10 Best Memory Care Facilities in Portland, OR
Portland is a charming, vibrant city for seniors to spend their retirement years. A Place for Mom partners with 80 memory care facilities in the Portland Metropolitan Area, giving your loved one a perfect place to receive specialized care amid all that the city has to offer. If your loved one needs a dementia-trained caregiver, you’ll find all this and more at one of our partnering memory care facilities in Portland.
In this guide, we explore our in-network memory care communities within a 10-mile radius of downtown Portland. We detail what to expect in these local communities, sharing proprietary data and reviews from real residents. We go over baseline and common additional costs, along with how people might cover these expenses. We also share local and state-specific regulations for memory care facilities, senior resources in Portland, and Portland attractions favored by local seniors.
Portland Memory Care Facilities | 2140 Reviews
The staff is great..they are just a little short handed as are most facilities today...the food could be better...and more activities...the setting is nice..backed up to a forest with good outdoor spaces. I...
Best small assisted living. My mother is blind and now so many people know her in the community. She has found comfort when she needed it. At 94 she can recognize people by their voices and can get around on...
There are a lot of activity options, the residents all seem happy, and staff is friendly. Based on the experience we have had, we would recommend Russellville Park to other families who may need a place for...
Overall experience 5: It was stressful when we had to move our father to the Portland metro area. We immediately felt like The Cottages was going to be a good fit.. Cleanliness 5: Every area that we've been...
I would give them all a 4 because it's not home and that would be a 5. The only one I would down grade would be food. at would be a three because she is diabetic and needs mechanical soft food because of...
The people there from the top down are truly amazing. Mom has moved to memory care and boyfriend is in asstd living. They still hang out daily and everybody knows everybody. Anything we have ever asked has...
MorningStar is a beautiful facility with a capable and responsive staff. The memory care (called the "Reflections Community") rooms are extremely nice compared to those I saw in other facilities. Everything...
I would tell them that my experience has been quite good and I would recommend it to them.
Better Living Residential Care was really good about communicating the needs of my loved one to me. They had a Thanksgiving dinner for the entire community there and the residents were able to invite their...
I'm very impressed with the facility staff and services.Had to place my mother who was diagnosed with dementia a month ago.was introduced to man named [name removed] with there resource department...He has...
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Frankly, we rate all of these categories at 5. Our experiences with Canfield Place have been great. The staff are friendly, helpful, and caring. They pay attention to the residents, even when they are not...
We had a few issues at the beginning moving her in. Medication was not transfered in a timely manner but i think it was her former residence fault. House keeping was an issie at the begining but improved as...
My grandparents moved into Van Mall when they could no longer take care of their home. We found Van Mall to have amazing and loving staff, fantastic food and lots of Activites. My grandparents couldn’t be...
My mom has lived in the assited living for two years and has recently moved to the memory care. We find the staff is always kind and friendly to the residents and their families
The staff are amazing. They take the time to form relationships with the residents and have gone above and beyond several times for my Dad. I have a lot of confidence that he is being well taken care of and...
My MIL is losing weight. Yet when we take her out to eat, she eats almost everything on her plate. It's been a while since I've been at Brookdale, as I'm experiencing a severe back issue affecting my walking...
From my initial walk through to current day we all couldn't be more pleased. With the walk through I instantly felt a feeling of home as well as compassion. Everyone from staff to residents has displayed a...
What we like the most about Cogir at The Quarry is the friendliness and attentiveness from the staff. Yes, we would recommend this community to other families, but they need to improve on card games and...
The best experience is getting Jon urgently admitted due to a family emergency. Much appreciated. It's an economical choice and I liked the smaller facility environment. Location is very convenient.
[name removed] and the rest of the staff were responsive, supportive, and extremely flexible. Our move in was chaotic for several reasons, and we were able to work with them on every issue we had. Our mom...
Near the end of Dad's life and he was in hospice, they changed us extra for moving him in his bed to prevent bed sores. My sister is a doctor and when she visited him, she remarked that he had never been...
The communication between administration and family is lacking. Continuity of care is lacking. they are suppose to have a nurse employed and they have been without
We are also lucky that The Hampton & Ashley Inn is close to our family homes. Also her area has its own dining area so that is small too which is nice. Mom is in the Assisted living area which is the Ashley...
