Dementia, and specifically Alzheimer’s, is a serious, growing problem. In fact, 1 out of every 10 adults over the age of 65 has Alzheimer’s dementia. As Castle Rock’s senior population continues to grow (42.6% growth between 2013 and 2017), so does the concern about aging and the risk of cognitive impairment.
In Castle Rock, the number of deaths for those 65 and older caused or partly caused by Alzheimer’s disease rose 91.5% between 2013 and 2017. To put that in perspective, the number of deaths from all causes for that same age group only increased by 44.5%, showing that Alzheimer’s is a growing concern in the region. Overall, the percentage of seniors’ deaths related to Alzheimer’s is higher than the rest of the nation (10.01% in Castle Rock vs. 6.46% in the U.S.).
To help families and caregivers of those with Alzheimer’s or other forms of cognitive impairment find the support and care their loved ones need, we applied our unique methodology and spent dozens of hours researching senior living communities in Castle Rock. In addition to an overview of the communities’ best features, this guide highlights the best memory care facilities in the city, and gives information about pricing, types of care provided, residents’ reviews, and more.
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, 83% of all caregivers are unpaid family members, relatives, or other friends, and nearly half of all care is for older adults with some form of dementia. Caregiving, especially when it involves Alzheimer’s or dementia, is extremely exhausting and time-consuming, leading many caregivers to feel isolated and overwhelmed.
As a loved one continues to progress through the stages of dementia and his or her cognitive abilities continue to decline, behavioral problems, safety, and general care often become more than one caregiver can handle. This is when it’s important to find extra help, and residential facilities that have specialized memory care programs are often the best solution.
In addition to providing a safe environment, memory care programs seek to delay or halt cognitive decline while providing the opportunity for a social, independent lifestyle.
To choose the best memory care facilities in Castle Rock, our team of researchers started by using our unique methodology to develop a list of contenders. We further refined the list in the next phase of our process by completing hands-on research for each one of the companies that we developed. Finally, we compiled online reviews from residents and families and wrote summaries of each facility that made it through our selection process.
Overall, our team:
Assured Assisted Living is a small, homelike memory care facility in Castle Rock, Colorado. It's conveniently located in the coveted Red Hawk golf course community and surrounded by scenic Colorado views. This secured facility was specifically designed to provide memory care services and is wheelchair accessible. With a high staff-to-resident ratio, the facility is able to provide help with housekeeping, laundry services and medication assistance as well as necessary tasks such as eating, bathing, dressing and grooming. Staff are on hand 24 hours a day, and a variety of planned activities are scheduled, including a daily exercise program, karaoke sing-alongs and classic movie screenings to keep residents socially active and mentally engaged.
Residents and their family members are pleased with the clean, up-to-date look of this memory care facility. Because this is a smaller facility, residents feel they get more beneficial personal interactions with staff and other residents. Daily activities are described as "nonstop" and involve many motor and memory skills. One resident's family member says, "Getting a feel for how things are run from the top down gave me [the] sense that my father would be in good hands."
Belleview Heights Alzheimer's Special Care Center is a memory care facility located in Aurora, Colorado, close to the Town Center at Aurora shopping mall and the Medical Center of Aurora. The community's unique approach to memory care, the Meaningful Moments program, emphasizes routine and personal preferences to boost resident comfort. It also incorporates innovative technology, such as SMILE software and Eversound wireless headphones, to track and improve emotional and physical wellness. Memory care residents live in spacious studio apartments. They can also spend time in the facility's communal areas, such as living rooms with TVs and fireplaces and secured outdoor courtyards. Belleview Heights has a robust activity calendar as well, which includes religious services, a walking club, brain games and dancercise classes.
Online reviewers often praise Belleview Heights for its dedication to patient-centered care. One reviewer is pleased that "the activity staff keeps Mom curious and active with fun outings and activities." Another reviewer mentions the layout of the facility, describing it as "beautiful and well maintained" and "designed with the needs of the residents in mind."
