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Reviewed by Victoria Collier, VA-Accredited Attorney Patriot Angels has helped 1,486 families in Illinois access the VA benefits they've earned. Some of the cities where we help the most families:
Illinois Memory Care by the Numbers
Paying the Monthly Memory Care Bill in Illinois
Memory care in Illinois costs about $7,495 a month, based on 2025 move-in prices, 12% above the U.S. figure of $6,690. That is $1,276 more than the Illinois assisted living median, the gap families pay for secure doors, more staff per resident and dementia training. With the maximum benefit, roughly $3,650 a month would be left to cover from Social Security, a pension or the family home.
| Type of care | Illinois per month | U.S. per month | Share up to $3,845 covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Memory care | $7,495 | $6,690 | 51% |
| Assisted living | $6,219 | $6,200 | 62% |
| In-home care (non-medical, 44 hrs/week) | $6,864 | $6,673 | 56% |
| Nursing home, semi-private room | $8,304 | $9,581 | 46% |
Illinois assisted living, in-home care and nursing home figures are CareScout 2025 medians. Each community prices memory care by apartment and care needs.
Check Illinois Aid & Attendance Eligibility for Memory Care
Memory care is paid, round-the-clock care, which is what Aid & Attendance is for. An Illinois veteran or surviving spouse living with dementia may qualify for up to $3,845 a month. A spouse of a living veteran can sometimes qualify too; see whether a spouse of a living veteran can get Aid & Attendance.
Prefer to talk it through? Call (844) 757-3047
Veterans in Illinois
Illinois has 478,196 veterans, 249,198 of them 65 or older (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024). About 250,600 Illinois residents 65 and older were living with Alzheimer’s dementia in 2020, and 465,000 family members provide unpaid dementia care, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. A spouse caring for a veteran with dementia at home is often the one who first calls us.
Patriot Angels Memory Care Partners in Illinois
Patriot Angels works with 79 Illinois memory care communities, and 56 of them also offer assisted living on the same campus.
| City | Partners | Also offer assisted living |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago | 16 | 16 |
| Gurnee | 2 | 1 |
| Tinley Park | 2 | 2 |
| Glen Ellyn | 2 | 0 |
| Urbana | 2 | 2 |
| Orland Park | 2 | 2 |
| Long Grove | 2 | 2 |
| Peoria | 2 | 1 |
The largest operators in our Illinois network: Senior Lifestyle (25), Bickford Senior Living (7), Anthem Memory Care (6).
Featured Illinois Partners
How Illinois Regulates Memory Care
For dementia care, the Illinois regulator to know is Illinois Department of Public Health, Office of Health Care Regulation; a memory care unit typically runs under a residential care license from that office, with extra requirements for locked or alarmed exits, dementia training and overnight staffing. State site
The Illinois license categories a memory care wing can sit under are: Assisted Living Establishment; Shared Housing Establishment; Alzheimer's/dementia special care unit; Supportive Living Facilities (certified by HFS). Ask which one the community holds and whether its dementia unit is listed on that license.
Before you tour, confirm: Establishments serving residents with dementia must register as an Alzheimer's/dementia program and meet added rules. Also ask how many caregivers are on the memory care floor at night and what dementia training each one completed.
Recent citations for an Illinois memory care unit show up in the IDPH licensing page; look for anything on wandering, falls or staffing. Search reports
Illinois Programs That Help With Memory Care
Medicaid for dementia care
Supportive Living Program (SLP) is the Illinois route Medicaid offers here. It may cover hands-on dementia care in a locked unit once a resident qualifies, but rarely the room itself, and not every memory care community takes it.
Aid & Attendance
Paid to the veteran or surviving spouse, so it can go toward a secure memory care unit at any private community in Illinois.
The family home
Selling or renting an Illinois house often pays for memory care. VA counts sale proceeds, so plan the timing with the claim.
Find Memory Care in Your Illinois City
49 Illinois cities have a memory care page. Numbers show Patriot Angels partners.
Neighboring states: Wisconsin, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Iowa.
Veteran Families We’ve Helped
Families looking at memory care in Illinois and across the country rate Patriot Angels 4.9 on Google. BBB A+ accredited. See all reviews
Illinois Memory Care Questions
How much does memory care cost in Illinois?
About $7,495 a month is typical in Illinois, based on 2025 move-in prices. Prices depend on the apartment and how much care is needed.
Can Aid & Attendance pay for memory care in Illinois?
Yes. A qualifying wartime veteran or surviving spouse can receive up to $3,845 a month and use it toward an Illinois memory care bill.
Who oversees memory care in Illinois?
Illinois Department of Public Health, Office of Health Care Regulation.
Does Illinois Medicaid cover memory care?
Partly. Supportive Living Program (SLP) is the Illinois route Medicaid offers here. It may cover hands-on dementia care in a locked unit once a resident qualifies, but rarely the room itself, and not every memory care community takes it.
How many Patriot Angels memory care partners are in Illinois?
79 partner communities in 49 cities.
New to Memory Care? Start Here
For the memory care basics that apply in Illinois and every other state, start with the national guide.
Related Patriot Angels guides
Other Care Options in Illinois
Assisted living in Illinois
An apartment with staff nearby, a step between memory care and living alone in Illinois.
Independent living in Illinois
Active retirement in Illinois, with care nearby if needs change.
In-home care in Illinois
Help at home in Illinois for a veteran who wants to stay put a while longer.