Monterey Court were great to work with in a tough situation. Based on the experience we had with them we would recommend this community to other families, although I would caution anyone to check and see if...
The Stratford has beautiful facilities, full menu in dining room, lots of activities. Based on the experience we have had, we would recommend this community to other families.
Our methodology
How we rank order the Portland community options above
We developed a proprietary recommendation system that orders Portland community options based on factors we know are important to seniors and their families:
- Proximity to your search location
- Availability of recent, high-quality reviews
- The amount of detailed community information available
Where we source our information
14,000+ communities
We collect proprietary data from our network of 14,000+ senior living communities in the U.S., with regular refreshes of data and information
350,000+ reviews
We have 387,000+ reviews from senior living residents and family members that provide first-hand accounts about senior living communities
- Costs of memory care in the Portland area
- What families are saying about memory care in Portland
- How people pay for memory care in Portland
- Understand Oregon and Washington laws and regulations for memory care facilities
- What to expect from memory care in Portland
- Unfamiliar with Portland? Highlights for seniors
Costs of memory care in the Portland area
From 2022-2023, partnering memory care communities in Portland cost an average of $5,593 per month.[01] Memory care can be more expensive than assisted living due to the specialized care services. Note that the above figure represents what real families at our partner memory care communities actually paid, including additional care and service fees. These additional fees might include the following common expenses:[01]
- Advanced care fees. This is gauged by how much staff support a resident might need, from “low care needs” to “high care needs.” In Portland, these fees ranged from $585 for monthly low-care needs to $3,300 for monthly high-care needs.
- Second-person fees. Monthly costs may apply if you have another person living with you. In 2022-2023, the average cost for second-person fees in Portland was $800 per month.
- Parking fees. Many memory care residents utilize the complimentary transportation provided by communities. However, partners with a car paid on average $100 monthly for parking on-site.
- Pet fees. Many Portland assisted living and memory care facilities are pet-friendly, but monthly pet care/rent costs can be steep at an average of $750 per month.
- Community fees. In Portland, these one-time fees averaged around $2,500 at the time of move in.
Is it affordable to live in Portland?
Compared to the national average, costs of living in Portland are 24% higher. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the following is true of aged 60+ retirees in Portland:
- 70% have an annual Social Security income of around $22,000.
- 49% have an annual retirement income at a mean of $36,000.
It helps to retire into a memory care facility understanding how your state taxes Social Security and retirement income. Retired seniors benefit from the fact that neither Oregon nor Washington tax a person’s Social Security benefits.
Vancouver, Washington, is a more affordable suburb
Many seniors and their families choose to live in the Portland suburb of Vancouver, which has many memory care facilities, excellent tax benefits for retirees, and a lower cost of living by comparison. In fact, Vancouver housing is 2% lower than the national average housing cost.[04]
Tax differences for seniors in Oregon and Washington include the following:[05,06]
- Retirement account withdrawals. Oregon does tax retirement account withdrawals. Washington does not tax these same retirement account withdrawals.
- Private and public pension income. Pension incomes are taxed partially in Oregon. Pension incomes are not taxed in Washington.
Below, you’ll find figures that represent average baseline costs of memory care communities in Portland. Remember that unlike our partner cost figures, these baselines do not include additional fees that real families paid. We include the figures below to offer an area overview of baseline costs, so you can compare them to the all-inclusive costs of our memory care community partner network in Portland.
Average monthly cost of Memory Care in Portland, OR vs. nearby cities
Average monthly cost of Memory Care in Portland, OR vs. the state and national average
Average monthly cost of Memory Care in Portland vs. other types of senior living
Median monthly costs of Memory Care in Portland, OR by room type
Average cost of Memory Care in Portland over time
What families are saying about memory care in Portland
Recent reviews for memory care in Portland
Brookdale Vancouver Stonebridge
Prestige Senior Living Bridgewood in Vancouver, WA
Clearwater Springs Assisted Living in Vancouver, WA
Portland review score based on 330 family reviews
This proprietary review score is based on 330 reviews of 108 Portland memory care communities. All reviews were submitted in the past two years by verified community residents and family members.Portland review score compared against nearby cities
Review subcategories for Portland memory care
When memory care residents and family members submit a review on our site, they rate each community on categories such as cleanliness, activities, meals, and more. The chart below is based on 330 reviews of 108 Portland memory care communities. This chart helps you compare Portland resident and family memory care satisfaction rates against national averages. Use it to assess your needs and develop criteria for your own search. If you know that one of these categories is important to you or your loved one, our senior living advisors can help you find communities to match your needs.How people pay for memory care in Portland
Families have several options to pay for assisted living and memory care. In some situations, families can use both private and public funds to cover the cost of memory care in Portland.