Located near the heart of Monument, Colorado, Bethesda Gardens treats its community members to scenic mountain views in a tranquil, residential setting. Conveniences available on location include a fitness center, theater room and chapel. Residents can also receive salon services and visits from specialty health care providers at the facility or schedule transportation to their own local appointments. Walking trails and a courtyard with seating allow residents to enjoy the outdoors in a safe environment. The fully enclosed sunroom and large, stone-hearth fireplace in the spacious living room provide additional comfort to the indoor common areas. A varied schedule of events and activities offers residents opportunities to indulge their interests and enjoy the company of others. The chef-inspired menu features rotating specials along with regularly available favorites. Private, catered dining experiences can also be reserved for special occasions with loved ones.
A review from this resident's loved one lists several appreciative points"The staff is very good with her and helpful. It's clean and nice. They take little bus trips, have game nights and arts, have an exercise room, and somebody comes and does individual leg balance work three times a week, and they have a little library."
Nestled among the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in the premier Meadows neighborhood, Bonaventure of Castle Rock is an upscale retirement community with dedicated staff and amazing amenities. The facility has a wide range of high-end features, including a beauty salon, billiards room, library, movie theater and hobby studio. There's also a hospitality suite with a bar, shuffleboard and poker table as well as a cafe that serves pastries, refreshments and frozen yogurt. Each independent living space has laundry hookups, a microwave, dishwasher and patio or balcony. The monthly calendar at Bonaventure of Castle Rock is packed with fun and enriching activities. There are crafting sessions, concerts, luncheons, happy hours and even excursions to local attractions around town. All of the amenities and services are structured around the community's Retirement Perfected philosophy.
A close acquaintance to one of the residents says, "Visited a friend that lives in this facility. Beautiful place. Kind of like a fancy hotel or something. The staff seem nice, and my friend says they do good work for her. We had lunch and the food was pretty good, too."
Brookdale Senior Living provides luxury assisted living accommodations for seniors in Greenwood Village, Colorado, and boasts a convenient location near Highway 87. This facility offers private apartments with bathrooms and allows pets, so residents can bring their furry companions. Staying active is easy with the fitness center and landscaped grounds which are perfect for an early morning or evening stroll. An on-site beauty and barber shop, business center and postal services enable residents to take care of most errands without leaving the facility, but Brookdale also has organized community excursions and transportation services if residents need or want to go into town.
Visitors praise Brookdale Greenwood Village for its beautiful facility and easy access to major highways. A family member of a resident notes that the staff "seem to be very interested in her improvement and well being and I'm very encouraged with what they're doing."
Chelsea Place Memory Care in Aurora, Colorado, focuses on personalized service for its residents and offers them a homelike experience in a safe and secure environment. Daily activities are tailored to each person's interests and abilities, which means that residents can enjoy their community at a pace that suits them best. Regular workshops and events help friends and family members stay engaged with their loved one's experiences. On-site amenities create convenient opportunities for residents to enjoy salon services, receive visits from health care providers and take part in intergenerational enrichment programs. The common areas feature plentiful and comfortable seating choices and are designed to help seniors safely navigate the facility's living spaces. Outdoors, a well-manicured landscape and paved walking paths allow residents to stay active in a secure, monitored environment. Dining choices at Chelsea Place offer nutritionally comprehensive meals and snacks that can be specially prepared to meet each resident's dietary needs.
The administrative team receives consistent praise for their responsiveness, as described by this reviewer"I can't say enough about how well Chelsea Place is managed, how well organized the management and staff are and how superb the communication is between families, management and care staff."
Harvard Square is located in Southwest Denver, close to local attractions and outdoor adventure. Residents can take visitors to the Babi Yar Park, the Utah Park Rec Center or the historic Clocktower Building. Back at the facility, shared areas feature a country-inn ambiance and include a lounge with a fireplace, billiards room, library and computer center so residents can stay active and socialize. The community creates a homelike atmosphere to keep memory care residents happy and comfortable. This includes music, fresh flowers and natural light, and pets are welcome. Staff members lead residents in art, music and movement activities designed to keep them connected and engaged. Traditional fitness classes, tai chi and armchair fitness are some of the ways residents maintain physical wellness and have fun at Harvard Square.
