Stamford Senior AdvisorIs there a list of memory care communities in Connecticut?
No: DPH does not publish a list of dementia special care units, so families must ask each community and check its residency agreement and staffing plan.
Our directory lists every active assisted living agency license, the base any assisted living dementia unit operates under.
What staffing does a Connecticut memory care unit need?
Adequate staff, with a staffing plan submitted to DPH, under CGS 19a-564; there is no numeric minimum ratio.
Ask for the overnight headcount on the unit itself.
Do memory care staff need dementia training in Connecticut?
Yes: all licensed direct care staff in memory care units must complete dementia-specific training every year (CGS 19a-562a).
Ask how long the training is and whether non-nursing staff take it too.
What does memory care cost in Fairfield County?
No published median exists; expect more than Connecticut's 2025 assisted living median of about $8,676 a month, and get a written quote that separates rent, unit fee and care charges.
Ask for the increase history as well.
Can CHCPE pay for memory care?
The Connecticut Home Care Program for Elders can pay for assisted living services, including in approved dementia units, for eligible people 65 and older, but not rent or meals.
Ask each community whether it accepts CHCPE participants.
When should someone with dementia move to a nursing home instead?
When they also need skilled nursing around the clock, two-person transfers, or care beyond what an assisted living agency can provide for chronic and stable conditions.
Some Fairfield County nursing homes serve many residents with dementia; ask each about its approach.
Can a memory care unit discharge a resident for behavior?
A community can end residency on the terms set out in the residency agreement, which must describe what happens when a resident's health deteriorates; read those terms before signing.
If a discharge seems unfair, call the Long-Term Care Ombudsman at 1-866-388-1888.
What should I look for on a memory care tour?
Look at staff engagement with residents, how distress is handled, whether residents are active or simply seated, and how secure the exits are, and visit in the late afternoon.
Ask to see the activity calendar and whether it actually runs on weekends.
Can a spouse without dementia live with a spouse in memory care?
Some communities allow it in a companion apartment or an adjoining assisted living unit, but most dementia units are designed for residents with dementia only; ask what arrangements are possible.
Couples in this situation should also ask about pricing for two residents and what happens if one spouse's needs change.