Explore options below that seniors or their families might use to pay for a memory care community. We also outline several public resources, such as Medicaid, Medicare, and VA benefits, that could be available to help cover some memory care services.
Families use multiple private pay options to cover the cost of memory care in Portland, Oregon. Such options include income like Social Security benefits, pensions, savings, and investment returns. Depending on the family’s resources, the following options may also be available:
Number of veterans who live in Portland as of 2021
About 22% of these Portland veterans are 75+.
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits
If your loved one entering memory care is a veteran or surviving spouse, additional pensions or benefits may apply toward their memory care costs in Portland. For example, many disabled senior veterans use benefits from their VA pensions to cover their ideal senior living community.
A VA pension is monthly income that a senior veteran or their surviving spouse may qualify for. Veterans enrolled in the VA health care system may also be eligible for the Aid and Attendance benefit, which is a generous pension addition. This benefit can be used toward anything that improves quality of life, such as memory care services in an assisted living community.
Navigating benefits with veterans service officers
Applying for veterans benefits can be a time-consuming and complex process. To help with this process, many local veterans service organizations (VSOs) have veteran service officers to help vets understand both what they qualify for and how to get their benefits.
Local VSOs include the following:
- Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)
- Disabled American Veterans (DAV)
- American Legion local chapters
- National Association for Black Veterans
For quick guidance, Portland has numerous veterans helplines you can call. Below are a number of resources to help connect seniors to local veterans services officers, veterans services organized by county, benefits guides, and more.
Resources for Portland veterans
Multnomah County Veterans Services
Phone: 503-988-8387
Clackamas County
Phone: 503-650-5631
Clark County
Phone: 360-693-7030
Washington County
Phone: 503-846-3060
Portland Regional Office
1505 NE 122nd Ave.
Portland, OR 97230
Phone: 503-688-5361
Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs
Phone: 503-412-4777
TriState Paralyzed Veterans of America
Phone: 503-412-4762
Find a service office
American Legion
Phone: 503-412-4706
Find a post
Disabled American Veterans (DAV)
Phone: 503-412-4750
Find your local office
National Association for Black Veterans
Phone: 503-412-4159
Oregon chapter
Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)
Phone: 503-412-4757
Find a post
Aging, Disability, and Veteran Services helpline
Phone: 503-988-3646
Transition Projects’ veterans hotline
Phone: 855-425-5544
Veterans crisis line
Phone: 800-273-8255
Oregon residents receive Medicaid through Oregon Health Plan, and seniors on the Washington side get their Medicaid benefits through Apple Health. While Medicaid doesn’t cover the cost of room and board at our partner memory care communities, certain Medicaid programs may cover medically necessary in-home health care services wherever the senior calls home.
These programs are usually referred to as home and community based services waivers. Eligibility for these waivers varies across the Oregon and Washington border, but typically requires that seniors meet these types of qualifications:
- Be 65+ years old.
- Have a disability.
- Meet low-income requirements.
Home and community based services (HCBS) waivers for seniors in Portland
Portland seniors in the Washington suburbs may be eligible for the Community Protection Waiver, so they can access home and community based home health care services. The Medicaid patient must meet criteria including but not limited to the following:
- The senior has a disability.
- The senior is enrolled in Medicaid.
- The senior is a current client of the Washington Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA).
- The senior receives income lower than 300% of the Supplemental Security Income benefit standard.
This waiver helps Washington seniors stay in their home of choice for longer, so they don’t need to move to a Medicaid-contracted nursing home. This program helps senior residents of memory care communities if they ever need more health care services than their current memory care community offers. Some of the home health care services that these waivers can provide include the following:
- Round-the-clock medical care
- Assistive devices
- Skilled nursing care
- Specialized supplies or equipment
- Specialized therapies
Oregon residents age 65+ or who have a disability may also have access to HCBS waivers. Waivers are distributed through the Oregon Department of Human Services. Reach out to the Oregon Health Plan department with their contact information below for more details.
