Colorado Springs is a better environment than ever before for residents with memory struggles. Here, you’ll find a robust network of memory care communities with state-of-the-art facilities, highly trained staff, and personalized care for your loved one.
A Place for Mom partners with 20 memory care facilities within a 10-mile radius of the downtown Colorado Springs area. This comprehensive guide includes information on local memory care communities, their costs, laws and regulations that govern these facilities, and senior-specific resources for your loved one.
Brookdale and their entire staff has always been very pleasant and attentive to my mother. She can sometimes be a challenge and they always do very well with her.
It's a friendly place to live. Meals are delivered to your room when you are sick and staff take great care of you. We also have great social activities!
My mother is thriving at Palisades. They really seem to care about the residents and work hard to keep them engaged. My mother, who has Alzheimer's, was adamantly opposed to moving out of her house and into...
Very nice entrance courtyard and lobby wide hallways, storage area good lighting elevator access on both ends washer and full dryer in each until high ceiling mail delivery and key access microwave is too...
Overall, it's a great place! The place always seems bright and clean. The staff is typically very friendly and helpful, just turnover of caregivers seems high (but I believe that would be for any...
My loved one is currently a resident at MorningStar Memory Care at Bear Creek and overall everything has been great for her at this facility so far. Since the move in process is naturally a difficult and...
I like about bout everything I've experienced in this community. The food is quite good and the company is some fun. Living in a building apart from the main building is to my liking. Over all grade A.
I am the guardian for my sister. My sister was moved from another facility, which did not serve her, to Springs Ranch in [date removed]. [name removed] at Springs was instrumental in completing this swiftly...
The food servers were wonderful and paid close attention to what Mom could chew and what she loved to eat. The activities were wonderful, I just wish Mom had been able to enjoy more of them. There were...
Residence you will ever find! I am in my tenth year here. We have a wonderful care staff! We have activities galore! The food is great! We are truly a family! Come and visit.
The facility has a home-like feeling. There is a central courtyard that is easy to access and allows for safe outdoor time. The staff are friendly and attentive. I can't specifically speak to move in or...
They have an excellent activity director and activities for the residents. [name removed] the director is excellent in working with me about any concerns. I feel she goes above and beyond to help all she...
We are very happy with New Day Cottages at Turner! What we like about New Day Cottages the most is that all residents sit down together between 2 tables for meals. Family style. The larger facilities had...
When we first visited, we were greeted by a very light and airy facility that had happy residents and happy staff. Broadmoor Court feels more like a hotel nice hotel then an assisted living place. My...
I'm rating on my experience while there, however my brother is the client. Yes we would recommend the community to other families. They've been very accommodating to me. Received feedback well. Try to be...
Overall, this is a very nice facility. I have two family members there: one in Memory Care and the other in an Assisted Living apartment. The staff in MC is lovely--friendly, helpful, reassuring, etc. They...
We give the overall experience at 4, it would be a five if they hadn't fired so many other really good staff they had there, and change their leadership so many times. However, yes we would recommend this...
I picked The Bridge because I liked it better. Most people do that. I didn't have lots of options with the nursing care Mom required. And the Bear Creek location was not desirable for most visitors for...
If the resident needs assistance with mobility, this is not the best option but for those who need very little help with mobility or daily life activities, it is a great and welcoming environment. We picked...
The staff at New Day at that time were phenomenal. They truly cared for my mom. When she was in hospice there, they held her, and cried with us and truly felt her loss themselves. Some of them still text to...
Very happy with this senior community. Lots of activities. Friendly staff and care team. The food is good but not great. Interior is nicely decorated. Apartments are roomy with multiple pull cords in each...
My mom was in the Memory Care for only 1 month as she was needing the next level of care. The care givers were always very friendly, caring. and attentive. They seemed to genuinely like and care about my...
I know my mom is more comfortable in a smaller group of people. She has many new friends and seems pretty happy here. The staff are attentive and helpful with plenty of extra activities. Good food and nice...
High employee turnover & laundry/clothing is a problem. It doesn't seem like they do much for activities. Cost seems to be high, but yes I would recommend this community to other families based on the...
I would give a Mackenzie Place a five on all the above categories. We have been so pleased and would recommend Mackenzie Place to everybody and anyone. I looked at many places and this was the best place and...
