Memory care is a setting designed for people with Alzheimer's or another dementia, often a separate unit inside a larger community (Alzheimer’s Association). Assisted living is for people who need help with daily care but not around-the-clock care (National Institute on Aging). "Memory care" is not one standard product, so what matters is what each community can actually do.
Side by side
| Assisted living | Memory care | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it is for | People who need some help with daily tasks (National Institute on Aging) | People with Alzheimer's and other dementias (Alzheimer’s Association) |
| Setting | Own apartment or room, shared common areas (National Institute on Aging) | Often a floor or unit within a larger building; may or may not be locked (Alzheimer’s Association) |
| Staff | On-site staff and 24-hour supervision; training varies | Staff with special training in dementia, in the better units. Ask for specifics |
| Daily program | Social and recreational activities for a general group | Activities planned for people with memory loss |
| Rules | Set by each state; not regulated federally (Alzheimer’s Association) | Set by each state. Some states require communities to disclose fees and the special services the unit gives (Alzheimer’s Association) |
| Cost | Paid mostly by the resident; more for higher care levels (National Institute on Aging) | You pay for the room or apartment and may pay extra for special care (National Institute on Aging) |
Questions that help you decide
The Alzheimer's Association suggests families ask whether the person is becoming unsafe in their current home, and whether the health of the person or the caregiver is at risk (Alzheimer’s Association). It also notes that 24-hour supervision becomes necessary during the middle stages of the disease. These are useful questions to take to the person's doctor as well:
- Has your parent become lost, or left home or the community without anyone knowing?
- Do they need someone with them through the night?
- Have changes in behavior led to a warning from their current community?
- Is the person giving most of the care getting enough rest, and staying well?
This list is not a medical assessment. A doctor who knows your parent can tell you what level of care they are likely to need.
What to ask any community
- What dementia training do staff get, how many hours, and how often is it renewed?
- How many staff are on each shift, including at night?
- What would make you ask a resident to leave or move to a higher level of care?
- How do you handle wandering and agitation? Are residents ever given medication for this, and who decides?
- Is there a safe place to go outside (National Institute on Aging)?
- What is in the monthly fee, what is extra, and how much notice do you give before a fee goes up?
Visit more than once, and make the second visit without calling ahead, at a different time of day (National Institute on Aging).
A note on prices
We do not quote a national price for memory care because prices depend heavily on the area, the community and the level of care. Get the fee schedule in writing from each community you are considering, then compare the same services line by line.
Who to ask
Your local Area Agency on Aging can tell you which state agency licenses these communities and how to see its inspection reports. Find it through the Eldercare Locator or at 800-677-1116 (U.S. Administration for Community Living).
Common questions
Is memory care always a locked unit?
No. The Alzheimer's Association says these units take many forms and may or may not be locked or secured. Ask how the community keeps residents safe and how they get outdoors.
Can someone with dementia stay in regular assisted living?
Sometimes, depending on the person and on what the community can do. Not all assisted living providers offer services designed for people with dementia, so ask, and ask what would make the community require a move.
Does Medicare pay for memory care?
Medicare does not pay for the long-term personal care and housing that memory care mainly provides. It keeps covering medical care such as doctor visits. Medicaid coverage depends on the state and the setting.
Related guides
What is memory care?
What memory care is, how it differs from one community to the next, who pays and what to ask on a visit.
What is assisted living?
What assisted living includes, who it is for, who regulates it, how fees usually work and what to ask before signing.
Assisted living vs. nursing home
How assisted living and nursing homes differ in care, oversight and who pays, with a side-by-side table and the official sources.
Sources
- Long-Term Care, Alzheimer’s Association. Checked November 8, 2026.
- Alzheimer’s Caregiving: Finding Long-Term Care, National Institute on Aging (NIH). Checked November 8, 2026.
- Long-Term Care Facilities: Assisted Living, Nursing Homes, and Other Residential Care, National Institute on Aging (NIH). Checked November 7, 2026.
- How To Choose a Nursing Home or Other Long-Term Care Facility, National Institute on Aging (NIH). Checked November 8, 2026.
- Long-term care, Medicare.gov. Checked November 7, 2026.
- Eldercare Locator, U.S. Administration for Community Living. Checked November 7, 2026.
This guide explains general rules. It is not medical, legal or financial advice for your situation. Program rules and amounts change, usually each January (Medicare and Medicaid) and each October (VA). Confirm details with the agency or a qualified professional before you decide. See our editorial policy.