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Memory care vs. assisted living

Understand how assisted living and memory care differ in environment, routines and services.

Assisted living supports daily activities in a residential community. Memory care adds an environment and program designed around memory-related needs. The labels alone do not establish suitability; the community and qualified professionals must evaluate the person's needs. Vermont's published licence directories record 29 of 138 licensed settings as having a designated dementia or memory care programme: 13 residential care homes, 14 assisted living residences and 4 nursing homes. Two settings hold two licences, so the three figures add up to more than the total. Those settings sit in 10 of Vermont's 13 counties. Caledonia, Essex, Lamoille Counties have no designated setting in the record, so a family there is choosing between travel and support at home.

Differences to examine

Staff training and supervision
Physical layout and secured areas
Daily structure and communication approaches
Medical coordination
Family support and communication
Fees and conditions for transfer or discharge

How Vermont's licence record marks memory care

The designation records that the state recognises the programme.

It does not measure staffing ratio, training or outcomes, which is why the questions above matter more than the label.

Money changes the picture too.

Of the 25 designated settings that are residential care homes or assisted living residences, 16 are also recorded as taking a Vermont Medicaid residential payment (Assistive Community Care Services or Enhanced Residential Care), and 9 are not, so plan on private pay there unless the provider confirms otherwise.

Prepare for the conversation

Bring a concise description of current routines, assistance already used and what has changed.

Share detailed medical information only through the provider's secure clinical intake process, not a marketing form.

Where Vermont's designated memory care sits

The state designates 29 settings for dementia or memory care: 13 residential care homes, 14 assisted living residences and 4 nursing homes.

The designation appears in 10 counties; none is recorded in Caledonia, Essex, Lamoille, and 16 of the 29 are recorded as taking a Vermont Medicaid residential payment.

The designation shows the state recognises a programme.

It is not a staffing standard, so the practical comparison with ordinary assisted living is what the memory unit does at night, how it handles wandering, and what it charges above the base rate.

**Addison County**: 2 of 4 licensed settings designated
**Bennington County**: 5 of 14 licensed settings designated
**Caledonia County**: 0 of 5 licensed settings designated
**Chittenden County**: 7 of 28 licensed settings designated
**Essex County**: 0 of 1 licensed settings designated
**Franklin County**: 1 of 6 licensed settings designated
**Lamoille County**: 0 of 4 licensed settings designated
**Orange County**: 2 of 8 licensed settings designated
**Orleans County**: 1 of 9 licensed settings designated
**Rutland County**: 5 of 17 licensed settings designated
**Washington County**: 1 of 17 licensed settings designated
**Windham County**: 1 of 10 licensed settings designated
**Windsor County**: 4 of 15 licensed settings designated

Questions families ask

Frequently asked questions

How many Vermont settings are designated for memory care?

29 of the state's 138 licensed settings, across 10 of 13 counties.

Is the designation a staffing standard?

No. It shows the state recognises a programme. Ask about overnight staffing, wandering procedures and what the memory unit charges above the base rate.

What licences do memory care settings hold?

13 are residential care homes, 14 assisted living residences and 4 nursing homes.

Can dementia be managed at home?

Often, and for longer than families expect, especially early on, with adult day and the respite grant. About 17,000 Vermonters aged 65 and over were projected to be living with dementia in 2025.

Where do I check a unit's record?

The Division of Licensing and Protection posts each survey statement and plan of correction on its find-a-facility page at dlp.vermont.gov.