It’s bittersweet to see your loved ones age. Your mom, once a prolific baker, still makes her way around the kitchen but occasionally mixes up the steps in her favorite recipes. Or, your dad doesn’t notice he’s no longer writing the answers to his daily crossword puzzle neatly inside the boxes. These early signs can progress, until Mom has trouble remembering when it’s time to eat and Dad can’t write at all.
Dementia usually worsens over several years, making it hard to distinguish the exact moment when it’s no longer safe for your loved one to live at home. Memory care is a safer living option for seniors who need specialized care or round-the-clock support due to memory-related issues, particularly dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.
Ask yourself: Is your loved one safe at home with the current stage of their Alzheimer’s or dementia? Here’s how to tell if it’s the right time for memory care and when to seek professional assistance.
[READ: What Type of Doctor Treats Dementia and Cognitive Decline?]
What Is Memory Care?
Memory care, sometimes also referred to as Alzheimer’s or dementia care, is a specialized type of long-term care for individuals with memory loss, common in conditions such as Alzheimer’s or dementia.
More than 7 million people in the U.S. have Alzheimer’s disease, which is the most common form of dementia, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. Nearly 12 million family members or unpaid caregivers cared for someone with dementia in 2024, providing an average of 31 hours of unpaid care per week, the association reports.
Among the benefits of memory care are its physical spaces, which are often designed with visual cues and artwork to help with navigation and ease anxiety. Meal preparation, medication management, assistance with daily life and personal care, and enriching activities — arts and crafts, outdoor walks and gardening — are all part of memory care designed to meet the health care needs of residents and keep them engaged in the world around them. In addition, staff receive specialized training to care for residents with dementia.
You may notice the need for memory care in your loved one on your own, or a medical professional might recommend it to your family. In either case, you do have a few memory care options available, from dedicated memory care facilities to specialized units within assisted living communities or nursing homes.
9 Signs It’s Time to Consider Memory Care for Your Loved One
It’s hard to know exactly when it’s time for memory care. There may be several warning signs and subtle signs as potential reasons to seek memory care services.
Here are nine behaviors or circumstances that can indicate someone may need to move into residential memory care:
— Behavior changes
— Unsafe confusion and disorientation
— Decline in physical health or hygiene
— Impaired activities of daily living
— Increase in difficulty of caregiving
— Incontinence
— Nonsensical or repetitive communications (electronic or otherwise)
— Difficulty managing finances
— A health care provider flags changes
1. Behavior changes
It’s common for those with dementia to have dramatic behavioral changes, and these can be a sign it’s time to move from independent or assisted living
into memory care.
Agitation, for instance, can happen in up to 50% of those with Alzheimer’s, a 2021 study notes. The study’s researchers believe the cause may be attributed to the deterioration in parts of the brain involved in decision-making. It can also be caused by the time of day (such as when the sun goes down), overstimulating environments or changes in medications.
Some other common behavior changes may include:
— Paranoia
— Difficulty making decisions or concentrating
— Diminished interest in joining activities
— Combativeness
— Aggressiveness
You might notice increased anxiety about tasks that once came easily, says Nora O’Brien, chief operating officer of assisted living at United Hebrew, New Rochelle, New York. Habits like driving to familiar places or accepting social invitations from friends might now feel foreign to your loved one.
[READ: What to Do After Dementia Screening]
2. Unsafe confusion and disorientation
Dementia can cause confusion and disorientation, which can lead to accidents. Those with dementia can be confused about people, locations and the passage of time.
Common examples of physical safety red flags that indicate it’s time for memory care include:
— Wandering or getting lost
— Sudden falls
— Unsafe driving
— Burning or cutting themselves while cooking
— Noncompliance with medications or treatments
You may try to make your home safer for your loved one by implementing measures such as disconnecting the oven, installing movement sensors or arranging for home health visits.
“As symptoms progress, these measures may no longer be enough,” O’Brien says. “You might notice your loved one becoming disoriented while walking in their neighborhood or increasing vulnerability to falls. When personal safety is at risk, it’s time to explore options like assisted living or memory care.”
Physical safety is a non-negotiable, adds Carrie Ditzel, director of geropsychology and neuropsychology at Baker Street Behavioral Health in Paramus, New Jersey.
[READ: New Treatments for Alzheimer’s Disease.]
3. Decline in physical health or hygiene
Alzheimer’s, dementia and other conditions can also put your loved one’s physical health or hygiene at risk.
Watch for declines such as:
— Changes in sleep cycles
— Changes in appearance
— Changes in body composition, like an individual becoming thinner or more frail
— Changes in grooming habits or hygiene habits
“Someone who has always taken pride in their appearance might begin wearing the same clothes repeatedly, neglect to brush their teeth or hair or let their nails grow unusually long,” O’Brien says. “These subtle shifts in routine often signal that something deeper is going on.”
It’s time for memory care when memory concerns are present along with physical health decline, especially when in the presence of conditions like diabetes, heart failure or infections. It’s also worth considering a memory care unit that is also integrated with skilled nursing.
4. Impaired activities of daily living
Those with dementia also have trouble with their activities of daily living. Dementia moves through mild, moderate and severe brain stages, and in earlier stages of the disease, your loved one may only have trouble with instrumental activities of daily living, such as remembering to take their medications on time or being able to cook their own meals.
