Memory Care in Alaska

As a retirement destination, Alaska offers a variety of scenery and open space unrivaled in the United States. Its reputation as “The Last Frontier” is accurate in many ways: Alaska has 17 national parks, including the country’s four largest. The snow-covered peaks of Denali National Park and Preserve are an awesome example of the vast, untamed wilderness that spreads across the state’s interior region. Many visitors to Juneau are surprised to feel the mild climate of the temperate rainforests in the state’s southeastern panhandle. And while Anchorage is farther north and surrounded by rougher terrain and colder conditions, its coastal location brings much cooler temperatures and less snowfall than the state’s Arctic regions in the far north. Alaska’s spectacular views and remote locales come at a price, though, as the most sparsely populated state in the country has fewer senior living options and therefore higher costs.

Currently, A Place for Mom partners with more than five senior living communities in Alaska that provide memory care.

The median monthly cost of memory care in Alaska is about $5,900.

Memory care services in Alaska are provided in Assisted Living Homes, which are licensed and inspected by the Department of Health’s Assisted Living Program Office.^[01] Regulations for those that provide memory care are similar to regulations for assisted living. You can visit our Alaska assisted living laws and regulations page for detailed information on that care type.

Care requirements

Before your loved one moves into an Assisted Living Home to receive memory care, you should have the opportunity to sign a contract that includes the following details:^[02]

• Care services
• Accommodations
• Resident rights
• Costs
• Refund policies
• Contract termination policies and procedures

Your elderly relative should also have a care plan in place within 30 days of moving in. The plan should note their needs regarding activities of daily living (ADLs) as well as what food, activities, and roommates they prefer. Religious affiliation and any disabilities should also be noted.^[02]

The contract and care plan allows the Assisted Living Home to provide the following services:^[02]

• Support with ADLs
• Supervision and monitoring
• Coordination of support services, such as transportation and legal services
• Three meals a day and at least one snack
• 24-hour skilled nursing for a maximum of 45 days
• Hospice care

Building requirements

To protect seniors with dementia who wander, Assisted Living Homes that provide memory care should use a wander alarm system or install door alarms and delayed exits. There should also be a system that consistently alerts staff whenever someone exits the building. In addition, communities must follow these assisted living building requirements:^[02]

• Rooms can be either private or shared, but there can be no more than two seniors per room.
• If seniors share a room, they should have access to reasonable privacy.
• There must be at least one shower or bathtub, one toilet, and one sink for every six seniors.

Staff requirements

The following requirements apply to Assisted Living Home staff members, but there aren’t dementia-specific staff guidelines in Alaska:^[02]

• All staff must be trained in medication management, resident rights and interaction, emergency procedures, universal precautions, and fire safety.
• The staff must include an administrator and a person who’s certified in first aid and CPR.
• The administrator has to complete 18 hours of continuing education each year.
• There must be enough care staff to address the needs on every senior’s care plan.
• Care staff have to complete 12 hours of continuing education each year.

Alaska Department of Health contact information

Alaska Department of Health
3601 C Street, Suite 902
Anchorage, Alaska 99503-5923

Phone: 907-269-7800

Inspections

Assisted Living Homes that provide memory care are inspected annually by the Alaska Department of Health’s Assisted Living Program Office.^[01] However, the inspection reports aren’t available to the public. You can instead visit the Assisted Living Licensing page and scroll down to “Current Licensed Facilities” to download a monthly updated list of licensed communities.