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 Lee’s Summit’s senior population continues to grow (16.08% growth between 2013 and 2018), so does the concern about aging and the risk of cognitive impairment.
In Lee’s Summit, the number of deaths for those 65 and older caused or partly caused by Alzheimer’s disease decreased by 40% between 2013 and 2018. Overall, the percentage of seniors’ deaths related to Alzheimer’s is lower than the rest of the nation (3.5% in Lee’s Summit 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 Lee’s Summit. 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 Lee’s Summit, 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:
With a person-centered approach to care, Addington Place of Lee's Summit creates a safe, secure environment for residents who need memory care and assisted living services. The staff is on hand at all times to assist with activities of daily living, including getting dressed in the morning or help with eating. Each resident receives a customized program for memory care needs, and staff trains with a certified dementia practitioner to ensure they understand dementia care well. Apartments at this community are arranged into neighborhoods that cater to the different stages of memory care needs. Common dining areas, clear sightlines and secure outdoor spaces assist residents with navigating their neighborhood with freedom while keeping them safe. A full-service beauty salon and on-site therapy and exercise attend to the needs of residents as well, and this community is pet friendly.
Residents and family members often cite the smaller size as a benefit of Addington Place of Lee's Summit. One resident's spouse said, "Addington Place of Lee's Summit was nice, clean, and beautiful. It's on a smaller scale and it's all one level. I could walk to my husband's doctors and the hospital from where the facility is."
Located in a quiet neighborhood less than 30 minutes from downtown Kansas City, Addington Place of Prairie Village offers a supportive environment where seniors are encouraged to maintain as independent lifestyles as possible. Caregivers receive extensive training in memory care services and provide 24/7 assistance with activities of daily living, such as mobility support, grooming and medication management. All residents receive weekly visits by our partnering physician and nurse practitioner, who also assist in the development of individualized care plans. Physical, speech and occupational therapy services are available in the on-site therapy gym. Staff members encourage residents to participate in daily life enrichment programs, such as fitness classes, social functions and frequent outings, that best meet their abilities and interests.
Residents enjoy the variety of daily activities offered. One family member commented, "My mother moved into Addington Place of Prairie Village. I'm very happy with the care she's getting. They have a lot of activities every day, like art projects, cooking projects, and they have a monthly outing where they go out to lunch.
Anthology of the Plaza is an assisted living community that provides residents with enhanced amenities, including a full-service spa and salon, an in-house theater, a golf simulator room and a variety of dining venues. Providing restaurant-quality cuisine, the community offers residents and guests dining choices from casual bistros serving gastronomic delights to more formal restaurants that serve gourmet fare. The 24-hour support from the community's staff seeks to engage body, mind and spirit, empowering residents to explore hobbies and interests, make new friends and connect with family. Its memory care neighborhoods help residents and their families engage in a safe and nurturing environment, with displays that feature personal mementos and photos that strengthen their sense of continuity and familiarity. Caregivers learn about residents' careers, hobbies, values and family histories, creating genuine connections and friendships.
One resident's family member says this about the newly-opened community, "A review of the monthly activities calendar was enough to assure me that my brother would be fully-occupied. Above all its the staff at Anthology that makes this place so special. Not only are they energetic and superbly credentialed but also they are warm, caring people."
The Beacon Neighborhood at Benton House of Blue Springs is specifically designed for memory care. It centers around a secure courtyard that residents can access for gardening or daily walks. The daily routine is kept the same to help keep residents comfortable, but the staff is always looking for ways to enrich the daily life experience with fun activities. Themed activities throughout the week keep life interesting. Friendly staff members trained in memory care are available at all times for assistance with activities of daily living, such as medication management and dressing help. A beauty salon and barbershop on-site help with personal care needs. Residents choose from studio and one-bedroom apartments, all equipped with kitchenettes. Tasty meals from a changing menu are served in a community dining room as well.
The spacious rooms stand out in this community. One visitor said, "The people and the apartment sizes were really nice. You can get a queen-size or king-size bed in there if you want to. The kitchenette was convenient and had a lot of safety features on the stove, and you can bring your own microwave."
Benton House of Raymore is an assisted living community that offers day services and supported housing for those with dementia-related conditions. Its Beacon Neighborhood provides a dedicated space for residents with memory loss conditions. While offering reassurance through scheduled activities such as meal times, the community seeks to vary events and activities to create an environment that is familiar yet original. Residents have access to safe outdoor courtyards, where they can relax in a rocking chair, garden or take a casual stroll. Day services are available for both full or half days to offer family caregivers a break, with staff encouraging residents to share past experiences as well as try new things.
