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 Hayward's senior population continues to grow (18.59% growth between 2014 and 2019), so does the concern about aging and the risk of cognitive impairment.
In Hayward, the number of deaths for those 65 and older caused or partly caused by Alzheimer’s disease increased by 23.32% between 2014 and 2019. To put that into perspective, the number of deaths from all causes for that same age group only increased by 11.64%, 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 (9.52% in Hayward 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 Hayward. 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 Hayward, 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:
Conveniently located near the area's top shops, restaurants and recreation, Pacifica Senior Living Union City offers award-winning care in a vibrant environment. The Our Legacies program, for residents living with Alzheimer's and related dementias, pairs interactive therapies with patient-focused memory care techniques. The highly trained team is available around-the-clock, assisting with personal care, medication management and mobility to meet each resident's unique needs. Residents can enjoy carefully curated activities including movie nights, live entertainment, arts and crafts, exercise programs and religious and spiritual services. This helps keep seniors stimulated in mind, body and soul while encouraging them to spend time and develop friendships with their fellow residents. Chef-prepared meals are served throughout the day with both private and public dining available. Amenities include a creative arts and recreation center, gym, salon and movie theater.
Reviewers compliment the staff. One says, "The team fostered my dad as he came in not really wanting to change his ways, but after a short while he was engaging with staff and other residents and having a great time socializing. As for his health, the team was attentive and helpful in his recovery and care."
Carlton Senior Living San Leandro helps seniors with memory loss live purposeful lives by providing person-centric care focusing on four areas: imagination, choice, dignity and sensory. This community offers Safely You, a cutting-edge fall prevention technology that reduces resident falls by 31%, and Dakim BrainFitness, a clinically proven cognitive training app that improves brain function. Residents can participate in Poetry Circle, an art therapy that empowers seniors to create physical representations of poems, and Live 2 B Healthy, a specialized senior fitness program led by certified trainers. Other programs include SingFit, a music therapy program leveraging nostalgic music to improve cognitive health, and Alive Inside, an intergenerational program that connects seniors with youth volunteers. The 24/7 staff provides medication management and diabetes care, and the culinary team offers anytime restaurant-style dining using fresh ingredients. Amenities include a putting green and zen garden.
Family members praise the caring staff, friendly atmosphere and clean environment. A resident's son writes, "I like the place a lot. It is clean, friendly, helpful, and just a good place. Mom's room is clean, taken care of, and watched. It's very good. The staff is wonderful, and they have been awesome. They're really good people."
Carefield Castro Valley provides personalized care for seniors. The enriching activities in the memory care neighborhood include sensory experiences, time in the garden and reminiscing. Trained staff and licensed nurses are on call 24/7 to ensure that assistance is available. The Lightfinder program offers holistic care, including nutrition, physical fitness and cognitive stimulation. Nutritious, tempting snacks and meals cater to individual dietary requirements and promote well-being and social interaction. Indoor and outdoor spaces are secure, welcoming and homelike to foster a sense of familiarity.
The staff and atmosphere at Carefield Castro Valley make a good impression. A family member says, "The community is very neat and clean, and the staff is very friendly and helpful. The community is homey and had a great atmosphere." A relative comments further, "It's a very friendly staff at Carefield Castro Valley. They are anxious to do a good job helping residents."
Oak Creek Alzheimer's & Dementia Care Community is located in a peaceful and relaxing location next to the beautiful San Lorenzo Creek, and it features attractive grounds with colorful raised flower beds, a herbal garden and an aviary. All memory care residents are provided with individualized care plans, medication management, 24-hour care and increased security measures. Additional services include housekeeping, laundry, health monitoring and a daily activity program that includes bird watching, gardening and brain games to improve memory loss symptoms. All residents at Oak Creek receive three daily meals and regular, healthysnacks.
Loved ones of those staying at Oak Creek praise the facility's compassionate staff. One says, "Oak Creek is a wonderful community of devoted caregivers. Karen, the director, is very skilled in all aspects of running a facility of this nature and is on top of everything and has helped our family out so much in a dire time of need."
Located in the heart of San Leandro, California, and just 10 minutes from Oakland International Airport, Rose Gate Memory Care is close to several hospitals, including San Leandro, Kindred and Alameda Hospitals. Trained staff members provide 24/7 customized compassionate care in a homelike setting. Residents can enjoy a wide range of activities geared toward overall well-being, including exercise classes, music therapy, gardening, karaoke, arts and crafts, social events, games and religious worship, with diverse excursions providing further enrichment. Furnished rooms include Wi-Fi, cable TV and a telephone. Amenities include indoor and outdoor communal areas and a salon, and scheduled transportation helps to promote seniors' independence. Family engagement is a priority, with education and support for loved ones.
