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 Lima's senior population continues to grow (8% growth between 2015 and 2020), so does the concern about aging and the risk of cognitive impairment.
In Lima, the number of deaths for those 65 and older caused or partly caused by Alzheimer’s disease increased by 42% between 2015 and 2020. Additionally, the number of deaths from all causes for that same age group increased by 23%, showing that Alzheimer’s is a growing concern in the region. Overall, the percentage of seniors’ deaths related to Alzheimer’s is lower than the rest of the nation (3.4% in Lima 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 Lima. 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 Lima, 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:
Kessler Estates Senior Living provides compassionate memory care rooted in family engagement. Throughout the day, residents are guided through the Meaningful Moments program, which focuses on familiar routines and pattern-based events to create a sense of calm. Therapeutic activities include art therapy, monitored outings and one-on-one interactions with staff members. Family members are encouraged to join these activities to help residents stay socially engaged. On site, seniors can enjoy relaxing common areas, including a lounge with a fireplace, a garden with a walking path and a media room. Residents can also enjoy enriching interactions in the community dining room, which serves three meals and three snacks daily. For easy living, staff members handle housekeeping, and seniors can receive grooming and personal care assistance as needed.
Visiting family members appreciate this community for its social environment. They also praise the attentive staff members. One says, "The courtyard is a great place to visit with loved ones. ... The compassionate nurses are so kind to Mom ... I feel Kessler employees try to listen to the needs of the residents and treat them with love."
Otterbein SeniorLife Cidersville offers memory care on a spacious 120-acre campus featuring monitored courtyards and walking paths. The community promotes a calm environment for memory care residents through the Milestones program, which includes therapeutic activities, such as personalized music therapy, baking lessons and guided gardening classes. Seniors can also enjoy familiar outdoor activities, including fishing in the on-site ponds and picnics at the gazebo. As a faith-based community, Otterbein emphasizes spiritual services as part of residents' personalized care plans. Staff members coordinate group hymn singing, and seniors can speak with spiritual leaders in the chaplain's office. For socialization, memory care residents can benefit from the community's on-site cinema, heated pool and welcoming common areas. Staff members handle housekeeping and meal preparation, and residents receive mobility and hygiene assistance as needed.
Residents and their loved ones value the community's amenities and welcoming atmosphere. One reviewer says, "The homes are very nice ... and everyone is very friendly. There are a lot of activities that my parents can be involved in if they want. There is a pool, gym, and salon, and a very nice dining room for them to use also."
At Sunrise of Findlay, seniors have access to a full spectrum of care services in a warm, welcoming environment. The community's Reminiscence neighborhood provides a secure, comfortable setting for seniors with Alzheimer's and dementia. Its specialized approach to memory care is rooted in research, using the Validation method to effectively communicate and engage with seniors. Team members work closely with residents and their families to craft an engaging, life-enriching service plan that's tailored to their needs and preferences. Daily activities are offered in small group and one-on-one settings to minimize feelings of confusion and anxiety. Signature programs include fitness classes, music and art therapy, gardening and brain games. Daily meals are prepared by in-house chefs using fresh, seasonal ingredients. Menu items are designed to stimulate appetites and ensure seniors with cognitive disorders get the nutrition they need.
Sunrise of Findlay is recognized for its dedicated staff members and engaging programming. One reviewer shares, "The people at Sunrise of Findlay really care. There are lots of smiles and hugs, laughing and activities galore. No one is left out unless they choose a quieter day. Families are included in the care and the fun. Dad is happy, and so are we."
The Heritage helps connect seniors in Findlay with the right level of care to support their health needs, including long-term, specialized care for seniors living with memory-related disorders. The campus features a separate memory care neighborhood providing an enhanced level of security and comfort. Its layout includes well-appointed private suites, easy-to-navigate common areas and a fully secured outdoor patio area where residents can enjoy some fresh air. The community's approach to memory care utilizes several evidence-based programs. The Daily Rhythms program helps seniors with dementia find a sense of structure in their day-to-day routines, while the BFF Program encourages caregivers to build emotional connections with residents in addition to providing clinical care services. Residents also have daily opportunities for recreation, physical activity and socialization through activities such as arts and crafts, music therapy, sensory programs and cognitive fitness.