Visitors praise the pleasant staff saying, "The whole process was wonderful! We are very pleased. The people who work there are super friendly, very attentive and helpful." Family members speak highly of the facility, commenting that "the environment is clean and smells pleasant a very enriching environment for loved ones."
Providing high-quality memory care to seniors and compassionate support to their families, Littleton's Highline Place is an Anthem community. Person-centered programs keep seniors with cognitive impairment connected to the facilitys staff, their families and the local community, and the individualized care plans are reviewed every 90 days to ensure they accommodate changing abilities. The professional caregivers create a vibrant, purpose-filled environment that engages residents senses through activities such as the multigenerational Better Together program that involves local youth and community partnerships that enable regular pet-therapy visits. Highline Place employs the user-friendly Never 2 Late (iN2L) interactive technology program to provide mental stimulation, recreation and education for residents while also letting them communicate with loved ones. To ensure the safety of those unable to use a traditional call system, the memory care facility is equipped with a state-of-the-art Vigil real-time alert and silent-alarm reporting system.
The clean facilities, meaningful activities and competent, communicative caregivers put family members at ease. One daughter writes, Highline Place is an amazing community with an outstanding administrative, nursing, caregiving and culinary staff. The love and respect they showed my father-in-law gave us great comfort.
One of several Spectrum Retirement Communities in the Denver region, HighPointe Assisted Living & Memory Care offers the well-appointed environment and first-class amenities of a five-star hotel. Assisted living residents enjoy spacious, pet-friendly apartments in studio and one- or two-bedroom floor plans. A state-of-the-art wellness center, library, beauty salon, bistro and patio with an outdoor fireplace provide residents with on-site conveniences and a luxurious lifestyle. The At Your Service concierge assistance and dining program make it easy for residents to enjoy personalized attention and customized meals throughout the day. For seniors living with Alzheimer's disease or dementia, HighPointe offers a Montessori-based program of care. The senior living community also provides the Resident's Club for individuals in the early stages of dementia who don't yet require a secure memory care neighborhood.
An exceptional dining program that includes a Sunday brunch with families and the best food I've ever tasted in a facility like this is a frequently highlighted amenity. Caregivers also receive praise. The staff at HighPointe is the best that I have seen. This is the third place that my husband has been in. They're all very kind and gentle, one woman shares.
This modern senior living community opened in 2018 and provides Douglas County elders with premium care in a mountain-chic setting. Surrounded by panoramic Rocky Mountain views, Legacy Village of Castle Pines offers independent and assisted living in studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments and memory care in private or semiprivate studios. The Cottage Alzheimers community features a separate family-style kitchen, dining room and craft and activity areas. A secure outdoor area with garden boxes and walking paths lets seniors safely enjoy the high-elevation sunshine. Residents participate in a specially designed program of physical, social, intellectual and spiritual activities tailored to their specific needs. A distinguishing feature of this Legacy Retirement Community is the Personal Touch Culture, a heart-to-heart connection that caregivers forge with residents reinforced by nurturing physical contact, sincere listening and attention to details. This enables the staff to create highly personalized care plans that respect each resident's uniqueness.
Relatives are grateful that loved ones living here are happy, safe and actively engaged. One daughter shares, Legacy Village has been a godsend for our family. To know that Mom and Dad are being watched closely and taken care of in such a loving manner is priceless!
Morningstar at Jordan is located in the southern Denver suburb of Centennial and focuses on a concept called Lavender Sky, which consists of entering, embracing and exploring the world of residents who have been diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer's disease. The program seeks to help residents move forward with life and encourages them to explore innovative solutions to overcome the daily challenges of dementia. To that end, the community facilitates communication with residents and family members at all times of the day and takes a holistic approach to care. The property features an executive chef who prepares three meals a day, and other amenities include a theater, fireside patio and a tropical aquarium.