Seniors especially value the attentive care and warm ambiance. One family member says, "Rose Gate is just like home and the staff like family. Their staff was very compassionate and caring. I was able to visit anytime. They treated my father with dignity and respect. Rose Gate is wonderful place to trust with your loved ones."
Willow Creek Alzheimer's & Dementia Care Community provides memory care residents with regularly revised, individualized care plans and medication management services. A medical team is on-site 24/7 to ensure resident safety, and increased security measures prevent wandering and falls. Life-enriching activities include bird watching, brain games, gardening and nature walks. The community also provides hydration station, two snacks and three well-balanced meals each day. Willow Creek also features on-site walking paths, pear trees and a large aviary that residents can enjoy without needing to venture further afield.
Family members of Willow Creek residents appreciate the compassionate care team and daily life-enriching activities. One says, "The staff here (Kelsey, Chandra, Rohini, Ashnath - just to name a few) are awesome! There are daily activities that keep the residents busy. Snacks twice a day and three hot meals. Guests are encouraged to join family members with meals."
Fremont Hills is a boutique-style retirement community in close proximity to downtown Fremont and a host of shopping, dining and cultural attractions, as well as major hospitals. The community creates homely memory care neighborhoods to make seniors feel as comfortable as possible, while certified dementia practitioners follow a person-centered approach to care. Residents benefit from around-the-clock staffing, complete housekeeping services and maintenance. Fremont Hills offers a number of programs that help residents connect with their past and each other, develop their creativity through art and stay fit with both traditional and innovative exercise practices. Seniors can celebrate their lives by revisiting favorite hobbies, occupations and interests. Memory care residents may also enjoy group outings such as visits to the beach, train trips and overnight camping excursions.
Family members appreciate the quality of life available at the community. One says, "We chose this community for my mom after being referred here They have restaurant-quality food. The place is always clean and kept up. There are nice courtyard areas. The activities are out of this world and getting my mom to be more active and social"
Aegis Gardens Fremont offers quality care with a focus on Asian culture and customs. The community is carefully designed using feng shui, including its secure Life's Neighborhood memory care wing. Here, residents receive around-the-clock care from expert bilingual staff, including assistance with daily living, behavioral and health care needs. Staff members are specially trained in dementia care and know how to redirect difficult behaviors associated with memory loss. Chef-prepared cuisine features authentic Mandarin and Cantonese flavors. All choices are easy to eat and crafted around nutritional needs. Memory care programs are tailored to residents' cognitive levels to stimulate the brain, and engaging group activities encourage socialization. Light and music therapy help alleviate dementia symptoms, and exercise classes promote balance and strength. A gaming and crafts room features traditional activities, such as mah-jongg, painting, cribbage and origami, for a culturally-authentic experience.
Visitors like the diverse activities. One says, "Yesterday, they had bingo and crafts. They have movies at night and happy hours on Fridays. They have music played by a harpist, a band or a violinist and have a big grand piano. Every Friday night, they have some kind of entertainment, so it is very lovely."
The Parkview is a nonprofit senior living community that offers apartments with kitchenettes, available in a variety of floor plans and situated alongside the community's lovely courtyards. Its memory care neighborhood encourages residents' independence, with care staff available 24/7 to offer assistance whenever required. Activities include exercise classes, games, pet therapy, musical performances, art and crafts classes, film screenings, and excursions. A gardening group takes care of the foliage in the community's courtyard, and residents can dine with friends in one of the dining areas. Life enrichment programs provide opportunities to engage with children, animals, and volunteers.
A resident's daughter praises the community's caring and dedicated team members, saying, "The facilities and staff at the Parkview are amazing! I am grateful for the peace that I have knowing that my mom resides in a place where the staff is trained to understand her disease. I have never engaged an employee who is not exceptionally kind. Thank you!"
Sunrise of Pleasanton provides specialized, around-the-clock support for seniors living with Alzheimer's and related dementias. Two neighborhoods, Terrace Club and Reminiscence, feature care plans and programming tailored for residents at every stage of memory loss. Terrace Club combines a structured routine with research-based programs, including memory support programs to strengthen cognitive abilities and exercise classes to build balance and strength. Through home and occupation-based activities, seniors gain a sense of meaning, and resident support groups offer space to share their experiences. In Reminiscence, seniors are paired with life enrichment managers who use validation therapy to learn about their personal needs and interests. They reside in an easy-to-navigate environment with personalized programming, including multisensory experiences, art projects, crafts, cognitive activities and visits from children and pets. Both programs are staffed by highly trained, experienced caregivers.
