The Ivy Mountain View

A family weighing memory care options on Denver's southeast side may consider The Ivy Mountain View at 8101 E Mississippi Ave. Ivy Living operates the community, which offers independent living, assisted living and a memory care neighborhood called Evergreen at Ivy in a residential setting with mature trees and a quiet, maintenance-free layout that suits residents who no longer want to keep up a house.

On-site spaces include a movie theater, a library, a full-service salon, a fitness center and an outdoor dining area, along with a social calendar built around group activities and gatherings. Independent living residents keep their own apartment while still having access to the same building, staff and amenities as neighbors in assisted living.

Assisted living covers help with daily needs such as bathing, dressing and medication management, with staff available 24 hours a day. University of Colorado Hospital is available for appointments, and Dry Creek Center covers everyday shopping and errands. Families comparing this location with others nearby can look at senior living in Denver before scheduling a visit.

Evergreen at Ivy, the memory care neighborhood, is designed for residents living with Alzheimer's disease, dementia or other cognitive changes, with a program meant to structure each day and reduce confusion. Families should ask how apartments in Evergreen at Ivy differ from the rest of the building and how staffing changes between independent living, assisted living and memory care.