Residents and loved ones say that the staff members are friendly and offer special praise for the condition of the property, describing the facility as "clean, and the staff, while professional, were incredibly personable." Loved ones praise the facility for the care it shows to residents, stating, "My grandmother was taken to every meal, she was brought to the daily activity session and was never just left in her room to fade away."
New Dawn Memory Care of Aurora provides memory care, hospice and respite services in a quiet neighborhood in Aurora, Colorado, located just off Interstate 225. To support the emotional and physical well-being of the residents, the community offers healthy-living social programs, which include strength and balance classes, brain-stimulating discussion clubs and spirit-enriching live entertainment. Residents receive individualized assistance via the Transitions program, an ever-evolving care plan designed for those coping with memory loss. Each person lives in a spacious, private studio apartment. The surrounding amenities, which include common areas and well-maintained grounds, are built to enhance safety and peace of mind. Residents also receive three healthy meals a day in a restaurant-style dining room.
Relatives of the residents praise the compassionate staff members, with one reviewer saying, "All of the staff have been professional and helpful." The facility also receives compliments for its problem-solving skills. One reviewer, when discussing a resident's hygiene struggles, noted, "[We] found that New Dawn was willing and able to help us find ways to care for her hygiene; such as bringing a dental hygienist to New Dawn once a week to clean my sister's teeth."
Residents of Parker Senior Living by Morningstar enjoy a central location in Parker, Colorado, just minutes from downtown along the city�s Mainstreet route. Resort-style accommodations elevate the comforts of home with luxurious amenities that include an indoor heated pool and jetted spa. Outdoor features boast a secure courtyard, wraparound porch, walking paths and fire pits. Sun rooms let residents enjoy the sunshine during Colorado�s colder months, and a fireplace in the large, shared living room offers extra comfort. The library has computers for public use, and residents can schedule services with the on-site salon or exercise in the fitness center. Community engagement is encouraged through scheduled events and activities, devotional services in the facility�s chapel and movie showings in the theater room. The facility provides restaurant-style dining three times a day, with both indoor and outdoor seating available. Residents can also visit the facilitys bistro for lighter fare or reserve private dining accommodations for special occasions with friends and family.
A resident's loved one notes, "Staff are great and really care about the residents. Community is beautiful and well equipped. They offer a lot to their residents and always go above and beyond."
Peakview Assisted Living & Memory Care is located in a picturesque residential neighborhood with majestic views of the Rocky Mountains, which residents can enjoy from a large covered patio in the peaceful backyard. Denver International Airport is 30 minutes away, making it easy for out-of-state family to visit. The two-story building features a spacious, inviting entryway and beautifully furnished common areas, including a cozy lounge with a fireplace, well-stocked library, bistro and movie theater. The amenity-rich assisted living community offers a fitness center and a robust schedule of on-site activities and local excursions. Spectrum Retirement Communities provide Montessori-based memory care for seniors with Alzheimers disease and other forms of dementia. Personalized daily programs are grounded in each residents preferences, interests and current abilities for maximum fulfillment.
This well-maintained, modern community with friendly staff and engaging activities gets rave reviews. One daughter shares, It was an extremely difficult seven months for my mom with the numerous emotions she went through giving up her home and independence. It was less than 24 hours after mom moved into Peakview that she smiled and said to me, �I love it here already; it feels like home.
Pine Trails at Castle Rock is a small, personable assisted living and memory care community known for its devoted caregivers, open interiors and lovely outdoor courtyard areas. This Senior Lifestyle facility provides 48 private and shared apartments, and new residents are introduced to the assisted living facilitys Intel-GE Care Innovations QuietCare technology at move-in. This system monitors, tracks and reports each persons living patterns to staff and families to ensure they're receiving the highest level of care required. Senior Lifestyles memory care program is called Embrace, and it balances structure with freedom of movement in a care plan tailored to each residents life experiences and unique personality. Seniors participate in small-group activities within the secure neighborhood, including Essence, the award-winning sensory stimulation program based on aromatherapy principles. Created specifically for those experiencing memory loss, Essence improves muscle and joint movement while often lessening anxiety and alleviating depression.