We developed a proprietary recommendation system that orders Colorado Springs community options based on factors we know are important to seniors and their families:
We collect proprietary data from our network of 14,000+ senior living communities in the U.S., with regular refreshes of data and information
We have 387,000+ reviews from senior living residents and family members that provide first-hand accounts about senior living communities
For 2022-2023, our data shows that families paid an average of $5,272 a month for memory care at our partner communities in Colorado Springs.[01] Note that this is not a baseline indicator of cost — this number includes commonly associated fees and service add-ons that families most often opted for when choosing a memory care facility. Here are some examples of service add-ons you might encounter:
These costs include features, amenities, and services typical to memory care communities which may include the following:
The below chart represents some average baseline costs you may see reflected in memory care facilities in Colorado Springs and surrounding areas.
In Colorado Springs, families most often use a combination of public and private funding to meet the cost of memory care. We go over some of the most common payment methods for memory care below.
Depending on what resources your family has access to, your private pay options may include any of the following:
Colorado Springs has several veterans membership programs that offer valuable resources for seniors. You’ll also find resource centers and veterans service officers in Colorado Springs that are available to help you navigate federal veterans benefits. Read on to learn about local resources and VA benefits that can help during your loved one’s stay in memory care.
Veterans or spouses of deceased veterans in Colorado Springs can use benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to cover the costs of memory care while in assisted living. If a veteran is enrolled in VA health care, they may be eligible to apply for and receive additional benefits on top of their pension, like the Aid and Attendance benefit. This benefit is generous and can be used for anything improving quality of life, such as living in a memory care community or in-home health care.
Enrollment for these benefits can be tricky to navigate. Before starting the application process, we recommend speaking to a knowledgeable veterans benefits advisor, called veterans services officers, to get your loved one their rightful benefits as a veteran or surviving spouse.
In Colorado Springs, the Pikes Peak library system offers a wealth of veterans information through their veterans resource section. These resources cover everything from local veterans gatherings to how to obtain benefits to support for veterans’ basic needs. Other local veteran service centers that can help a senior enroll in VA benefits include the local American Legion posts or Colorado Veterans Project. You can also find a detailed outline of veterans benefits through the Pikes Peak Agency on Aging (PPACG).
Additional ways you can access veterans advocacy include the following:
Explore more resources for Colorado Springs veterans below.
Number of veterans who live in Colorado Springs
Number of veterans living in the state of Colorado
Resources for Colorado Springs veterans
Main Office
5850 Championship View, Suite 130
Colorado Springs, CO 80922
Phone: 719-520-7750
Email: vet@elpasoco.com
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Additional Colorado Veterans Service Offices by county
Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center
Phone: 719-772-7000
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Colorado Veterans Project
P.O. Box 1422
Eastlake, CO 80614
Email: info@coloradoveteransproject.org
VFW Post 4051 – The Pikes Peak Post
430 E. Pikes Peak Ave.
Colorado Springs, CO 80903
Phone: 719-632-9874
VFW Post 101 – Marion L Willis Post
702 S. Tejon St.
Colorado Springs, CO 80903
Phone: 719-632-2776
Hours: Tuesday through Sunday, 3 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
VFW Post 3917 – Cheyenne Mountain Post
4715 Clearview Drive
Colorado Springs, CO 80911
Phone: 719-392-8677
Hours: Wednesday through Saturday, 4 p.m. – 8 p.m.; Sunday 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Medicaid is a state- and federal-funded service providing health coverage to low-income citizens. Colorado Springs seniors in memory care receive Medicaid benefits through Colorado Community Health Alliance (CCHA), the local branch of Colorado’s greater Medicaid program called Health First Colorado. While CCHA doesn’t pay for memory care, they do offer assistance with certain prescription drugs and medical equipment, such as the following:
CCHA also offers a helpful list of health information for seniors on their website, which you can explore for answers to all kinds of general health questions. For more general questions about Medicaid programs for seniors, check out the Pike’s Peak Area Agency on Aging (PPACG). They released an adult Medicaid book detailing all state-specific programs applying to seniors along with a 2022 Yellow Book, a comprehensive information and assistance directory.
Additional medical and nonmedical memory care services can be covered through Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS). This is Health First Colorado’s Medicaid waiver program that can be used in assisted living and memory care facilities contracted with a resident’s managed care provider or in the senior’s home. This HCBS waiver enables individuals to live and get care in the home or community of their choice instead of an institutional setting.
HCBS waiver programs can help cover costs for the following types of assisted living services in Colorado:
Health First Colorado also offers an Elderly, Blind, and Disabled (EBD) waiver for seniors and people with disabilities. This waiver may help pay for memory care. Health First Colorado also has specific HCBS waivers for adults with the following health complications:
Speak with a Health First Colorado representative to help determine eligibility and choose an HCBS waiver. Additionally, an ombudsman through the PPACG can help with any issues you may encounter as you try to access Medicaid benefits and other long-term care service complications. Get started by exploring the resources on Health First Colorado benefits and waivers, which are listed below.
