Memory Clinics & Alzheimer's Research Centers in Chicago

Who in Chicago may need a memory evaluation

Chicago has 368,637 residents age 65 and older, including 45,764 people age 85 and older and 130,452 seniors who live alone, and the city's median household income is $75,134. Those figures come from U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey estimates for Chicago.

Dementia is a general term for decline in memory, thinking, and the ability to carry out everyday activities. The CDC describes dementia as affecting memory, thinking, and daily function. When those changes show up at home, families in Chicago often look for a scheduled memory evaluation rather than relying only on an emergency visit.

How to find an NIA-designated Alzheimer's Disease Research Center

The National Institute on Aging designates and funds Alzheimer's Disease Research Centers, and it publishes public locators so families can find a participating center and confirm what that site currently offers.

Start with the NIA tool to find an Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, review the list of NIA-funded Alzheimer's Disease Research Centers, or use the overview of national Alzheimer's research centers on Alzheimers.gov. Call the center named on those sites to confirm Chicago-area locations, whether you need a physician referral, whether the visit is clinical care or a research study, and how to prepare. Do not assume that a nearby hospital automatically houses an NIA center.

Chicago hospitals to ask about memory services

These hospitals serve Chicago as acute-care facilities. Public CMS hospital listings include each hospital's name, address, ownership, emergency services, and overall star rating. They do not say whether the hospital has a dedicated memory, dementia, or geriatric unit.

Ask each hospital directly whether it operates a memory clinic, how to request a referral, and what discharge planning looks like for a patient with cognitive impairment. An overall CMS star rating is not the same thing as a specialized memory program. Listing a hospital here is not an endorsement by that hospital of any outside service.

• Northwestern Memorial Hospital, 251 E Huron St, Chicago, IL 60611. Phone (312) 926-2000. Acute care hospital, voluntary non-profit, private ownership, emergency services. CMS overall rating 5 out of 5.
• Rush University Medical Center, 1653 West Congress Parkway, Chicago, IL 60612. Phone (312) 942-5000. Acute care hospital, voluntary non-profit, private ownership, emergency services. CMS overall rating 5 out of 5.
• Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, VA Chicago Healthcare System, 820 S Damen Street, Chicago, IL 60612. Phone (312) 569-8387. Acute care, Veterans Administration, emergency services. CMS overall rating 4 out of 5. Veterans should ask this facility what memory or geriatrics appointments it offers and how to enroll in VA care.
• Presence Saint Joseph Hospital, Chicago, 2900 North Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60657. Phone (773) 665-3000. Acute care hospital, voluntary non-profit, church ownership, emergency services. CMS overall rating 4 out of 5.
• The University of Chicago Medical Center, 5841 South Maryland, Chicago, IL 60637. Phone (773) 702-9785. Acute care hospital, voluntary non-profit, private ownership, emergency services. CMS overall rating 4 out of 5.
• University of Illinois Hospital and Clinics, 1740 West Taylor St Suite 1400, Chicago, IL 60612. Phone (312) 996-3900. Acute care hospital, government, state ownership, emergency services. CMS overall rating 4 out of 5.
• Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, 836 West Wellington Avenue, Chicago, IL 60657. Phone (773) 975-1600. Acute care hospital, voluntary non-profit, private ownership, emergency services. CMS overall rating 3 out of 5.
• AMITA Health Resurrection Medical Center, 7435 W Talcott Avenue, Chicago, IL 60631. Phone (773) 774-8000. Acute care hospital, voluntary non-profit, church ownership, emergency services. CMS overall rating 3 out of 5.

If someone is already in the hospital, ask the care team how cognitive changes will be documented for discharge, and consider hospital discharge care so the return home includes familiar routines and supervision.

What a first memory-clinic visit typically involves

A first memory-clinic visit is usually a scheduled evaluation, not an emergency-room visit, and it often lasts longer than a routine checkup. Clinics commonly review medical history, current medicines, and how memory and daily tasks have changed, then complete cognitive testing. Some visits also include a physical exam, lab work, or imaging that the clinician orders.

