Personalized Memory Care in St. Petersburg
Memory Support
Dementia Care With Dignity and Compassion
For quality memory care services in the St. Petersburg region, look to Westminster Suncoast. Our caring, experienced staff serve seniors with Alzheimer’s and dementia-related conditions with dignity and understanding in a secure and supportive environment designed to meet residents where they are in the moment. Every detail enhances our residents’ quality of life, including our specialized Small Bites dining program, featuring recognizable, hand-held foods that bring comfort and familiarity, with natural aromas and visual menus that make mealtimes more enjoyable.
Currently under construction, our new Memory Support Center will open in Spring 2027, featuring 32 private suites, spacious living and dining areas, and a shaded patio with sensory garden and walking paths.
Memory Support
Services & Amenities
- Montessori-based engagement programming
- Innovative Small Bites dining program
- Support with activities of daily living
- On-site skilled nursing and rehabilitation
- Chapel, beauty salon and barber shop
- Welcoming, home-like personal spaces
- Engaging activities focused on sensory experience
- Family-style dining
- Physical and cognitive wellness
Memory Support in the Heart of St. Petersburg
By choosing Westminster Suncoast, you’re choosing a Life Plan Community offering Memory Support services where seniors with Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia will feel safe, supported, and engaged. We create daily opportunities for joy through structured routines, social connection, and meaningful activities that encourage independence and dignity.
Our dedicated team provides compassionate care tailored to each resident’s unique needs. By utilizing a Montessori-based method, we ensure the support we offer is personalized, enriching and designed to meet each resident where they are.
10 Key Questions When Researching Memory Care
The decision to entrust a parent with dementia or Alzheimer’s to memory care is a complex and emotional one. When trying to choose the best memory care in St. Petersburg, scheduling an in-person tour is the most important first step. Westminster Communities is the leading non-profit senior living provider in Florida, and has helped thousands of older adults and their families in our 70-plus years of service.
We asked our dementia care professionals to share some of the most common questions they hear, as well as important questions to ask when touring memory care facilities. Click each one to see their answers.
What is memory care and how is it different from assisted living?
Memory care provides support for seniors diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia who have cognitive challenges that affect their ability to safely care for themselves. Assisted living and memory care typically provide some of the same support services, such as help with bathing, dressing, and medication management. In general, memory care is necessary for people whose cognitive abilities are impacting their judgment, safety, and awareness of their surroundings. Some assisted living providers accept residents with mild cognitive impairment, but if staff members determine that a resident’s needs exceed the services and care levels they are licensed to provide, a licensed memory care facility will be required.
What are the signs that a parent needs memory care?
In general, a senior requires licensed memory care support when they require frequent supervision throughout the day and the following dementia-related symptoms are evident.
- They are unable to recognize or summon help in dangerous situations.
- They are wandering or exit-seeking and cannot orient themselves in their surroundings.
- They are exhibiting hazardous behaviors.
- They are unable to carry out activities such as eating, bathing or going to the bathroom, and taking medication.
Does Medicare or Medicaid cover memory care costs?
Memory care residential fees are not covered by Medicare insurance, which is a health insurance program designed for medical care and hospitalization costs, only. Medicaid, which provides health insurance for people with low incomes, does not cover memory care unless the person meets their state’s criteria for skilled nursing care. Memory care in Florida can range from $5,000 to $10,000 per month, depending on the type of community. Long-term care insurance typically does cover the cost of living at a memory care facility.
Memory care at Westminster Suncoast costs $6,323 per month for a studio and $7,096 per month for a 1-bedroom apartment, and is all-inclusive. This means that a resident’s monthly fee does not increase if their daily support needs change. Many families find that a move to memory care replaces many of the expenses such as food, supervision, utilities, and in-home care they were already paying, and provides much greater peace of mind.
If your parent is a U.S. veteran or the surviving spouse of a veteran, they may be eligible for some in-home care through the VA Aid & Attendance program. This includes support with activities of daily living or respite for family members.
Memory care is a complex issue, and we are happy to answer your questions and connect you with available memory care resources here and in Pinellas County. Contact our Assisted Living and Memory Care Counselor at (727)-864-7161.
Is the monthly fee all-inclusive or tiered? What is on the list of ancillary services?
There are two pricing structures for assisted living and memory care, and it is important to understand the differences. All-inclusive rates include rent plus assistance with daily living activities (ADLs) like dressing, bathing, and medication management, along with housekeeping and dining. Tiered pricing includes rent and some ADL support but increases with the level of daily support needed. Ancillary fee sheets include prices for items such as barber and salon services, additional housekeeping hours, and personal hygiene items or continence products.
Do you provide secure memory care and how are residents' walking behaviors honored?
Westminster Suncoast memory support is a secure environment, which ensures that residents will be within range of our supportive and trained caregivers. However, we prioritize each resident’s individual walking behaviors as they go about their day, and encourage freedom of movement. Our new memory support center, scheduled to open in Spring 2027, features private suites as well as comfortable, communal living spaces residents and visitors can enjoy, and a large, fenced garden with walking paths.
What is a good caregiver-to-resident staffing ratio for memory care?
Our memory care in St. Petersburg, FL, prioritizes safety and personalized support by maintaining caregiver-to-resident staffing ratios that are higher than the industry standards of 1 caregiver for every 8 residents for daytime and evening shifts and 1 to 15 for nighttime hours. Because people living with dementia require distinct levels of daily assistance, our higher staffing levels allow the care team to spend the right amount of time necessary for each individual’s needs. In addition, Westminster Suncoast has 24/7 nursing staff with on-site skilled nursing and rehabilitation therapists experienced in caring for seniors with dementia.
What caregiver training and dementia-related certifications are required?
Florida requires that caregivers undergo state-approved Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) training requirements upon hire. Westminster Communities requires ongoing continuing education on dementia care best practices that covers cognitive impairment, behavioral health, and communication strategies for people with memory loss.
is there a full-time, trained activities professional on staff and quality calendar of events?
Family members should expect each memory care community they tour to have a dedicated staff member who has experience and training working with seniors living with dementia. Look for events and regular classes that encourage full-body movement and address common risks such as falling. Daily activities should include sensory stimulation, such as music, baking, and gardening. Ask to sit in and observe some programs and events.
Are skilled nursing and rehabilitation services available on-site?
Unlike many stand-alone assisted living and memory care centers, Westminster Suncoast is a Life Plan community with a continuum of 24/7 skilled nursing team members and rehabilitation therapists experienced in caring for seniors with dementia. That means that should your loved one require skilled nursing services, they will be able to receive those here on campus with minimal disruption and even some familiar faces.
Is the memory care facility for-profit or non-profit?
As part of Westminster Communities of Florida, Westminster Suncoast is a non-profit community. That means our Mission is providing the best possible services and care for residents, not maximizing profits for shareholders. Instead of distributing earnings to investors, we reinvest all financial gains directly back into our communities. This funding goes toward enhancing resident services, upgrading our facilities, and developing new programs. A key benefit of our non-profit status is the Benevolent Assistance Program, which provides financial security to Life Plan contract residents who may outlive their resources. We also offer special grants and awards for retired clergy, U.S. military veterans, and public service professionals.