Boise Senior AdvisorWhat is the difference between assisted living and memory care in Boise?
Both are provided under the same Idaho RALF license; memory care means the resident lives in secured beds, a locked area with its own yard, because dementia makes leaving unsupervised a real risk.
Across the five counties, 55 licensed RALFs report secured beds, 1,219 secured beds in all, from 7 in a small home to 58 in the largest unit (IDHW data retrieved November 6, 2026). Another 32 senior RALFs list dementia among the resident types they accept without having secured beds.
When does a parent with dementia need memory care rather than assisted living?
Usually when wandering or exit-seeking begins, when confusion makes the person unsafe in an open building, or when behaviors need a structured plan, rather than at the moment of diagnosis.
Idaho's rules require a secure interior and yard once a facility keeps residents with cognitive impairment and a history of elopement or attempted elopement. Many people with early dementia live well in ordinary assisted living for years.
Does memory care cost more than assisted living in Idaho?
Usually yes, by a monthly care or unit charge on top of the assisted living rate, but no Idaho memory care median is published, so compare written rate sheets.
CareScout's 2025 Idaho assisted living median is about $5,175 a month. Ask each building for its full monthly figure at your parent's current care level and at the next level up.
Can a Boise resident move from assisted living to memory care in the same building?
Often yes: many Treasure Valley RALFs run both an open assisted living area and a secured wing under one license, so a resident can move between them without a new license or a new admission to another company.
Ask whether the move needs a new admission agreement or only an amended negotiated service agreement, how much the monthly charge rises, and whether a secured bed is guaranteed when it is needed or only offered if one is open. Our facility pages show each building's total licensed beds next to its secured beds, which tells you how big the secured wing is compared with the rest of the building.
How do Treasure Valley families decide between the two?
Most decide on safety at night: if a parent tries to leave, gets lost on familiar routes or has been found outside, the secured setting wins; if not, ordinary assisted living with dementia-trained staff usually fits better and costs less.
A useful test is the last three months. Note every incident of getting lost, unsafe cooking, falls at night or accusations of theft, and bring the list to tours. Staff can tell you which setting they would place your parent in, and why.
Side by side
| Assisted living | Memory care | |
|---|---|---|
| License | Idaho RALF | Idaho RALF with secured beds |
| Doors | Residents come and go | Locked area and secure yard |
| Who | Needs help with daily tasks | Dementia with wandering or safety risk |
| Price | Base monthly rate | Base rate plus a care or unit charge |
Drawn from IDAPA 16.03.22, Idaho Code 39-33, IDHW and Idaho Commission on Aging publications, CareScout, CMS and the VA; our editorial standards explain how we check them.
