10 Best Memory Care Facilities in Los Angeles, CA

Sakura Gardens of Los Angeles sits in the heart of the city, about a 5-minute walk from the beautiful and peaceful Hollenbeck Park. The decor's inspired by East Asia, emphasizing the sensory benefits of subtle colors and designs, comforting aromas and calming sounds. Memory care residents may find serenity among the trickling waterfalls and birdsongs in the Japanese Garden. Personalized meals created by chefs may help memory care residents recall times at the dinner table with their families, and daily activities such as tai chi help reduce stress and improve balance. A pianist visits regularly to provide live entertainment, which is a core part of the facility's music therapy program.

We've included Belmont Village Westwood because of its award-winning memory care program. The facility sits in the heart of the desirable Westwood area on Wilshire Boulevard, only 5 minutes from UCLA Medical Center. The memory care unit is a compact, self-contained space with greater security and specially trained staff, including a 24-hour licensed skilled nurse. Belmont Village's whole brain fitness program is panoramic in scope, covering all aspects of the person's being, including physical ability, cognitive skills and emotional needs. Each resident has a rolling 7-day program. It may include small-group sessions where seniors build brain strength collectively by playing word games and collaborating on art projects. Other groups may focus on stress-reducing physical exercises.

Belmont Village is a beautiful building nestled on landscaped grounds in LA's Hollywood Heights. Its life-enriching programs can help memory care residents develop self-confidence. Circle of Friends is a program developed with help from Vanderbilt University’s Center for Quality Aging. It supports seniors with early-stage dementia by helping them maintain and improve cognitive functions. For example, this program introduces residents to different ways to remember people's names and avoid misplacing items. The Whole Brain Fitness program is for those with more advanced dementia and person-centered, so seniors work and learn together in small groups to mitigate the advance of cognitive decline through physical, creative and social activities.

CityView is located in the Mid-Wilshire Beverly Grove area, only minutes from Hancock Park and the Hollywood Hills. The Court is the memory care unit, a homelike and intimate space where specially trained staff delivers the facility's two programs. Court 1 helps seniors with early-stage dementia who can still enjoy social activities with some supervision. Court 2 is for residents with more advanced memory better served in quieter areas with additional support. Both programs provide companionship and structure appropriate to the individual's needs. There are daily exercise programs to boost muscle strength, social activities to generate feelings of belonging and cognitively challenging tasks, such as word games.

Valley Vista Senior Living is located in the Van Nuys area, only 2 minutes from Valley Medical Center and 8 minutes from the sensory delights of The Japanese Garden. The community's Generations Memory Care program is person-centered and focuses on helping the resident remember who they are. Consequently, staff engages one-on-one with each senior, encouraging them to talk about their lives while engaging the senses. It's common for discussions to include the person's favorite music, films and books and to revolve around the stories behind personal objects brought from home. Valley Vista uses the Vigil integrated care management system, which allows residents more freedom while ensuring staff always know where they are.

Solheim Senior Community is nestled within the relatively laid-back Eagle Rock neighborhood northeast of downtown LA. Its memory care residents receive 24-hour supervision, medication management and assistance with daily tasks such as toileting. The facility's design creates a calming homelike ambiance, with soft music piped throughout and walls and furnishings in pastel shades. Personalized health plans ensure each memory care resident receives care appropriate to their degree of cognitive decline. This extends to meal times, with two dining rooms dedicated to residents at different stages of memory loss. For residents' safety, there are security cameras throughout and regular patrols involving staff trained to help seniors wandering because of a memory loss episode.

Silverado Beverly Place is in the Beverly Grove area and only 5 minutes from Cedar Sinai Medical Center. It makes this list because Alzheimer's Disease International accredits its holistic memory care program, and all its caregivers attend a dementia care certification program. There are three levels of care aimed at seniors with early, mid and late-stage Alzheimer's. The Nexus program helps those with mild cognitive issues maintain connections with everyone and everything they value. The Enrichment program aids seniors transitioning from Nexus as their cognitive impairment changes. Its purpose is to slow dementia's advance as much as possible. The Sensory program is for those in the last stage. It delivers higher levels of assistance and focuses on minimizing the person's levels of anxiety.

Melrose Gardens & The Cottages sits in a relatively peaceful part of West Hollywood. It makes this list because it may appeal to families looking for a smaller community for a loved one. There are two options — Club Melrose, for seniors with mild cognitive impairments, and The Cottages, for those with late-stage dementia. In Club Melrose, the staff helps residents hold on to memories by engaging them in daily conversations about their personal histories. By repeating the same memories frequently, it becomes easier to remember. Care in The Cottages is more intensive and has higher levels of security, including Wanderguard devices. The focus of this level of care is on helping the person feel safe and comfortable.

Sunrise of Beverly Hills makes the list because it's a multi-award-winning community and ranked among the country's best memory care facilities for 2023-2024. The community is just off Rodeo Drive and within minutes of Cedar Sinai Medical Center and Olympia Medical Center. Its Life Enrichment Managers work with memory care residents one-on-one or in small groups to create meaningful experiences in the present. These typically focus on something the senior has experience in, which could be playing an instrument, baking or gardening. There's also the Reminiscence Program, which encourages residents to describe positive events in their pasts. Using tablet technology, chefs tailor meals to individual preferences when possible, as eating a favorite meal can improve recall abilities.

Regency Park Oak Knoll is nestled on a quiet tree-lined street in Pasadena. It's staffed 24/7 by trained caregivers who administer a memory care program that prioritizes gentle care, engaging activities and companionship. Gentle care creates a safe and warm environment, which is crucial for residents easily made anxious by perceived threats. Engaging activities, such as word games, are fun while helping the seniors exercise their brain power. Companionship creates a sense of belonging and community, as illustrated by the facility's frequent sing-alongs. There are also regular family support get-togethers, which let families become involved in their loved one's care.