Oregon Health Plan (OHP)
Through OHP, seniors with disabilities may be eligible for the following home health care services in their residence of choice, like their preferred memory care community:[08]
- Home health care aide services
- Physical therapy
- Occupational therapy
- Speech-language pathology
- Wheelchairs or oxygen equipment (as medically necessary)
Medicaid eligibility and enrollment can be confusing. To combat this confusion, Oregon has coordinated care organizations (CCOs) that work with OHP as an all-in-one resource for residents. They can help with questions about health care services, appointment scheduling, and general navigation through Oregon’s health care systems. To secure your Medicaid benefits or access advocacy, an OHP ombudsman is available for Oregon residents.
Medicaid benefits counseling in Portland, Oregon
Oregon also has the following public services to help guide Portland seniors through the process:
- The Community Services and Supports Unit (CSSU). This is Oregon’s Area Agency on Aging. They can help connect your loved one to the best services by location.
- The Aging and Disability Resource Connection of Oregon (ADRC). This organization offers free services and valuable resources for seniors and people with disabilities.
Apple Health for Washington seniors
Seniors on the Washington side of Portland’s suburbs get Medicaid benefits through Apple Health. If you’re in Vancouver, you may be eligible for these Apple Health services:[09]
- In-home care services
- Payment support for health care costs and Medicaid premiums
- Prescription medications
- Medically necessary lab services
- Transportation to and from medical appointments
Medicaid benefits counseling in Vancouver, Washington
Additional ways to get answers about Washington Medicaid include the following:
- Contact the Washington Health Care Authority.
- Review Helping Elders, the Area Agency on Aging website for Clark County.
- Explore the resources section below for more information and contacts.
Portland resident Medicaid resources
Oregon OHP Ombudsman Program
500 Summer St. NE, E20
Salem, OR 97301
Phone message line: 877-642-0450
Email: oha.ombudsoffice@odhsoha.oregon.gov
Aging and Disability Resource Connection (ADRC)
Phone: 503-988-3646
Email: adrc@multco.us
Clark County Area Agency on Aging for Washington residents
201 NE 73rd St., Suite 201
Vancouver, WA, 98665
Phone: 360-735-5720
Medicare is a federal health insurance program for seniors. Medicare may be used to cover some costs of medically necessary senior care services, such as in-home health care. While some Medicare plans are all-inclusive, other plans offer more specific a la carte coverage, such as doctors’ visits or medical equipment. Seniors with AIDS or HIV may be eligible for pharmaceutical help through either Oregon’s CareAssist program or Washington’s Early Intervention program.
Medicare Savings Programs may apply toward an Oregon senior’s Medicare premiums if the person has Medicare Part A and if their income falls within a certain limit. Note that Medicare programs do not cover room and board in our Portland memory care partner facilities.
Apply for Medicare Savings Programs online to see which of Oregon’s Medicare programs best fit your needs.[11] Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) services are also available to residents in both Oregon and Washington. A Medicare program with a Medicaid service option, PACE bridges some gaps in Medicare Parts A-D. You can explore details on the state websites in the resources below.
PACE coverage might include the following:
- Prescription drugs
- Primary care
- Transportation to appointments
- Medically necessary therapies
Seniors can apply for Medicare online through the Social Security Administration application website. Portland’s local Social Security Administration office can offer assistance with Medicare benefits and Medicare Savings Programs. You can also connect with your county’s long-term care ombudsman. In addition to addressing consumer concerns with Medicare benefits, an ombudsman can help seniors and their loved ones understand Medicare rights and serve as advocates for Portland area residents.
Seniors in Oregon also have access to Senior Health Insurance Benefits Assistance (SHIBA). Washington residents have similar access to Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (also called SHIBA). Both SHIBA programs offer seniors a local network of volunteers, trained and dedicated to educating and advocating for Oregonians and Washingtonians who have or who need Medicare.
Portland resident Medicare resources
Social Security Administration
Portland Social Security Office
1538 SW Yamhill St.
Portland, OR, 97205
Phone: 888-632-6990
Hours: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Understand Oregon and Washington laws and regulations for memory care facilities
In Oregon, memory care facilities serving six or more residents are licensed and regulated by the state’s Office of Safety, Oversight, and Quality. Note that Portland also offers memory care facilities known as adult family homes, serving fewer than five seniors.