Bring photo identification, insurance information, a current medication list (including over-the-counter products), and copies of prior brain imaging or lab results if you have them. It helps to bring a family member or friend who can describe day-to-day changes. Write down questions in advance, including how results will be shared and whether a follow-up or research study is separate from clinical care.

Staff may ask about driving, managing money, cooking, and other daily activities. Answer as specifically as you can, and say so if you are unsure. This page cannot interpret test results or recommend a treatment. Follow the instructions of the clinicians who see you, and ask them to send a summary to the primary care clinician.

Alzheimer's support and planning help in Chicago

The Alzheimer's Association Illinois Chapter provides support services, care options, and education for families and caregivers across Illinois. The Chicago office is at 225 N. Michigan Ave, Floor 17, Chicago, IL 60601. Call 312-335-8700, or review chapter information on the Alzheimer's Association Illinois Chapter site.

Families facing Alzheimer's disease often need legal and financial planning as well. The National Institute on Aging summarizes legal and financial planning for people with Alzheimer's disease. For help finding an elder law attorney, search the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys national directory rather than relying on an unverified firm name. For a professional care manager, search the Aging Life Care Association national directory. This page does not name individual law firms or care managers it has not vetted, and it does not link out to those directories.

Chicago veterans and surviving spouses can also review whether VA Aid and Attendance or Housebound allowance might apply. Confirm eligibility with the VA. That benefit is separate from asking Jesse Brown VA Medical Center whether it offers a memory evaluation.

Home care around clinic visits in Chicago

Home care can keep daily routines in place in Chicago while a family waits for a memory-clinic appointment or returns from a hospital stay. The National Institute on Aging explains that long-term care includes services that help with personal and daily needs over an extended period.

Many households add memory care at home so familiar rooms, meals, and schedules stay intact after an evaluation. Companion care can provide supervision, conversation, and help keeping appointments. Caregivers who need a break around long clinic days can look at respite care. Illinois also operates a Community Care Program for in-home and community services; learn about that option on the Illinois Department on Aging Community Care Program page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Chicago hospital has a dedicated memory clinic?

CMS hospital listings for Chicago do not say whether a hospital has a memory, dementia, or geriatric unit. Call Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Rush University Medical Center, Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Presence Saint Joseph Hospital, Chicago, The University of Chicago Medical Center, University of Illinois Hospital and Clinics, Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, or AMITA Health Resurrection Medical Center and ask how to request a memory evaluation at that site.

What should we bring to a first memory evaluation in Chicago?

Bring identification, insurance cards, a full medication list, and any prior imaging or lab reports you have. A relative or friend who knows the person's usual routine can help describe changes in memory and daily tasks. Ask the clinic when you schedule whether you also need a referral from a primary care clinician.

How do I contact the Alzheimer's Association in Chicago?

The Alzheimer's Association Illinois Chapter office is at 225 N. Michigan Ave, Floor 17, Chicago, IL 60601. The chapter phone number is 312-335-8700. The chapter offers support, education, and information on care options for Alzheimer's families in Illinois.

Can Chicago veterans get a memory evaluation at the VA?

Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, VA Chicago Healthcare System is at 820 S Damen Street, Chicago, IL 60612, and the listed phone number is (312) 569-8387. Ask that facility whether it offers memory or geriatrics appointments and how to enroll. CMS does not publish whether the VA hospital has a dedicated memory unit.

Should we go to the emergency room for memory loss?

A scheduled memory clinic is the usual setting for a planned evaluation. Chicago hospitals listed here do offer emergency services, which are for urgent medical problems. If the person is in immediate danger or has a sudden change that looks like a medical emergency, use emergency care and tell staff about the cognitive changes. Ask for discharge instructions that account for memory and follow-up with a memory clinic afterward.