Family members and other visitors compliment the food and activities, with one granddaughter saying this about her grandmother's experience, "Everyone is amazing, friendly and always there to help with anything! They always make sure she's involved!" Another family member mentions, "Wonderful adult day services for memory care. My mother goes here and is doing great."
Bickford at Mission Springs is located just off US-56 and less than 20 minutes from downtown Kansas City. It provides residents with a secure environment and spacious accommodations that include numerous common areas, such as a library, a beauty salon, a party space, sitting areas and an elegant dining room. All caregivers are trained in memory care support and can safely assist residents with activities of daily living, including grooming and hygiene as well as medication management and scheduled transportation. The communitys RNs develop and oversee individualized care plans for each resident. Staff members use small group settings and one-on-one companion care, as necessary when working with memory care residents. Home-style meals made from scratch are served restaurant-style in the dining area. Daily life enrichment activities are based on residents interests and abilities.
Residents are happy to be treated with dignity and respect. One family member noted, "I did not want my father being treated like a burden Because of his Alzheimer's he can go from happy, to upset, to extremely mad, depending on the moment. The nurses and aides at Bickford are experienced and understand this disease.
Brighton Gardens of Prairie Village offers seniors a homey environment conveniently located adjacent to The Village Shops with a market, pharmacy, small boutiques and a number of dining options. Trained caregivers are available 24/7 to provide assistance as needed and a licensed on-staff nurse carries out regular health checks. A variety of activity programs are designed for residents to pursue new hobbies, improve quality of life and ensure residents remain physically, mentally, socially, and spiritually active. Daily activities include fitness classes, music therapy, gardening and cognitive activities, such as brain boost games and puzzles. The community also arranges group trips into the local area and resident-sponsored clubs that cover a range of different interests. Home-cooked meals are served restaurant-style and chefs regularly speak with residents to learn what items they would like to see on the menu.
Reviewers recommend Brighton Gardens of Prairie Village for its homey environment and friendly staff. One writes, "I am continually impressed with the kindness and patience of the entire staff!! The atmosphere is elegant, warm and inviting, creating a wonderful feeling of home and family! It is a wonderful home away from home!
Designed specifically for memory care, Brookdale Leawood State Line helps residents with cognitive challenges, including dementia and Alzheimers, to enjoy a comfortable, secure lifestyle. There is a selection of private or semi-private apartments available. The compassionate care team provides each resident with a personalized care plan that supports them with their personal needs and helps them live a rich and fulfilling life. The communitys signature Clare Bridge program promotes cognitive retention and holistic wellness. A schedule of activities are offered daily; these include walking club, morning fitness classes, live music performances, pet therapy. On-site facilities include a beauty salon and barbershop, enclosed courtyards and gardens.
Residents are impressed with the community and staff. One states, "The associates not only provide assistance to residents with their activities of daily living but also encourage residents to stay healthy and social through a number of fun, enriching activities that give residents a marvelous opportunity to make friends and have a positive outlook on life.
Carnegie Village is focused on ensuring residents retain their dignity and sense of purpose even in their twilight years. The community provides a nurturing environment through its Courtyard program that involves physical activity, nutrition, social interaction, outdoor therapy and cognitive activities to help support memory care and maintain skills. Each room comes with a kitchen or a kitchenette, and meals can be taken in the shared dining room or in the resident's room. In addition to a TV room, a coffee shop, a general store and a computer room to provide activities for the seniors, the facility also offers lectures, games, stories, gardening and arts and crafts. Carnegie Village also provides for residents' spiritual needs by offering on-site religious services. It also offers off-site activities that further connect seniors and their community.
Residents are happy that they can enjoy their interests, with one resident saying, "Being an avid gardener, I was excited when I found there was a gardening group. I thought that when we left our home that would be the end of growing tomatoes. Not so."
With staff on hand 24 hours a day, residents at Cedarhurst Senior Living have the attention they need to enjoy an independent lifestyle. The community has several memory care neighborhoods that provide a peaceful, secure setting. Each resident has an emergency pendant, so they can summon help if they need it. Staff assists with activities of daily living, such as medication management or daily bathing needs. Cedarhurst Senior Living provides treatment for memory care residents along with custom-tailored programming that supports the emotional and social well being. Every week, residents are seen by a physician and nurse practitioner to ensure they remain healthy. A Certified Dementia Practitioner works with staff to ensure that they are fully aware of how to assist their patients. Resident transportation and an on-site fitness center are also benefits of this community.
The spacious rooms and helpful staff are what visitors often comment on. One said, "We are satisfied with Cedarhurst of Blue Springs. The place is very clean and well kept. We're happy with it. They're assisting my friend with bathing, meds, and light housekeeping."