Colorado Springs resident Medicaid resources
Health First Colorado
1570 Grant St.
Denver, CO 80203
Phone: 800-221-3943
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
For seniors over 65 who paid their Medicare taxes, or who are married to someone who has, this federal health insurance program provides assistance paying for some types of care for seniors. Medicare will not cover room and board fees during your loved one’s stay in memory care, but it can cover some long-term care costs such as the following:
If you’d like to know what Medicare will cover for your loved one, dial 2-1-1 or visit the federal Medicare website. You can also find help at your local Social Security Administration offices and through a local ombudsman with the Pikes Peak Area Agency on Aging. Ombudsmen act as advocates to help ensure you get the Medicare services you need. Additionally, these programs can also help you secure Medicare benefits for your loved one and potentially gain financial assistance:
Colorado Springs resident Medicare resources
Find a Colorado regional SHIP location
Phone: 888-696-7213
Ombudsman program website
Agency on Aging Ombudsman: 719-471-2096
Before we dive into the laws and regulations that govern memory care facilities in Colorado Springs, it’s important to note that memory care falls under the scope of assisted living regulation in Colorado. As such, memory care facilities are subject to the same rules and regulations as assisted living communities.
In Colorado, assisted living and memory care facilities cannot admit seniors whose needs cannot be met by the staffing’s expertise. Because of this, these communities must conduct a pre-admission assessment of potential memory care residents. This assessment seeks to get a picture of a person’s social, physical, and mental needs, their capacity for self-care, their overall health, and more. The community must be able to provide the following to residents:
Additionally, in the state of Colorado, assisted living and memory care residences cannot provide a full kitchen to residents. Instead, lodgings often come equipped with miniature versions comparable to what one might find in a hotel room: kitchenettes with mini-fridges and microwaves.[01] Note that memory care communities offer three meals each day, and some facilities offer community kitchens where seniors in memory care can participate in the rhythms of their own food preparation, if desired.
In Colorado Springs, communities with memory care are licensed by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE). Additionally, the Health Facilities and Emergency Medical Services Division oversees adult care and assisted living facilities — including those offering memory care. They are the department responsible for performing quality and safety inspections. To review any licensed facility, you can view all inspection reports for the past five years on their website.
For a deeper understanding of Colorado regulations and how they affect your loved one’s stay in memory care, you can also review the following information:
In Colorado Springs, some memory care facilities may be eligible for Medicaid and Medicare certification. This allows facilities to bill Medicaid or Medicare for some health care services provided to residents. It also means the memory care community has to participate in regular inspections by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, along with following stricter health care guidelines. You can find out whether a specific memory care community is additionally regulated on the Colorado Department of Public Health’s inspection reports “find and compare” feature.
4300 Cherry Creek Drive
South Denver, CO, 80246
Phone: 303-692-2836
Email: cdphe.healthfacilities@state.co.us
In Colorado Springs, memory care facilities are required to adhere to guidelines to keep residents safe from COVID-19, as the coronavirus poses a risk to residents in senior living. In keeping with updated federal guidelines, visitors are allowed.
Guidelines for Colorado Springs memory care facilities include the following:
Vaccinations. COVID-19 vaccines must be made available to residents, and vaccination is encouraged for all residents and staff.
Facility cleanliness. Surfaces must be disinfected frequently to prevent the spread of COVID-19 infection.
Masking. Assisted living staff must be masked at all times in the facility and in public. Residents must wear a mask in public.
Staff safety. Staff must use approved personal protective equipment when necessary.
In Colorado Springs, you’ll find that many memory care facilities are part of broader assisted (and sometimes independent) living communities. Memory care facilities are often sectioned off among these shared senior living spaces to create a cultivated space for familiar, dementia-friendly patterns of living. This helps to reduce confusion and distress for those struggling with memory problems. There’s an increased demand for memory care, particularly in Colorado Springs. Families may experience a two- to three-month wait before a senior can move into a memory care exclusive community.
Even so, Colorado Springs has undergone a series of changes for bettering the experiences of the seniors who live there. Explore efforts from the wider community, as well as within our partner network of memory care communities in the metro area.
In 2016, local governance committed to an Age Friendly Pikes Peak initiative. This initiative targeted improvements in eight stated domains of livability:
They’ve addressed several points of this by hosting organizations to help guide these efforts:
These efforts may improve life in the broader Colorado Springs community, but that isn’t the whole story. Many memory care facilities additionally and continually improve their programming and features to enhance the lives of seniors with dementia. Check out some of those initiatives below.