Reviewers applaud the caring staff and personalized programming at The Heritage. One says, "We love having our loved one there. From rehab to home or long term care the staff has been amazing. The life-enrichment program has helped our family member transition and has given them a purpose/independents again."
The Springs of Lima offers a range of care packages, including assisted living, skilled nursing and memory care, to look after residents at nearly every level of physical and mental health. The memory care team has extensive clinical training with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia, and they oversee daily mental health exercises to help slow the progress of the disease. The Springs offers programs that include Vitality, a thrice-weekly exercise class that works for seniors of all physical ability levels. There's also a cognitive exercise class called Keeping it Sharp, which uses fun games and puzzles to stimulate seniors' memory and cognitive abilities and help keep participants alert and oriented. Daily memory sessions, known as Mindful Moments, use mementos and personal recordings and pictures to encourage seniors with memory loss to remember parts of their personal histories in a small group setting.
People who've visited family at The Springs of Lima have high praise for the overall atmosphere. One reviewer left a five-star rating, saying: "What a wonderful facility. Everyone seems to enjoy their job, smile and bring laughter. It is a family environment and everyone cares about everyone. The standards of care is amazing and like no where else."
Located near the banks of the Ottawa River in Kalida, OH, The Meadows of Kalida offers a picturesque setting where seniors can enjoy a relaxed, maintenance-free lifestyle. The campus offers several care options to serve seniors of varying needs, including long-term, specialized care for individuals impacted by memory loss conditions such as Alzheimer's and dementia. These services are provided in a secure memory care neighborhood where staff members are on-site 24/7 to assist with tasks such as bathing, dressing and taking medications. Through the community's BFF Program, caregivers work to establish meaningful connections with each resident to provide a sense of trust and familiarity. Each day, curated programming is offered in small groups to help engage memories and support seniors' cognitive well-being. Some of the activities offered include music and movement, arts and crafts, baking classes and lifelong learning sessions.
People love The Meadows of Kalida for its welcoming environment and caring staff. One reviewer shares, "The Meadows is a great place when you can't be in your own home. The staff is very kind and friendly." Another says, "Very compassionate staff. First impression was beautiful. Very professional and friendly. They are amazing with all of their residents!"
Landings of Sidney is a senior community in Lima, OH, providing a comprehensive approach to memory care through the Montessori Moments in Time program. The pillars of this distinctive program include family connections, healthy dining, wellness, life engagement and a commitment to care with respect and dignity. The property features engaging common spaces such as a restaurant-style dining room and outdoor seating area. Residents can benefit from a social and active lifestyle by regularly enjoying morning walks along landscaped paths, bridge games and visits from local school children. The staff at Landings of Sidney provides individual care via direct supervision and is available 24/7 to respond to the in-home emergency call system. To ensure further wellness, this community is staffed by on-site physical and occupational therapists as well as a 24/7 nurse and care team.
: A recent visitor shares, "They have snacks and refreshments available 24/7. The rooms are very spacious. The building itself and the lawns are very well kept, very well maintained, and very clean inside. They have a kitchenette and a living room area that you can use for your whole family to come in for holidays or birthdays, as well as a nice activity room."
Quietly settled on a sprawling 294 acres, Ohio Living Dorothy Love offers compassionate care to seniors with memory-related disorders. Seniors with dementia or Alzheimer's live in an easy-to-navigate, fully secured residence designed to reduce anxiety and confusion. Caregivers and certified nurses are on-site around-the-clock to assist with personal hygiene, mobility and medical needs. Physical activity correlates with improved cognitive outcomes, so residents are encouraged to enjoy the many paved walking paths, participate in exercise classes or garden in the enclosed courtyard. The community employs a full-time chaplain and offers regular religious programming to foster the spiritual lives of residents. Other features of the community include a full activities calendar, library, chapel, arboretum and on-site beauty salon. Housekeeping, personal laundry services and daily meals are included in the monthly cost.