Cross Creek at Lee's Summit is a senior community dedicated to providing specialized memory care that focuses on residents' health needs while helping them maintain independence. Providing physical activity opportunities for those at all ability levels, its memory care programs revolve around the benefits of physical and mental activities, where staff help residents learn and engage with other residents. With a diverse and constantly changing menu, residents receive nutritious and customized diets. While encouraged to dine and socialize with other residents in the various neighborhoods' dining rooms, all residents have the option of eating privately in their personal suites. Staff work to encourage a caring community that goes beyond providing physical support, seeking to stimulate residents' minds with creative ways to reminisce, story-telling, activities, clubs, games and other daily activities.
Family members find their quality time with their loved ones is now more fulfilling, with one saying, "My Mom loves to sit by the fire after breakfast. I feel good she seems so happy and the heavy burden I had of caring for all her needs has lessened and she really seems better mentally and physically."
Foxwood Springs provides an inviting atmosphere for residents with memory health matters. Using the Clare Bridge Place program, residents of the community are provided with the activities and structured environment needed to help support their memory care. All rooms are equipped with emergency call systems and Wi-Fi, as well as cable. Entertainment and engagement options for residents include music, games, stories and lectures. Residents can also socialize as part of gardening, cooking, arts and crafts and book clubs. For seniors wanting to expand their computer knowledge, the facility offers computer classes. Residents' physical health is cared for through tai chi and yoga classes, as well as Wii Sports, a workout room and an indoor pool. The Clare Bridge Dining Program, designed by a nutritionist and gerontologist, specializes in ensuring residents have as normal of a dining experience as possible.
Residents love the attentive staff and meal options. One family member said, "Staff at Foxwood have been absolutely incredible! I'm so grateful for the support they have provided and the unbelievable nurses that care very much for the residents they are worth millions wonderful people! Thank God for places like this!!"
Each resident at John Knox Village is given a personalized care plan to attend to their unique needs. The community is divided into two neighborhoods, helping residents feel secure with familiar faces nearby. This neighborhood design also encourages independence while protecting the security of residents, especially those struggling with memory care needs. In the memory care setting, nursing care is provided at all times by staff trained in memory care services. Residents receive help with activities of daily living, including medication supervision and bathing. Each day, three meals are served in a community dining room along with a daily snack. The entrances are fully secure, and residents have access to secure outdoor courtyards. Both private and semi-private rooms are available to memory care residents, while assisted living residents have the option for a one-bedroom apartment with a kitchenette.
The neighborhood feel of John Knox Village stands out to many visitors. One said, "John Knox Village is awesome. They have five restaurants, a fitness center, a pool, a library, a grocery store, their own hospital community, a bowling alley, and a beauty salon, and a bank is connected to it as well."
Leawood Gardens Senior Living is an assisted living community that seeks to provide an engaging and comfortable environment, offering opportunities for residents to enjoy an adventurous and luxurious lifestyle. With top-notch amenities and services, it personalizes care for residents living with Alzheimers disease and dementia-related conditions. Partnering with residents and family, its care staff receive extensive and on-going training to support those experiencing memory loss. Memory care programs include life-story displays, creating personalized jukeboxes, preparing individualized recipes with residents, focusing on individuals' creativity, intergenerational programming and connecting with the local community. Its experienced culinary team offers residents an enhanced culinary experience, integrating fresh ingredients into residents favorite home-style meals to create flavorful and diverse menus that complement the dining experience. Residents are challenged on a daily basis to engage socially with others, keep intellectually involved and connect with family.
Visiting family members compliment the therapy, housekeeping and nutrition hard-working and compassionate staff provide. One family member says, "Since my mother has been at Leawood Gardens, we have both received loving kindness from all of the glorious individuals who are employed at this amazing senior community! My mother is now thriving! She adores all of the staff."
Sunrise of Leawood offers seniors various living options such as assisted living, memory care and short-term stays for respite or rehabilitation. Dedicated, qualified team members, who are available 24 hours a day, provide residents with individualized attention, supporting them in enjoying the best quality of life possible. There are daily organized fitness, creative, social, learning and spiritual activities, as well as scheduled group trips. Dining is restaurant-style with plenty of menu choices. The well-balanced meals are created from fresh and local ingredients. The community is designed for comfort, convenience and safety with a gated garden, walking paths, and a bistro with a jukebox. Its location allows for easy access to the towns many facilities, including the central plaza, the library and theaters.
Residents and their families were impressed by the communitys services. One relative says, "My mother is a resident of Sunrise of Leawood, which is a beautiful community. Its very nice. The staff seems very positive, and they have a lot of activities, field trips, sing-alongs, and group activities. The food seems to be good.
