Allentown Senior AdvisorWhat is the difference between assisted living and memory care in Pennsylvania?
In Pennsylvania, memory care means a secured dementia care unit in a personal care home or a special care unit in an assisted living residence, licensed on the home's DHS certificate, while 'assisted living' in everyday use means the home's regular, unlocked floors.
29 of the 70 licensed homes in Lehigh, Northampton and Carbon counties have a secured dementia care unit or special care unit on their DHS certificate, with 1,122 unit places in all; the largest is Saucon Valley Manor with 100. A home without a secured unit can care for a resident with mild dementia who is safe on an open floor, but it cannot lock the doors to keep someone from leaving.
When does a parent with dementia need a secured unit?
A secured unit is usually needed when a parent tries to leave and could not find the way back, wanders at night, cannot recognize danger such as traffic or cold, or needs the calmer, structured routine a dedicated unit offers.
Pennsylvania requires a medical evaluation documenting the dementia diagnosis and the need for a secured unit, plus a cognitive screening, before admission. A doctor's clear written statement avoids delays.
What changes in staffing and training on a dementia unit?
Staff on a secured dementia care unit must complete six hours of dementia-specific training each year on top of the 12 hours all direct care workers need, and the unit runs its own activity program; Pennsylvania does not set a separate staffing ratio for the unit.
Ask how many staff are assigned to the unit by shift, whether they are permanent or rotate, and how many residents are there today against the licensed capacity.
How do costs compare?
No primary source publishes a Pennsylvania or Lehigh Valley memory care price; expect a dementia unit to cost more than the same home's regular floor, and get both rates in writing.
CareScout's 2025 Pennsylvania median for assisted living is $76,218 a year. Neither Community HealthChoices nor Medicare pays room and board on a dementia unit; VA Aid and Attendance can help eligible veterans and survivors.
Can my parent move from a regular floor to the dementia unit in the same home?
Yes, if the home has a secured unit with space and the medical evaluation supports it; moving within a familiar building is often easier on a person with dementia than changing homes.
That is a good reason to choose a home with a dementia unit even when your parent does not need it yet. Ask whether current residents get priority for unit beds.
At a glance
| A secured dementia unit is | A secured dementia unit is not | |
|---|---|---|
| License | Approved on the DHS certificate with a set capacity | Any building that says memory care |
| Admission | Requires a documented need for a secured setting | A place to lock in someone without dementia |
| Cost data | Unpublished; ask for the written rate | Covered by Medicare |
Sources include 55 Pa. Code Chapters 20, 2600 and 2800, Pennsylvania DHS, Department of Health and Department of Aging pages, CMS, VA and CareScout rate tables as cited above; see our editorial standards.
