospitalization rate, high patient satisfaction scores and affordable housing initiatives.
• Green Bay’s warm season lasts just under 4 months and has a daily average high of 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Winters are a little shorter at around 3 months, and they bring average nighttime temperatures around 13 degrees Fahrenheit. To promote residents’ comfort, memory care communities often provide unit-controlled thermostats.

Drawbacks:

• Seniors in Green Bay pay state income taxes at rates ranging from 3.50% to 7.65% on the income they collect from retirement accounts, private employer pensions and some public pension payments. However, the state exempts Social Security benefits and has a retirement income exclusion, giving seniors more money to put toward memory care expenses.
• The American Lung Association gives the Green Bay region a C for ozone and particle pollution levels and a passing score for annual particle pollution. For memory care residents sensitive to environmental pollutants, facilities offer indoor recreational activities throughout the year, and many have air purification systems.