Families appreciate the engaging activities, great food and compassionate staff. My mother seems happy, and she feels safe. Pine Trails at Castle Rock has a couple of courtyards and lots of activities going on Everybody is very attentive and very sweet, one daughter shares.
Renew Saddle Rock is located in Castle Rock, Colorado, and there are several parks nearby, including Red-Tailed Hawk Park, where residents can take visitors on day trips. The entire community is on one level and has two enclosed courtyards, where residents can walk safely and socialize without barriers. The facility offers unique services and amenities based on an experiential model. Activities include custom jewelry design, woodworking and private concerts complete with wine and cheese tastings. The community's menu is inspired by James Beard award-winning eateries, and the food choices promote healthy minds and bodies, giving residents a nutritious and rewarding dining experience. Small pets are allowed, so residents can bring their furry friends with them as a reminder of home. Caring staff members develop individualized wellness plans that let each senior live up to their full potential.
Relatives give the community high marks for cleanliness. "This is a nice community for care. We like the cleanliness of the community," said one visitor, who also liked the food choices.
Located conveniently near the Red Rocks Amphitheater and the quaint town of Morrison, Sunrise at Pinehurst is a resident-centered assisted living community that's focused on helping seniors live with purpose. It offers monthly wellness visits from local medical professionals, scheduled group trips and social and educational programs for families. As part of daily living, the highly trained staff conduct a wide range of spiritual, creative and social activities designed to promote general well being. Various signature programs have been tailored to the unique needs and preferences of each individual, including the Reminiscence memory care program, which provides a safe, secure environment that's easy to navigate for those experiencing various levels of Alzheimer's disease. The community is designed with thoughtful decor that exudes warmth and family. In addition, Sunrise at Pinehurst works with local organizations to raise awareness of memory-loss conditions.
The son of one of the residents said, "I have to share, this place exceeded our expectations. Everyone, from the caregivers, management, directors and nursing staff, [is] incredible. This is a professionally run place; it shows!"
The Gardens of Columbine opened with the goal of providing high-quality assisted living services for seniors in the Littleton area. Seniors throughout the country come to this beautiful, friendly community to take advantage of the enriching lifestyle and compassionate services. The Gardens at Columbine features individualized care plans designed around each person's unique needs that include on-site therapies and activities, such as yoga classes, to promote health and happiness. The exterior includes a beautiful 3-acre garden with benches, a gazebo and walkways. There's also raised flower beds available for residents to use for gardening and a sun deck on the second floor of the facility for lounging. This is a locally owned and operated community, where many of the staff have been caring for residents since the start.
A family member of two of the residents said, "My parents are in The Gardens at Columbine They have a winter festival, and they have a summer carnival, so they have a lot of things for people who have grandkids. The kids can come and play and have a good time."
Vi at Highlands Ranch, near UCHealth Highlands Ranch Hospital, is a continuing care retirement community at a scenic location with vast Rocky Mountain views. The 25-acre resort-style campus has several biking and walking trails, a bocce grass court and an off-leash dog park. The fitness center has an indoor heated pool, on-site personal trainers and instructor-led classes, and it also offers speech, physical and occupational therapy services. Other luxurious amenities include bistro-style and fine-dining restaurants, the Alpine Mist Salon and hotel-like rooms for guests. Memory care residents live in the facilitys Memory Support unit, where they receive individualized care from licensed staff. The unit features an interactive memory garden, Life Story boxes in the private suites and MyStory structured activities to support the cognitive well-being of memory care residents.
People are impressed by the luxurious amenities of Vi at Highlands Ranch, as one reviewer notes, I would call them the Ritz-Carlton version of senior care. They had everything, like a small golf course, parks, indoor and outdoor pools, room service, restaurant service and so on. The place was very well done with lots of activities. It's not cheap, but it's great.