However, as the disease progresses, your loved one may also have trouble with basic activities of daily living, such as:
— Using the bathroom independently
— Getting dressed
— Bathing or showering
— Eating
Memory care is an option even in the beginning stages of dementia. If your loved one requires full assistance with activities of daily living, though, you may need to consider a memory care option with a higher level of care, such as skilled nursing, as mentioned above.
5. Increased difficulty in caregiving
Dementia caregivers are more likely to be hospitalized, and almost 20% of dementia caregivers are hospitalized when assisting spouses with dementia, the Alzheimer’s Association reports. Memory care should be in the best interest of not only the individual, but for the family as a whole, Ditzel says. If the responsibilities and duties of the caregiver become a major hardship for the family, this is a good sign that your loved one may need more dedicated memory care.
There are many reasons memory care living may be the best option for the family unit. Ditzel points out a few could be:
— Caregiver deterioration, hospitalization or death
— Demanding jobs
— Other adults or young children who also need care
— Lack of family support as the sole caregiver
— Financial strain
“Many struggle with feelings of guilt when they consider placing a loved one in a facility,” Ditzel adds. “However, I encourage those people to look at the situation as a whole. What circumstance is best for their loved one and themselves physically and emotionally?”
6. Incontinence
Caregivers can handle a lot, but if incontinence gets to the point that adult undergarments are ineffective, it may be time for memory care, says Dr. Clifford Segil, a neurologist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California.
This is because bladder or bowel incontinence can lead to potentially serious, and even fatal, infections. For example, a urinary tract infection can ascend and become a kidney infection or cause blood infections. Such infections can cause subsequent shock and potential organ failure.
These infections are often the product of neglect and poor care. Patients in memory care units receive a level of care to help prevent small and easily treated infections from progressing into life-threatening sicknesses.
7. Nonsensical or repetitive communications (electronic or otherwise)
Communication patterns with your loved one could be a key indicator that it’s time for memory care. These could be electronic, like confusing texts or voicemails, or otherwise, like repeating stories during the same conversation.
You might read texts multiple times or listen to a voicemail more than once but still not figure out what your loved one is trying to communicate. Your loved one may also have trouble explaining what their communications meant.
“When you contact them to ask them what they were trying to say, they’re unable to because they’ve forgotten,” Segil adds.
8. Difficulty managing finances
Money problems are often an early sign of dementia, according to the National Institute on Aging. If your loved one is having difficulty managing their finances, it could be a sign they need memory care.
Some signs your loved one is having trouble managing their money could include:
— Trouble remembering to pay bills
— Increased vulnerability to scams
— Disorganized financial documents, such as bank statements or credit card payments
— Unusual spending patterns
Memory care allows seniors to receive treatment for their condition, while family can address finances in a safe and supportive situation.
9. A health care provider flags changes
Health care providers can help you spot signs that it’s time for memory care in your loved one. When changes are so gradual, you might not notice them day to day.
A provider may flag shifts over time, such as:
— Changes in balance or fine motor skills during a physical or neurological exam
— Concerning scores on cognitive tests or dementia tests, such as the Mini-Mental State Examination, Mini-Cog or Montreal Cognitive Assessment
— Shifts in mood or concerning scores in mental health screenings, such as the geriatric depression scale or the Patient Health Questionnaire
Medicare covers an annual wellness visit for those over 65, which includes a cognitive screening.
Options for Memory Care
When it’s time for memory care, there are several options to consider. Below are estimates for senior living facilities that may include memory care, but note that memory care-specific services may incur additional fees:
| Care option | Best for | Services provided | Environment | Estimated monthly cost |
| Continuing retirement care communities with memory care | Those with early-stage dementia who want to live independently with some oversight and amenities | Social and recreational activities, transportation, dining options, assistance with laundry and cleaning | Controlled access and security staff. The campus may also have assisted living or skilled nursing to transition to. | About $3,450 per month, though fee models vary and may require a sizable up-front payment |
| Assisted living with memory care | Those with mild to moderate dementia | Help with activities of daily living, such as dressing, bathing or grooming | Secure unit with 24/7 supervision and on-site nurses and other assistive personnel | About $5,900 per month for assisted living, with potentially more fees for memory care-related needs |
| Skilled nursing with memory care | Those with moderate or severe dementia | Up to total assistance with activities of daily living in addition to skilled nursing, such as IV medications, wound care and more | Continuous support, 24/7 on-site nurses and assistive personnel with the ability to care for complex medical needs | About $9,000 to $11,000 per month, depending on the level of care and services needed |
Explore Top-Rated Memory Care Facilities With U.S. News
Caring for a loved one with memory issues is emotionally challenging, but it doesn’t have to be a burden you bear long-term. Recognize when it’s time for memory care, and consider that it may be time to transition for the well-being of your loved one and your family unit.
Sometimes, it’s time for memory care without much warning. An urgent or emergency placement for a dementia patient into memory care may be necessary if your loved one’s condition progresses quickly or if they become a danger to themselves or others. Connect with a primary care provider, social worker or senior care specialist for urgent memory care placements.
To find the best memory care near you, explore U.S. News’ Best Memory Care Communities.
To find the best memory care communities, U.S. News analyzed data from nearly 400,000 resident and family survey responses at more than 3,500 senior living communities across the country in 2025. The survey covers residents and family members’ satisfaction with all aspects of the memory care community.
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9 Signs It’s Time for Memory Care originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 09/17/25: This story was previously published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