Also known as care homes, adult family homes are regulated by the same governing body. You can learn more about the stringent regulations for adult care homes in Multnomah County on their website.
Oregon has an essential layer of qualifications that any residential, assisted living, or nursing facility serving six or more residents must meet before they can offer memory care. These facilities must submit to an initial on-site inspection to become endorsed memory care communities by the Department of Human Services, Aging, and People with Disabilities Program.
To be endorsed, communities must meet design standards backed by research to improve the lives of residents with dementia. Follow-up endorsement inspections and renewals take place as the facility’s business license gets renewed.
In Washington, memory care and assisted living facilities are licensed and regulated by the Aging and Long-Term Support Administration office (ALTSA), specifically its Residential Services branch. This branch regulates care for facilities serving seven or more residents.
At minimum, facilities offering memory care in both Oregon and Washington must provide services such as the following:[10,11]
- Three nutritious daily meals and snacks
- Social and recreational activity programs daily
- Laundry services
- 24-hour services to help with activities of daily living (ADLs)
- Medication administration
- Transportation for medical and/or social appointments
- Supportive medical care, such as visiting therapists and specialists
Additionally, facilities in both states must adhere to outdoor and indoor regulations, such as the following:[10,11]
- Memory care facilities must take measures to prevent pests.
- Facility grounds must be free of litter.
- Thresholds must be maintained with easy wheelchair use in mind.
- Facilities must be free of unpleasant odors indoors and must be kept clean.
Regulations specific to Oregon
Sample requirements from Oregon-endorsed memory care facilities include the following:[12]
- Artificial lighting must be minimal to allow residents to experience natural daylight cycles; necessary artificial lighting must be indirect or diffused.
- Facilities must have large and fence-secured outdoor recreation areas for residents to enjoy.
- Indoor common areas must have windows or skylights equivalent to 12% or greater of the common area’s square footage.
In addition to these memory care specific requirements, memory care and assisted living facilities must give residents a homelike dwelling with a private bathroom and a kitchenette. Portland memory care facilities must also be equipped to coordinate a range of supportive services, including a calendar of social events and help with activities of daily living (ADLs). Staff must also be available to residents on a 24-hour basis.[13]
Regulations specific to Washington
Washington requires memory care facilities to assume general responsibility for the safety and proper care of their residents. They may offer the following services:[14]
- Personal care assistance
- Medication administration
- Occasional nursing care
For more information on Washington memory care regulations, visit our informative guide.
Disability accommodations in Oregon and Washington
Facilities providing memory care in Oregon and Washington must accommodate people with disabilities, according to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). By design, reasonable accommodations and modifications are to help provide equitable opportunities for people with disabilities. Reasonable accommodations may include the following:[15]
- Installing grab bars or widening doorways
- Altering due dates to align with a resident’s income assistance schedule
- Allowing service animals even if the facility does not allow pets
In situations of disability law advocacy while a loved one is in memory care, you can contact Fair Housing Center of Washington in Clark County or the Aging and Disability Resource Connection (ADRC) in Multnomah County. Additionally, you can look up reports on Portland area assisted living and memory care facilities using the following sites:
Oregon Department of Health contact information
North Mall Office Building
725 Summer St. NE, Suite B
Salem, OR 97301
Phone: 503-986-2000
Email: hcs_housing.info@hcs.oregon.gov
Washington Department of Health contact information
Phone: 360-236-4501
Find an office near you
COVID-19 regulations for Portland memory care facilities
Facilities in Oregon are required to take COVID-19 precautions, such as posting notices at entrances and exits if a staff member or memory care resident has a suspected or reported case of COVID-19. Indoor visitation is allowed in Oregon and Washington, so long as visitors and residents follow precautionary steps, such as social distancing and masking.[16,17]
Vaccinations.
Portland seniors and staff are encouraged to get vaccinated and boosted.
Masking.
Masks may be required in most health care facilities. Some memory care facilities may have additional requirements.
Facility cleanliness.
Communities should be sanitized at regular intervals to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Social distancing.
In Washington, social distancing is recommended to reduce the spread of COVID-19. To support this effort, residents can enable WA Notify, which tracks reported exposures. By enabling WA Notify, you can get notifications if you’ve been exposed to COVID-19. This can help residents clarify whether they need to social distance to reduce the spread of infection.
