10 Best Memory Care Facilities in Aurora, CO

There are a number of ways to pay for memory care for your loved one, so it’s important to know your options. In this section, we will detail some of the more common payment methods, including personal resources, VA benefits, Medicaid, and Medicare.

As they are classified as a subset of assisted living, memory care facilities must follow the rules and regulations for assisted living communities — with a few additional provisions directly associated with caring for people with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia-related diagnoses.

Much like any other assisted living community, memory care facilities must be licensed by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Licensure is valid for one year, and then the facility is subject to an inspection prior to being eligible to extend its license for up to three years. If interested, you can review past inspection reports on the Department of Public Health and Environment website. Just enter the facility’s name and conduct a search to see any previous citations.

As far as regulations go, memory care facilities must meet certain requirements in the facility itself, as well as those related to staffing, training, and services offered. Generally, memory care must take place in a secure environment — or a secure unit of an assisted living community. A secure outdoor area must be provided as well. Because of the secure environment, residents must go through a pre-admission assessment to better understand their history and patterns of wandering. This is meant to ensure the safety of someone with Alzheimer’s or a dementia-related diagnosis.

Memory care facilities must staff an administrator, a qualified medication administration person, sufficient staff to meet resident care needs, and dementia care staff. The staff ratio is typically 1:6 in memory care facilities or units, and all staff must go through specific training to meet the personal, social, and emotional needs of residents, including annual dementia-related training.

In addition to the regulations associated with assisted living, memory care facilities are subject to both the Fair Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). As such, no one can discriminate against your loved one or offer less favorable terms and conditions if they are part of a protected class. In addition, reasonable accommodations must be made for individuals with disabilities. These accommodations have likely already been made in whatever memory care facility you’re looking into, but it’s still important to keep this in mind should a doorway need to be widened to accommodate a wheelchair or grab bars installed for someone with a mobility issue.

Colorado Department of Health contact information

Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment

4300 Cherry Creek S. Drive

Denver, CO 80246

Phone: 303-692-2000

Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

COVID-19 regulations for Aurora memory care facilities

Currently, Aurora has no specific COVID-19 regulations for memory care or assisted living facilities. This, however, doesn’t mean that a facility doesn’t have its own guidelines. Otherwise, Arapahoe County recommends a few best practices for preventing the spread of COVID-19.

Memory care is a specialized type of care with the ultimate goal of helping people with Alzheimer’s disease or a dementia-related diagnosis live fuller lives. The best memory care facilities help people learn to live with the disease. As such, memory care facilities in the Aurora area offer a variety of services and amenities to ensure this happens.

Living with dignity

The majority of our partner communities in Aurora offer specialized memory care training to their staff. That means residents will maintain not only their safety and dignity but also their independence. It also means staff will be empathetic and meet the needs of the residents based on the person and the stage of their disease. Additionally, the majority of the communities staff an activities director to ensure residents stay happy and engaged. A number of the communities also have an on-site arts and crafts center, library, TV lounge, and other amenities to allow people to continue doing what they’ve always loved to do.

Accessing the care needed

Memory care facilities in the Aurora area often offer dementia-related therapies, as well as exit-seeking behavior care, hallucination care, disorientation care, redirection, cueing, and more. But seniors and their families should also expect other health care services to be provided. The majority of the communities in our partner network make occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy, and podiatry available to residents through visiting practitioners. They also have on-call doctors and nurses available to ensure residents are getting the care they need to stay healthy.

Transitional opportunities

Four of the communities in our partner network offer stand-alone memory care. Others are group homes, which are homes converted into small assisted living communities that follow the same rules as regular assisted living places but cost less and offer a more personalized experience for residents. Most of our partners provide the opportunity for residents to transition to the care they need within the same community, allowing your loved one to age in place, such as:

• 5 combination assisted living, independent living, and memory care facilities.
• 5 combination assisted living and memory care facilities.
• 9 combination group homes and memory care facilities.