Predictability is proven to ease those suffering from dementia and memory issues. Given that, many memory care facilities work to provide consistent care assignments, meaning staff members work with the same residents to encourage familiarity and person-centered partnerships. Through these partnerships, memory care facilities offer the following services:
Reviews of these care partnerships are often glowing, indicative of a warm and nurturing attitude from caregivers in these facilities. Families remember how staff are always “bringing out a smile” and are generous with hugs and smiles for their loved ones in memory care.
Therapies guided by sensory activity are also proven to improve the lives of those in memory care. You’ll find thoughtful sensory details throughout our partner facilities in Colorado Springs. For example, in one community, there’s extra thought given to the dining experience that encourages an interest in food, with details that include the following:
If desired, residents can have a full schedule of events each day to stimulate the senses and improve brain health. A daily activity schedule for any memory care resident might include these options:
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Number of seniors over the age of 65 currently living in Colorado Springs
Percentage of seniors 65 and older within the Colorado Springs population
Elevation in feet at Colorado Springs’ highest point
The fantastic hospitals in the Colorado Springs metro are one of the major draws in the city, whether you’re moving a senior loved one to the area or seeking employment as a young health care professional. Attracting talent from around the country, two hospital systems in particular stand above the rest for excellent care and specializations in senior health.
The leading hospital in Colorado Springs, UCHealth Memorial performs highly in 11 adult conditions and procedures. According to U.S. News and World Report, UCHealth provides excellent scores in advanced neurological technologies.
Penrose-St. Francis is another highly regarded hospital in the Colorado Springs metro area. U.S. News and World Report ranks Penrose-St. Francis highly in six adult conditions, and the hospital specializes in cardiac conditions and neurology.
UC Health is ranked No. 1 in the state of Colorado and features many campuses, including one dedicated to dementia care. A short one-hour drive from Colorado Springs, the University of Colorado Alzheimer’s and Cognition Center provides world-class memory care from their Denver Central Park medical campus.
In Colorado Springs, about 70% of partnering memory care communities offer complimentary transportation options, as it’s recommended that seniors with dementia travel with a caregiver.[01] While most caregivers use cars to navigate the city, Colorado Springs has plentiful ADA-compliant options to help seniors in memory care and their caregivers navigate the city.
Colorado Springs offers the best of city amenities with breathtaking natural beauty. Explore dementia-friendly activities for Colorado Springs seniors below.
Colorado Springs sits in the shadow of Pikes Peak, and a trip up the peak on the Cog railway makes for a magical outing. Active seniors in memory care can also enjoy a leisurely afternoon stroll with a group in the Garden of the Gods. Additionally, for those who use a wheelchair, there are plenty of trails with smooth pavement and wide paths. Explore this list of 10 accessible Colorado Springs trails for your next foray into the mountains with your loved one.
Memory care communities keep a rigorous activity schedule for residents, planning five to seven activities each day within each facility. Outings take place in dedicated community vans that are often used multiple times a week. On these outings, residents enjoy these events:
Colorado Springs is becoming increasingly more accessible for everyone to enjoy. For those who use a wheelchair, accessible museums include the following:
Brookdale Monument Valley Park, Brookdale Vista Grande and Palisades At Broadmoor Park are the top-rated Memory Care facilities near Colorado Springs, CO. These Memory Care facilities received the highest rankings based on verified family reviews. See full list of communities.
The average cost of Memory Care in Colorado Springs is $5,089 per month. This cost may vary based on location, amenities, floorplan, level of care and other factors.
A Place for Mom. (2023). A Place for Mom proprietary data.
United States Census Bureau. (2023). Population estimates: Colorado Springs city, Colorado (V2021). [Data set]. QuickFacts.
National Center for Assisted Living. (2022). Assisted living state regulatory review (2022 ed.).
Innovations in Aging Collaborative. (2023). Age Friendly Pikes Peak.
Visit Colorado Springs. (2023). High altitude effects and tips.
U.S. News and World Report. (2023). Best hospitals in Colorado.
Ask an A Place for Mom local advisor at no cost.
A Place for Mom. (2023). A Place for Mom proprietary data.
United States Census Bureau. (2023). Population estimates: Colorado Springs city, Colorado (V2021). [Data set]. QuickFacts.
National Center for Assisted Living. (2022). Assisted living state regulatory review (2022 ed.).
Innovations in Aging Collaborative. (2023). Age Friendly Pikes Peak.
Visit Colorado Springs. (2023). High altitude effects and tips.
U.S. News and World Report. (2023). Best hospitals in Colorado.