The key difference between memory care and nursing homes is the level of care provided. Memory care is tailored to people who have Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia but provides only limited medical care. Seniors who need round-the-clock skilled nursing care and significant assistance with personal care may benefit from a nursing home. Although both options offer 24-hour care, supervision, and meals, they differ in services provided, cost, staff training, and environment. Some nursing homes offer memory care units, and memory care services may also be provided in independent living, assisted living, and continuing care retirement communities.
Let our care assessment guide you
Our free tool provides options, advice, and next steps based on your unique situation.
Memory care communities provide 24-hour specialized care for people with memory loss. Residents typically receive meals and help with activities of daily living (ADLs), such as bathing, dressing, and medication management.
Nursing homes provide 24-hour skilled nursing care and supervision, meals, and assistance with activities of daily living to individuals who have serious health issues or chronic conditions. Like most memory care facilities, they offer activities, but they’re typically not as personalized or robust.
To help you get an overview of what to expect, here’s a comparison of services that can be found in nursing homes and memory care facilities:
| Services | Memory Care | Nursing Homes |
|---|---|---|
| Meal services | X | X |
| Housekeeping and laundry services | X | X |
| Social activities | X | X |
| Medication management | X | X |
| Help with daily activities (ADLs) | X | X |
| Specialized care for patients with memory loss | X | X |
| 24-hour care and supervision | X | X |
| Secured entrances and exits to prevent wandering | X | X |
| Rehabilitative therapies as needed | X | |
| Memory-enhancing therapies | X | |
| Unique facility layout and design to reduce confusion | X | |
| Transportation to appointments | X |
The national median cost of memory care is $6,450 per month, according to A Place for Mom’s 2025 report on the cost of long-term care.[01] On the other hand, the national median cost of a nursing home is $9,277 per month for a semi-private room and $10,646 per month for a private room.[02]
Many factors affect the cost of memory care communities and nursing homes:
Memory care communities and some nursing homes require specialized training and, sometimes, certifications for staff caregivers. Once properly trained, staff who are trained in providing memory care recognize and cope with common dementia behaviors and symptoms, such as:
Nursing homes provide skilled care services that must be provided by registered nurses or other trained, licensed professionals under the supervision of a doctor. Most memory care communities cannot legally provide this level of care.
Nursing homes offer the following skilled services to help seniors improve or maintain their health:
Safety is a key priority in memory care facilities, and they’re often equipped with built-in safety features. These may include locked and alarmed exit doors to prevent wandering. Some nursing homes may also have memory care units that are like dedicated memory care communities.
The following architectural and design features are common in memory care facilities and memory care units within nursing homes:
Memory care communities and nursing homes are both subject to state regulations, but only nursing homes are required to follow federal rules as well.
Let our care assessment guide you
Our free tool provides options, advice, and next steps based on your unique situation.
The most appropriate type of care for your loved one ultimately depends on their mental and physical health. If you’ve noticed changes that suggest your loved one may need memory care, talk with their doctor and other health care providers. They’ll be able to assess your loved one and help you think through whether memory care or a nursing home would be best.
If a nursing home is the best option for your loved one, their physician will need to write an order to admit them. Memory care communities typically don’t require a physician’s order.
If your loved one has significant health issues in addition to dementia, they can receive memory care services within a nursing home. They can also receive skilled nursing services and memory care in these communities:
“Oftentimes, families turn to skilled nursing when they run out of funding for private pay options like memory care,” says Rachel Levy, a former senior national account manager at A Place for Mom with over two decades of senior living experience.
“Another reason could be that the needs of a memory care resident exceed the state regulations of memory care or assisted living. For instance, if a resident can no longer feed themselves, they’d need to move to a nursing home,” Levy explains.
I recommend talking to a potential memory care community’s nursing staff about your family member’s needs. They’ll likely perform a free assessment, which can help indicate whether your loved one would fit better in a memory care community or a nursing home.
Talk with a Senior Living Advisor
Our advisors help 300,000 families each year find the right senior care for their loved ones.
If you’re unsure about what’s best for your loved one, talk with your family, your elderly loved one, and their doctor or case manager to better understand their unique care needs and local care options.
A Place for Mom’s Senior Living Advisors can also help you navigate care options based on your loved one’s location, preferences, and needs — all at no cost to your family. Plus, they can help you learn the differences between memory care and home care and memory care and assisted living.
Dementia patients may do better in memory care because of the specialized care techniques and unique design features. However, a nursing home may be a better option if a dementia patient also needs 24-hour skilled nursing care for a medical condition.
Skilled nursing may be a better option than memory care if a person with dementia has a serious medical condition that requires 24-hour skilled nursing.
A person with dementia may be too advanced for memory care if the facility staff can no longer manage their ADL needs due to changes in their condition. For instance, if a person develops a new condition or behavioral changes that require 24-hour nursing care.
A Place for Mom. (2025). Cost of long-term care and senior living.
Genworth. (2024).Cost of care survey.
The information contained on this page is for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute medical, legal or financial advice or create a professional relationship between A Place for Mom and the reader. Always seek the advice of your health care provider, attorney or financial advisor with respect to any particular matter, and do not act or refrain from acting on the basis of anything you have read on this site. Links to third-party websites are only for the convenience of the reader; A Place for Mom does not endorse the contents of the third-party sites.
Make the best senior care decision