A greater number of facilities are located within a 25-mile radius of downtown Aurora, giving you the opportunity to expand your search for the best home for your loved one:

• 15 combination assisted living, independent living, and memory care facilities.
• 23 combination assisted living and memory care facilities.
• 2 combination adult day care, group homes, and memory care facilities.
• 18 combination group homes and memory care facilities.
• 5 stand-alone memory care facilities.

Health care for seniors in Aurora

Transportation for seniors in Aurora

Getting around Aurora isn’t something any senior or their family members should worry about. Most memory care facilities in our partner network (65%) offer complimentary transportation to residents or transportation at cost (65%). If your loved one is able and needs to run an errand or go to an off-site doctor’s appointment, the community will be sure to make arrangements.

Of course, other transit options are available, though seniors in memory care facilities should not use transit without a caregiver. The Regional Transportation District (RTD) operates Access-a-Ride, a ride-share service for individuals who no longer can use fixed-route transit. The Seniors’ Resource Center also offers a no-cost ride-share service for anyone 60 or older, but all trips must be within a 10-mile radius of Aurora and made between the hours of 7 a.m. and 6 p.m.

For visiting family members, RTD runs one light-rail line and a number of bus routes throughout the city — and anyone 65 and older can ride for half the price with a Senior Special Discount Card.

Aurora offers a couple of private nonemergency transportation services, should the above options not meet your loved one’s needs: PrimeCare Colorado and A1 Medical Transportation. These companies specialize in meeting a wide range of mobility needs by offering ambulatory, wheelchair, and stretcher assistance. Again, they should not be used by memory care facility residents without the help of a caregiver.

Senior activities in Aurora

Aurora doesn’t get the same attention as Denver or Colorado Springs, but it’s still a big city with plenty of fun to be had. Like any big city, there’s something for everyone within its borders. Culture, outdoors, shopping, restaurants, and other activities are certain not to disappoint.

When visiting your loved one, shopping can be quite the experience, especially when it comes to the Stanley Marketplace. This converted aviation manufacturing facility is home to a range of locally owned retailers, restaurants, brew pubs, and more. If not there, then Southlands should make the list. On top of shops and restaurants, seniors and their families can enjoy live musical performances, a “wine walk,” and the farmers’ market. The Southlands is wheelchair accessible.

For families and seniors who like to enjoy the outdoors, they have their choice of more than 100 parks. Cherry Creek State Park, in particular, won’t disappoint, with miles upon miles of multi-use trails, fishing, boating, and more — plus, the views are spectacular. The Rocky Mountains serve as the backdrop, and then there’s also the reservoir, rolling hills, prairies, and plenty of birds and wildlife to take in, making it perfect for simply finding a spot to sit, relax, and enjoy the view.

Anyone looking to learn more about the history of Aurora will definitely be interested in the Plains Conservation Center, which offers guided tours of replicas of a homestead village and tipi camp. There’s also an education center on-site. Other historical sites of interest would be the Coal Creek Schoolhouse, Centennial House, John Gully Homestead House, the DeLaney Barn, and the DeLaney Round Barn. Admission is free. Most of the areas are wheelchair accessible, but be sure to contact each location to make sure your loved one will be able to get around easily.

Art in Public Places presents an enticing opportunity for those seeking cultural immersion. This remarkable program has graced the city of Aurora with over 300 captivating artworks contributed by local and national artists. You and your loved one can explore The People’s Building or the Aurora Cultural Arts District, both of which host frequent gallery exhibits, with the latter adding an extra touch of vibrancy through live performances. Moreover, the Aurora Cultural Arts District extends the chance to acquire cherished artworks, allowing visitors to seize the opportunity for a delightful purchase or two.

When in the mood for live theater, Aurora has a number of options. The Vintage Theatre hosts myriad musicals, plays, and other productions throughout the year. If your loved one requires special seating accommodations, make sure to contact the box office at least two hours ahead of time. The Aurora Fox Arts Center is another similar option. Seniors and their families can even attend the center’s cabaret series, holiday concert, and New Year’s Eve celebration.