Loved ones appreciate the kind, dedicated team. "They love my father. It's like having an extended family," says one reviewer. "The care is absolutely amazing. I could not ask for anything better. Oh my God, I can't say enough without getting emotional. The people, the care, the food is outstanding, and everything is outstanding."
Tucked away in a quiet residential neighborhood of Pleasanton and surrounded by trees, Sunol Creek Memory Care offers a peaceful living environment minutes away from shops, restaurants, parks and medical facilities. The community's SPARK program helps seniors with dementia live meaningful lives by providing compassionate care in a friendly environment. It leverages scientific research to encourage independence and self-expression and create structured routines to support memory retention. A highly trained medical staff develops individualized care plans for each resident based on their physician report and a comprehensive preplacement appraisal. Licensed caregivers are available 24/7 to provide medication management, catheter care, and diabetes management. Residents can participate in exercise classes, family movie nights, chair yoga and community field trips, and they enjoy three nutritious meals every day made with fresh ingredients.
Family members praise the devoted staff and clean environment. A resident's daughter writes, "It's a very nice place and they do a good job. My mom is comfortable there and she feels safe The housekeeping staff is excellent. Every time we go, my mother's room is very clean. The people who work there are very nice."
Carefield Pleasanton Memory Care is a community for seniors who require around-the-clock attention and personal assistance on a daily basis. This community's Lightfinder program uses methods designed by leading memory care practitioners to structure daily activities and address challenges that residents with memory loss face. Its person-centered approach prioritizes mental stimulation to keep residents active and involved with their communities. In addition to a robust activities program and social events, residents receive assistance with their personal hygiene, medications and meals. Carefield Pleasanton Memory Care features relaxing outdoor spaces, including several gardens, walkways, terraces and courtyards.
Residents appreciate how well-maintained the campus at Carefield Pleasanton Memory Care is and say positive things about the accommodations. A relative says, "I was able to go in and set her room up, I got a private room, it was well maintained, and it has new floors and a new restroom. The building was clean."
Creekview Health Center provides extensive care for adults living with cognitive decline. The environment is designed to provide calming and comforting living spaces for seniors. A safe and secure courtyard enables seniors to exercise, relax in the sun and enjoy meals at the barbeque pit or have a game on the putting green. Specially trained staff are on-site 24/7 to cater to residents' needs and all rooms have walk-in showers, with laundry and cleaning handled weekly by housekeeping staff. Three freshly prepared meals are served daily, with snacks and rehydration services available throughout the day. For 2021-22, Creekview Health Center earned a high-performing rating for short-term rehabilitative care and long-term care from U.S. News & World Report.
Residents love Creekview Health Center. One writes, "Moving to Creekview was the best decision for me. I feel safe and comfortable and started calling it home soon after moving in. I especially like the medication management where the staff handles refills, prescription changes, doctor instructions and timely dispensing both residents and staff -- are caring and supportive."
Purposefully designed for seniors living with Alzheimer's and related dementias, Brookdale North Fremont offers personalized, around-the-clock care. The specialized environment features an intimate, easy-to-navigate layout with secured entrances and exits and an emergency response system. Consistent care assignments help foster close relationships between caregivers and residents. The specially trained team helps with bathing, dressing, managing medication and coordinating health care with outside providers. The signature Clare Bridge Daily Path program is tailored for individual interests, with activities that combine cognitive attention with social engagement, meaning and fun. Seniors can go on nature walks, try Be Fit morning workouts and chair exercise, participate in sing-alongs, share stories, play games and work puzzles, learn the latest news or enjoy off-site excursions. Residents with advanced dementia receive music and aromatherapy along with an added layer of Solace programming to engage the senses.
Loved ones appreciate the attentive staff. One says, "From the care they provide, to the open communication with our family, the staff at Brookdale go above and beyond. We know that our loved one is being respected and cared for while at Brookdale. She enjoys the daily activities as well as the meals and special treats."
Tuscany Villa Senior Living is a community providing memory care to seniors in the Hayward area. Trained, 24/7 staff assist with tasks such as dressing, eating and medication management. Staff can also provide more advanced medical services, including incontinence care and diabetic management. Leases are month-to-month to accommodate residents' changing needs, and all maintenance and housekeeping services are provided by staff. The building is equipped with an emergency alert system to ensure residents' safety. Meals are served family-style and seniors always have access to healthy, delicious snacks. Seniors can participate in fun events and activities, and transportation to off-site locations is provided.
Residents' talk highly of the food and the availability of activities and outings. One reviewer writes, "The staff treats me very nice, the food is very good and my apartment is big. I love the trips to the beach, museum, movies and out to eat."
