Placement service · Los Angeles County
Memory care for dementia and Alzheimer's
A safe home for a parent who is forgetting, wandering, or no longer safe alone, with caregivers trained for dementia. Often a small home, often for less than a memory care community.
What it is
Memory care is residential care set up for people living with dementia, including Alzheimer's disease. The home has secured exits so a resident who wanders cannot leave unnoticed, a predictable daily routine, and caregivers trained to handle confusion, sundowning, and resistance to care with patience rather than force.
California has additional training and safety rules for licensed homes that accept residents with dementia. Memory care can be provided in a large community built for it, or in a six-bed board and care home that meets those rules. For many families the small home is the better fit: fewer people, less noise, the same faces every day, and a caregiver ratio a large building cannot match.
Signs this may be the right fit
- They have gotten lost, or left the house at night
- The stove has been left on, or doors left open
- They no longer recognize when they need help
- Sundowning makes evenings hard for the whole family
- They resist bathing or changing clothes
- The family caregiver is exhausted
What to look for
- Secured doors and a safe outdoor space. Somewhere to walk that is enclosed.
- Dementia training for every caregiver, not just the administrator.
- How they handle bad days. Ask what happens when a resident refuses care or becomes agitated. You want an answer about approach and routine, not medication.
- Whether they will keep your parent as the disease progresses. Ask directly what would cause them to give notice.
What it costs and who pays
Memory care communities in Los Angeles typically start at $7,629 to $9,000 a month in 2026, and $9,000 to $11,000 on the Westside. A board and care home that accepts residents with dementia typically costs less, usually toward the upper end of the $3,000 to $6,000 board and care range, because dementia care takes more staff time.
How we help
No cost to your family, start to finish
We screen for real dementia care
Not every home that says it takes dementia residents is set up for wandering or late-stage care. We know which ones are.
We plan for the next stage
We look for a home that can keep your parent as needs change, so you are not moving them again in a year.
We help with the hard conversation
Moving a parent with dementia is painful. We have done it many times and can help you plan the day.
Questions families ask
When is it time for memory care?
Usually when safety becomes the issue: wandering, leaving the stove on, falls, or a family caregiver who can no longer keep up. If you are asking the question, it is worth a conversation.
Is memory care covered by Medicare?
No. Medicare does not pay for long-term residential care. Medi-Cal programs may cover the care portion for eligible members, and VA Aid and Attendance can help veterans and surviving spouses.
Will my parent be locked in?
Homes use secured exits, often with keypads or alarms, so residents who might wander cannot leave unnoticed. Residents still move freely inside the home and in an enclosed yard.
Related services
Licensed care homes by community
Local numbers, named homes and costs for the 49 LA County communities with the most licensed care homes. The count is licensed homes in each community. See every community.
- Torrance 78
- Granada Hills 63
- Northridge 62
- Santa Clarita 61
- Lancaster 59
- Long Beach 49
- Sun Valley 43
- Van Nuys 42
- Reseda 36
- Glendale 34
- Palmdale 33
- West Hills 33
- Rancho Palos Verdes 32
- North Hills 31
- Claremont 30
- Woodland Hills 30
- Carson 28
- Pasadena 28
- Chatsworth 26
- Valley Glen 26
- Burbank 25
- Cerritos 21
- Glendora 21
- Winnetka 21
- West Covina 19
- Harbor City 18
- Norwalk 18
- Tarzana 18
- San Dimas 17
- Sherman Oaks 17
- Sylmar 17
- Canoga Park 16
- Diamond Bar 16
- Santa Monica 16
- Panorama City 14
- Whittier 14
- Arcadia 12
- Beverly Grove 12
- Lakewood 12
- Altadena 11
- Covina 11
- Downey 11
- Encino 11
- Lake Balboa 11
- San Pedro 11
- Fairfax 10
- La Verne 10
- Lomita 10
- North Hollywood 10
Tell us about your situation
We will call you back the same business day. There is no cost to your family. The care home pays our placement fee.