Families love the quality care and how easy it is to visit their loved ones. One reviewer says, "Everything was grand about this place, including all the people, the friendliness, and the ease of going in, and if you wanted to have your family coming in, there were rooms where you can have a little party if you wanted to."
Memory care at Otterbein SeniorLife St. Marys follows the Milestones program, which concentrates first on training caregivers to properly assist and interact with seniors experiencing memory loss. It then provides an in-depth assessment for each resident to develop a personalized care plan to meet basic needs. With that plan in place, Milestones then focuses on the Path to Well-Being with its Nine Degrees of Wellness to help seniors thrive physically, spiritually, socially and emotionally. Finally, Milestones ensures seniors have access to programming that stimulates their minds and keeps them active and engaged. One of these programs is Music and Memory. Studies show that music can stimulate memory in people struggling with dementia, so caregivers create playlists of favorite songs for each resident. Residents gather for games, crafts and parties, too, indoors and in the community's secure courtyard.
Residents and their families are pleased with the community feeling and friendly staff at Otterbein SeniorLife St. Marys. "My mom loves living here," says one reviewer. "She is making friends and doing activities." Staff members do their best to accommodate residents' needs, and they try to create a sense of community where residents fit in.
Divine Rehabilitation and Nursing at Shane Hill offers rehabilitation services and also assisted living and a dedicated memory care unit. Their 32-bed memory care program provides a staff experienced in Alzheimer's and dementia care, and they're given periodical training to remain up to date. The environment in this quiet facility is enriched by friendly, inviting staff that greet guests by name. Residents can safely enjoy the outdoors in the property's enclosed courtyard and look forward to home-cooked meals and live musical performances. Other activities, such as bingo twice a week, provide a consistent social escape that connects Divine Rehab neighbors and keeps them engaged.
: Residents find support with Divine Rehab, and one shares, "My husband was here for about a month due to falling and illness. I brought him home today. The nurses, aides, therapy staff, are absolutely wonderful! They did everything they could to give him and me a diagnosis of what was going on with him. If not for the caring staff here, I don't think he would be able to come home. "
Grande Lake Healthcare Center offers compassionate memory care for seniors with dementia or Alzheimer's. Memory care at Grande Lake, called Connections, focuses on three foundations: preserving memories, providing daily purpose for residents and offering a relaxed pace of life around a flexible routine. Research has shown that these three principles help reduce anxiety in memory care seniors and are correlated with greater life satisfaction. Staff is on-site 24/7 to assist residents with daily tasks and personal hygiene; however, seniors are encouraged to maintain independence whenever possible. The community also boasts on-site physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy. A full activities calendar helps residents stay physically active and socially engaged by offering options such as exercise classes, game nights and religious programming. Daily meals are included, and special diets can be accommodated. Housekeeping and laundry services are included in the monthly cost.
Residents and their families praise the compassionate care provided by the staff at Grande Lake. One reviewer says, "I haven't seen a better nursing facility !! I'm definitely glad my mom is getting treated there. The staff is absolutely amazing and always so kind. "Another adds, "Staff is very friendly and willing to help out with your needs."
The Homestead at Towne Center is a welcoming senior community located in northwestern Van Wert, OH. The center offers memory care services that address not only each resident's physical well-being but also their spiritual, mental and social needs. An experienced staff treats each senior with dignity and compassion while helping with daily tasks such as dressing and grooming. Licensed nurses are on-site 24 hours a day to administer medications and provide wound care. Some of the many therapeutic and brain-stimulating activities available to seniors in memory care include live music, games and group exercises. In the dining area, chef-prepared meals are served, and shake supplements are offered to individuals who have difficulties swallowing or chewing. Beds are made every day, with weekly housekeeping, laundry and linen services included.
Family members appreciate the care provided by staff as well as the wide range of activities offered. One relative writes, "The physical appearance of the facility is beautiful. It's a brand-new facility. It's gorgeous on the inside; It's top of the line. They have a lot of activities, even though my aunt has not been able to be part of it ."