The Reutlinger Community provides a secure and familiar memory care neighborhood where seniors can live with dignity and a sense of well-being. The community takes a holistic approach to care, creating resident-centered care plans that are overseen 24/7 by licensed nurses. Memory care residents have access to on-site therapy services if required, including sensory-based therapies designed to soothe and lift spirits. A daily excise program and a variety of life-enriching activities ensure seniors remain physically and mentally active. Activities include games, therapeutic music, arts and crafts and karaoke, all offering the opportunity for residents to socialize with their peers. In their free time, seniors have access to a library, a beauty salon and barbershop, a 24-hour cafe and the outdoor communal areas with walking paths and patio areas.
Relatives praise The Reutlinger Community for its warm atmosphere and caring staff. One writes, "My relative and I are very impressed with The Reutlinger's scope of high quality services. The care is professional and the atmosphere is warm and supportive. There is stimulation for the mind, body and spirit."
Centrally located in the San Ramon Valley, Sunrise of Danville provides personalized care for residents living with Alzheimer's and related dementias. Every resident's care is tailored to meet their needs through individualized service plans that include 24-hour assistance with bathing, dressing, clothing selection, eating, mobility, medication and socialization. Seniors are also paired with life enrichment managers who consistently care for them and learn their unique preferences. Memory care residents reside in the secure Reminiscence neighborhood, whose caregivers receive Alzheimer's Association-approved training. This environment is secure and easy-to-navigate, with living and dining areas next to resident suites to encourage interaction, plus special lighting and colors to create a more familiar feel. Personalized programs include multisensory experiences, exercise classes, visits from pets and group activities. Living areas and soft-lit reflection rooms are designed especially for memory care residents.
Visiting family members praise the staff and meals. "The staff was very helpful and very caring right from the start," says one relative. "The grounds were beautiful, very relaxing, and peaceful. I had some meals there with my husband, and the meals were top-notch They were very good food. He was very pleased."
At Brookdale Danville, personalized memory care is paired with a vibrant lifestyle. The community is purpose-built for seniors living with Alzheimer's and other cognitive challenges, so it features an easy-to-navigate layout with an emergency alert system and entryways locked 24/7. Through quality training and education, the 24-hour staff stays updated on the latest dementia care techniques, and consistent care assignments encourage a relationship-based approach that supports every resident's personal needs and preferences. With Clare Bridge, programming keeps seniors stimulated, social and active. Residents can start the morning with B-fit exercise classes, tai chi or yoga, learn new moves in a dance class, play trivia, try arts and crafts or garden in enclosed outdoor areas. To meet the needs of seniors in the advanced stages of dementia, Solace adds an extra layer of sensory programming and therapies.
Relatives like the ambiance, staff and activities. "My mother-in-law is doing amazing," says one reviewer. "It is a good-looking community, they do a good job with keeping everything nice and clean. They have an excellent staff here. There are many activities offered, she is participating in many. Overall we know she safe and getting great care."
Oakmont of Montecito offers levels of care for seniors ranging from independent and assisted living to memory care. The secured Traditions memory care neighborhood features highly trained staff that compassionately cater to the needs of those with memory impairment and Alzheimer's, taking residents' past and current abilities and preferences into account. All exit doors are alarmed, and staff can accompany community members through the pretty gardens of the secure courtyard. One-on-one and group activities let residents explore sensory experiences and special interests, and a spa-like area encourages residents to relax. Decor includes displays of vintage clothing to promote happy memories.
This community meets most visitors' requirements. A resident comments, "The studio is very spacious and very, very nice. I like it. The staff is excellent and helpful." A relative comments, "They have all of the amenities I would want them to have. All in all, it's been a good fit for my parents."
Located in a peaceful neighborhood with scenic views of the San Francisco Bay, Sunrise of Oakland Hills offers highly personalized memory care. Staff training is recognized by the Alzheimer's Association, and multiple nurses are on staff to aid complex medical situations. In the Reminiscence program, every resident is paired with a life enrichment manager who cares for them consistently and gets to know their personal preferences. Care plans, which are tailored for each individual, include around-the-clock support with bathing, dressing, eating, mobility, socializing and medication management. The Reminiscence neighborhood features carefully chosen furniture, lighting and colors within an easy-to-navigate setting. Soft-lit reflection rooms feature soothing music and relaxing elements, while activity areas let residents gather for puzzles, crafts and art projects. Each day, seniors experience a stimulating schedule of multisensory experiences, exercise classes, outings, social, devotional and recreational programs.
Loved ones appreciate the caregivers' dedication. "Respect for their residents is primary, but additionally every staff member is full of love, patience, kindness, thoughtfulness, compassion and enthusiasm," says one relative. "The affection they all show to my 101-year-old dad warms my heart and makes me feel confident that he's in the perfect place."