What to expect from memory care in Portland
In many cases, memory care in Portland is offered through a couple different types of facilities:
- Assisted living with designated memory care sections
- Adult care homes
Assisted living with memory care in Portland
Portland is home to many memory care facilities that qualify as both an assisted living facility and a residential care facility. Should you encounter one or the other in your search for Portland memory care, the main differences between the two, while not mutually exclusive, are listed below:
- Assisted living facilities offer fully self-contained individual living units
- Residential care facilities offer homelike facilities with shared or individual living units
A major benefit to assisted or residential care facilities is that residents in memory care have ready access to explore many more spaces. Exploration and freedom to wander is particularly helpful for people with dementia. Because of this, many of our memory care partners in Portland put an emphasis on calming colors, lots of natural light, and easily navigable walking environments, both indoors and outdoors.
For added convenience and reduced hassle, larger facilities also often have on-site amenities, such as snack shops, beauty or barber shops, and postal services. These amenities bring a sense of positive, familiar errand-running for residents but without the fuss of having to leave the assisted living environment.
Prioritizing resident safety
In reviews of Portland facilities, residents’ loved ones consistently praise our memory care partners for how safe they make residents feel. Some communities are able to offer licensed nursing and oversight, while the vast majority of facilities offer 24-hour emergency availability from team members trained in dementia care.
Staff give family members proactive and consistent communication about how their loved one in memory care is faring; the attentive, respectful care that memory care staff give to seniors makes families feel secure in the knowledge that their loved one is in good hands.
Adult care homes in Portland
Adult care homes make up a substantial number of Portland’s senior living facilities with memory care. These communities are good options for seniors who prefer to live in smaller, more intimate settings that remind them of home. While they generally offer the same level of care as larger memory care communities, they tend to be cheaper.
Most care home residents share rooms with another senior. They take three meals a day in a traditional dining room and can enjoy common areas and outdoor yards similar to a private residential home. Though activity offerings aren’t as robust as those offered at larger memory care facilities, residents in these homes gain immediate access to live-in caregivers.
Unfamiliar with Portland? Highlights for seniors
Number of seniors over the age of 65 currently living in Portland[19]
Median annual income for Portland seniors 65 and older[19]
Health care for seniors in Portland
In Portland, seniors with memory care needs have access to a number of excellent health care options. Explore some of the best hospital systems in the Portland metro below.
Oregon Health & Science University (OSHU) Hospital
OHSU hospital is nationally recognized in several adult specialties and is ranked No. 1 in Portland. The hospital is high-performing in senior health procedures such as pulmonology, orthopedics, and heart conditions.
Providence St. Vincent Medical Center
Providence St. Vincent Medical Center is high-performing in many cancer procedures and in neurology. The hospital is ranked No. 2 in the Portland metro area.
Kaiser Permanente Sunnyside Medical Center
Ranked No. 3 in Portland hospitals, Kaiser Permanente earned excellent ratings in gastroenterology and procedures related to diabetes.
Transportation for seniors in Portland
In partnering Portland metro memory care facilities, our data indicates that 48% offer complimentary transportation around the city. Our data indicates that 45% of facilities also offer transportation at cost.[01] As it’s unsafe for memory care patients to travel or navigate the city alone, drivers employed by these memory care communities may be charged with keeping residents safe. Caregiver escorts are commonly sent with memory care patients when errands are necessary.
For visiting friends and family, 61% of partner memory care communities are also close to Portland’s plentiful public transit options.[01] Explore some of the best ways to navigate the city below:
- Bus transportation. Portland has 80+ bus lines servicing the metro area via the TriMet bus system. Additionally, bus trips are a great way to get to and from Portland to cities in the surrounding Pacific Northwest area. Some bus systems in the city include stops in Oregon, Idaho, and Washington.
- Light rail system. Portland’s primary transportation hub, TriMet, offers nearly 100 stops for traveling the city via the Metropolitan Area Express (MAX) light rail. The MAX has reduced fares for seniors 65+, in addition to comprehensive accessibility measures. For more information, review their accessibility features on their website.
- Streetcar. Portland built the first modern streetcar in the United States. Today, the Portland streetcar still offers transportation at affordable rates to the city’s most popular destinations.
