Budget about $6,690 per month, or $80,280 per year, for memory care this December. Memory care is residential dementia care with round-the-clock supervision, and that base price usually leaves out higher care tiers and one-time fees. A Place for Mom reported the monthly median in its cost announcement via Business Wire, and Senior Housing News detailed the annual total in its report on the 2026 figures.
December moves carry timing risk. Many communities raise rates in January, often by 3% to 8%. A December budget should therefore cover the first month, extra care charges, and the likely January reset.
Medical information disclaimer: This article is for general educational purposes only and does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a physician or other qualified health professional about symptoms, medications, tests, or treatment decisions.
Table of Contents
- What is the going monthly rate?
- What does the monthly rate include?
- Why budget extra in December?
- Will Medicare or other budgets fill the gap?
What is the going monthly rate?
A Place for Mom based its $6,690 median on actual amounts paid by residents who moved into participating communities during 2025. The same report put assisted living at $5,419 per month and independent living at $3,200 per month. Memory care costs more because staffing, supervision, and programming are more intensive.
Other surveys measure a different market slice. NIC MAP data for Q4 2025, cited in an American Seniors Housing Association analysis, priced memory care at $8,612 per month, with assisted living at $6,787. The CareScout/Genworth survey reported $6,200 per month for assisted living in 2025, up from $5,900, and does not publish a separate national memory care median.
What does the monthly rate include?
The base rate generally covers room, meals, supervision, housekeeping, and activities. That package handles daily structure and safety.
It does not mean all personal care is included. Common monthly add-ons include: Ask which care level the quote assumes. A low base rate plus a high care tier can exceed a higher all-in quote.
- medication management and higher personal-care tiers
- incontinence supplies and personal supplies
- transportation and salon services
Why budget extra in December?
Many communities charge a one-time community or move-in fee averaging about $3,000 nationally, according to A Place for Mom proprietary data via its state-by-state cost guide. Annual increases commonly run 3% to 8%. A December admission can therefore face a second price within weeks.
Get December and January numbers in writing. Ask for the base rent, current care-tier charge, medication and supply fees, and the expected January increase. Use that January total, not the December special, to test whether the budget lasts.
Will Medicare or other budgets fill the gap?
Medicare states that it does not pay for most nonmedical long-term care, including care in assisted living facilities, as explained in its long-term care coverage page. Beneficiaries pay all costs for non-covered services. Families should treat facility rent and custodial care as private-pay unless another specific benefit applies.
The Alzheimer's Association advises families to budget separately for ongoing medical treatment, adult day care, in-home help, residential care, and personal supplies. Costs vary by location and available private or government resources. Ask the business office for December and January totals in writing before you commit.
