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Is memory care a separate license in Texas?

No. Memory care isn't a license type. Under Texas rule 26 TAC 553.27, any community advertising specialized Alzheimer's or dementia care must hold an

Quick answer

No. Memory care isn't a license type. Under Texas rule 26 TAC 553.27, any community advertising specialized Alzheimer's or dementia care must hold an Alzheimer's certification, and it must be licensed as Type B to qualify. Always ask to see the Alzheimer's certificate, not just the license.

HomeQuestionsIs memory care a separate license in Texas?
Answer

No. Memory care isn't a license type. Under Texas rule 26 TAC 553.27, any community advertising specialized Alzheimer's or dementia care must hold an Alzheimer's certification, and it must be licensed as Type B to qualify. Always ask to see the Alzheimer's certificate, not just the license.

What this means in practice

The gap between what a community may advertise and what it has been inspected for is wider in memory care than anywhere else in Texas senior living. Certification requires meeting the physical plant standards in the Alzheimer's unit rules, verified by both a health inspection and a Life Safety Code inspection, and it caps how many residents the community may serve in that unit.

Uncertified communities can still legally say a great deal. Medication reminders, escort service, and help for short-term memory loss are all outside the certification requirement. A brochure can therefore describe something that sounds like memory care without the community holding certification at all.

So the question to ask is narrow and specific: may I see your Alzheimer's certification? Not the license. A certified community produces it immediately.

Related questions

Questions Austin families ask

Is memory care a separate license in Texas?

No. Memory care isn't a license type. Under Texas rule 26 TAC 553.27, any community advertising specialized Alzheimer's or dementia care must hold an Alzheimer's certification, and it must be licensed as Type B to qualify. Always ask to see the Alzheimer's certificate, not just the license.

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