Memory Care in Texas: What Alzheimer's Certification Means
What it means when a Texas assisted living facility is Alzheimer's certified, what the directory shows, and what to ask before you move someone with dementia.
Families often search for "memory care" in Texas. The term is not a license category. Texas licenses assisted living facilities, and a facility that cares for residents with dementia in a specialized setting does so as an Alzheimer's certified facility. Learning the difference helps you tell a real certified unit from a marketing label.
The legal basis
Under HHSC rules in Title 26, Chapter 553 of the Texas Administrative Code, an Alzheimer's facility is a Type B facility that is certified to provide specialized services to residents with Alzheimer's disease or a related condition. Certification is issued separately from the license. The HHSC assisted living directory, which this site reads, lists an Alzheimer's certificate number, the certified capacity and the certificate's effective and expiration dates for each certified facility.
Licensed capacity vs certified capacity
These two numbers are often different. A facility may be licensed for 90 residents and certified for only 24 in its memory care wing. When a listing here says "certified for up to 24 residents," that is the number of residents the Alzheimer's certification covers. If a facility says it has memory care but the directory shows no Alzheimer's certification, ask the administrator to explain, and check the state's provider search. The certificate may be listed under a different record or the facility may only offer general assisted living with some dementia-friendly activities.
Questions to ask
- Is the unit certified, and for how many residents? Ask to see the certificate and its expiration date.
- What training do staff have in dementia care? Ask how many hours of dementia training staff complete at hiring and each year.
- What is the staffing at night? Wandering and sundowning are more common in the evening and overnight.
- How is the unit secured? Ask about doors, alarms and outdoor areas, and what happens if someone leaves the building.
- What triggers a discharge? Ask exactly which behaviors or care needs would lead the facility to ask your family member to leave.
- What does it cost, and what is extra? Many facilities charge a base rate plus a level-of-care fee that rises as needs grow. Ask for the fee schedule in writing and how often rates have changed.
Visiting a memory care unit
Visit twice, once on a weekday morning and once at a different time. Notice whether residents are engaged or sitting alone in front of a television, whether staff speak to residents by name, whether the unit smells clean, and whether meals are served at a pace residents can manage. Ask to speak with a family member of a current resident. Your own observations are the best evidence you will get.
Checking the record
Each profile on this site shows the license number and links to the HHSC provider search. The state keeps inspection and complaint information for licensed facilities. The Alzheimer's Association offers a guide to assisted living and dementia and a 24/7 Helpline you can call to talk through options. The Texas Long-Term Care Ombudsman program advocates for residents of assisted living facilities; you can reach it through HHSC or through the Eldercare Locator.
What this directory does not do
We list the state record. We do not inspect facilities, rate them or recommend any of them. The Alzheimer's badge on a listing means only that HHSC's directory lists a certificate; it says nothing about the quality of care inside. Take the list of questions above and make the decision on what you see and what the state record shows. If you are weighing several places, note the certified capacity and the certificate's expiration date for each, and ask what the facility does when a certificate is up for renewal. A facility that welcomes these questions and answers them plainly is showing you something about how it communicates with families.
General information only, current as of the date above. The information on Texas Assisted Living & Memory Care Index is not medical advice and does not replace a doctor, nurse, discharge planner or other qualified professional. Do not use it to make decisions about diagnosis or treatment. If you have a medical emergency, call 911. Rules and programs change; check the official sources linked in this guide.