The Oxford Grand Assisted Living and Memory Care offers a close-knit and caring community for people needing an extra bit of help late in life. The community provides nursing staff 24/7 that help residents with managing their medication and the activities of daily living. LinkedSenior, a therapeutic program, provides music therapy, cognitive games and reminiscence therapy. Meals are provided in a restaurant-style setting, with soups, salads and desserts being offered as well. Light meals, snacks, beverages are available from the coffee bar. Apartments all come with a full kitchen, and housekeeping and laundry are available. Located in the pub, the pool is available for the residents to play. Games, music, Wii Sports, arts and crafts and off-site activities are also available for entertainment. Additionally, it runs writer's workshops, cooking demos, fishing clinics and barbecues.
Residents enjoy the caring staff and numerous activities available. One resident noted, "Oxford Grand felt like home the second I walked in. The residents and staff are my family. I am truly blessed to be able to be part of this community and blessed to have the opportunity to become their family. You can tell everyone loves what they do!"
The Parkway Senior Living is a community for seniors that provides a continuum of care for residents, providing increased levels of care as needs change. The community includes a dedicated fitness center with senior-friendly exercise equipment, a wide assortment of books in its library and an on-site theater with a big screen, along with free popcorn and plenty of seating. Training with top educators in the field of memory care, its staff provides residents with Alzheimer's disease and other dementia-related conditions with a balance between privacy and security in a dedicated cottage. Staff encourages residents to engage in daily activities throughout the community, with a specialized dining program ensuring tasty cuisine and proper nutrition. Open from 7 am to 7 pm, its full-service restaurant provides residents with cooked-to-order meals, as well as offering private catering and dining for special events.
Those visiting residents compliment the immaculately-kept community, and the food, with one family member saying, "This is an amazing place. My husband's grandfather moved there. He was getting medications on time and eating three good meals. It was hard for him to give up his home but within days he loved his new home."
The Village at Carroll Park is conveniently located less than 30 minutes from downtown Kansas City. It provides residents with a safe and secure environment that offers a homelike atmosphere where seniors can remain active and social. The community helps seniors struggling with memory loss remain as independent as possible by providing assistance with activities of daily living, such as grooming, hygiene, medication reminders and housekeeping, as needed. Caregivers are available 24/7 and all residents receive monthly physician and psychiatrist assessments. Occupational, speech and physical therapy services are also available in the on-site therapy room. Daily activities, such as games and crafts, are designed to promote social, physical and emotional well-being. Residents can enjoy numerous on-site amenities that include a fitness center, game room, chapel, beauty salon and well-maintained outdoor area with pond and gardens.
Residents are pleased with the personalized services they receive. One family member stated, "I couldn't have found a better place for Mom. Mom has been at The Village for two years now.. they're just very supportive and encouraging for all the residents and the families involved. They make it like a family environment for everyone too.
With its innovative Memory Lane social model, Villages of Jackson Creek Memory Care helps residents maintain a high quality of life even while dealing with memory concerns. The community is supervised 24 hours a day, seven days per week, and all staff members are trained in memory care. They strive to create an environment that promotes positive health physically, emotionally and spiritually for all residents. Care focuses on each resident's individual abilities and cognitive capacities, and the staff encourages as much independence as possible. They are always available to assist with activities of daily living, such as bathing or dressing, as needed. The homelike environment and the use of aromatherapy, massage therapy and sensory stimulation help the community support residents' comfort and well-being. The community offers many recreational activities and has an ice cream parlor and on-site beauty shop.
Family members of residents note the personal attention their loved ones receive. One resident's child said, "The staff loved and encouraged her to engage in life again. She smiled a lot. She got out of her room and socialized. She became more mobile than she had been in years and rarely even mentioned any pain."
Because the community focuses entirely on memory care, Willow Creek Memory Care of Lee's Summit has a high level of support for residents struggling with dementia or memory loss. This community has themed neighborhoods that help keep residents centered, and all neighborhoods connect to an enclosed community courtyard that is secure. This gives residents the chance to spend time outdoors when they wish. Activities at this community are designed to promote meaningful connections between residents and between residents and staff. Assistance with activities of daily living, including dressing and bathing, as well as laundry and trash service are offered to every resident. Each resident is given a personalized care plan to ensure their needs are well met. Meals are served restaurant-style in a community dining room using seasonal, fresh produce. Snacks are also provided throughout the day.
The activities provided at this community are something visitors often notice. One said, "My Uncle is very happy here. My Uncle really enjoys the activities. His room is a decent size but he is always out of his room doing something."