Families searching for a memory evaluation in Chicago can use National Institute on Aging locators to find Alzheimer's Disease Research Centers, then contact major Chicago hospitals and ask whether each site offers a dedicated memory clinic. This page lists only hospitals and support organizations from verified local records, with the addresses and phone numbers those records provide. It does not diagnose memory loss, recommend treatment, or claim that any hospital or clinic endorses a home care agency. For a broader picture of aging support in the city, see the Chicago care guide.
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.