Senior activities in Portland, Oregon
Seniors in our partnering Portland memory care communities have ample opportunity to enjoy fabulous senior-friendly activities and events, both on-site and off-site. Explore some typical on-site happenings at our partner memory care communities and some favored off-site trips, from museums and gardens to dining and social events.
On-site activities in memory care
Memory care facilities in Portland routinely offer a full schedule of fun and sociable activities for residents. Most days include events centered on games, exercise, music, or movies. Recent activities on Portland area memory care community calendars have included the following:
- Thematic art classes
- Classic film night
- Poetry and riddle readings
- Devotional activities
- Word and board games
On-location activities also include thorough wellness programs and brain training exercises. Many facilities offer gentle fitness, community libraries, and cooking classes to engage the mind. Classic movies are shown in community theaters, encouraging reminiscence and simple enjoyment. Some facilities even bring in local orchestras or bands and have weekly concerts for residents to enjoy.
Off-site activities in memory care
Additionally, many facilities have dedicated transportation to shuttle seniors to off-campus events and activities. Favorite off-site activities hosted by partnering memory care communities have recently included the following:
- Farmers markets
- Nature day trips
- Picnics in the park
- Local museum visits
- Strolling the Oregon Zoo
Museums and theaters in downtown Portland
Portland is a vibrant place with a thriving arts and culture scene, rich with downtown attractions. Nearby Pittock Mansion is a delight for history enthusiasts looking to either learn more about the area or reminisce over days past. Seniors inclined toward the dramatic arts can enjoy musical performances and classic theater performances at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall or at Roseland Theater.
Family fun for all ages
Portland has plenty to do for any age, so visiting family members will always have something to do with their loved one. For example, animal lovers are sure to enjoy the nearby Oregon Zoo. Featuring numerous exhibits animals from all over the world, the Oregon Zoo brings out the inner child in us all. Conveniently, the zoo is located in Portland’s beautiful Washington Park. This park is an attraction in itself, as it houses the Hoyt Arboretum and the Portland Japanese Garden. The park is a peaceful natural retreat for local seniors.
Additionally, the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) offers a fabulous afternoon that many seniors can enjoy. The museum regularly features accessible, curiosity-inspiring events for all ages, focusing on the wonders of the natural sciences.
Frequently Asked Questions
Canfield Place, Brookdale Oswego Springs Portland and SpringRidge at Charbonneau are the top-rated Memory Care facilities near Portland, OR. 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 Portland is $5,040 per month. This cost may vary based on location, amenities, floorplan, level of care and other factors.
References
A Place for Mom. (2023). A Place for Mom proprietary data.
Payscale. (2023). Cost of Living in Portland, Oregon.
United States Census Bureau. (2023). Population 60 years and over in the United States: Portland city, Oregon (S0102). [Data set]. American Community Survey.
Payscale. (2023). Cost of Living in Vancouver, Washington.
SmartAsset. (2023). Oregon Retirement Tax Friendliness.
SmartAsset. (2023). Washington Retirement Tax Friendliness.
United States Census Bureau. (2023). Veteran status: Portland city, Oregon (S2101). [Data set]. American Community Survey.
Oregon Health Authority. (2023). Oregon Health Plan (OHP) Benefits.
Washington State Health Care Authority. (2023). What are my basic covered services?
Department of Human Services Aging and People with Disabilities. (2022). Residential care and assisted living facilities.
Washington State Legislature. (2022). Assisted living facility licensing rules.
Department of Human Services, Aging and People with Disabilities. (2020). Endorsed Memory Care Communities.
Aging and Long-Term Support Administration. (2023). Assisted living facility services packages.
Oregon Department of Human Services. (2023). Medicare Savings Programs.
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. (2023). Reasonable Accommodations and Modifications.
Safety, Oversight and Quality Unit Aging and People with Disabilities. (2019). Compliance Framework Guide.
Oregon Department of Human Services. (2023). COVID-19 Information for Long-Term Care Facilities.
Washington State Department of Social and Health Services: Aging and Long-Term Support Administration. (2023). COVID-19 Information for Providers and Long-Term Care Professionals.
United States Census Bureau. (2023). Population 65 years and over in the United States: Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA Metro Area. [Data set]. American Community Survey.
U.S. News and World Report. (2023). Best hospitals in Oregon.
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