28 Memory Care Facilities near Charlotte, NC. Page 2

About 43% of our partnered memory care facilities exclusively accommodate residents with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. The rest are assisted living communities with specialized care units to accommodate residents with dementia.

Both types of communities are classified as adult care homes in North Carolina, and they are licensed to provide personal care and memory care service. They are regulated by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Division of Health Service Regulation (DSHR). All adult care homes that provide assisted living or memory care services must implement the following:

• Make the community available for visitations at least 10 hours every day.
• Provide transportation sources and laundry services at no additional fee.
• Develop activity programs that encourage participation from all residents.
• Assure that on-site licensed health professionals are available to evaluate residents’ health status and care plans.
• Prepare at least three nutritionally acceptable meals and snacks, with accommodations made for residents’ prescribed diets.
• Establish a care plan for each resident within 30 days of admission, which is based on a resident’s initial assessment and can be revised as needed.^[09]

You can find all of these rules and regulations for DSHR agencies on the DHHS website, as well as reports on licensed facilities in North Carolina.

Policies for special care units for memory care

Special care units for memory care residents have their own set of policies in addition to those for adult care homes. These policies should be created and executed by the individual facility, and they should address topics such as the following:

• Staff training requirements
• Specialized memory care services
• Additional costs and fees for different services
• Family support programs and ways families can be involved
• Safety measures in place for situations like wandering and aggressive behavior^[09]

Memory care unit admission and care plans

All adult care homes in North Carolina have admission requirements for residents to make sure their care needs don’t exceed a facility’s capacity, including memory care units.

People seeking admission to a memory care unit must undergo a pre-admission screening for cognitive impairment and have a confirmed medical diagnosis of Alzheimer’s or another type of dementia. A care plan must be developed within 30 days of admission. These plans are reviewed and updated quarterly to reflect a resident’s specific needs. Care plans should examine the resident’s:

• Behavior patterns
• Self-help capacities
• Level of cognitive impairment
• Physical abilities and/or disabilities
• Ability to perform their activities of daily living (ADL)^[09]

Memory care staff and training requirements

Memory care units must have staff available at all times. To make sure these facilities have the necessary staffing to accommodate the needs of residents, North Carolina law requires the following:

• A full-time care coordinator must be on-site at least five days per week.
• At least one staff member must be available for up to eight residents on the first and second shifts, which are typically during the day and through the evening.
• There must be one staff member for a maximum of 10 residents on the third shift, which is often the night shift.^[09]

Staff in memory care facilities undergo memory care training and orientation throughout their employment. Any staff who works in a memory care unit is required to complete a 6-hour orientation within their first week of employment.

Additionally, all staff members who are responsible for providing personal care and supervising residents in memory care must complete the following:

• 20 hours of dementia-specific training within the first six months of employment
• 12 hours of continued education annually — with 6 hours covering dementia-related topics^[09]

Building conditions

Memory care units in an assisted living facility are required to follow all North Carolina State Building Codes and local zoning laws for adult care homes. Additionally, memory care units have special building specifications that include the following:

• Memory care units should have direct access to a secure outdoor area.
• Memory care units must provide living and dining space of at least 30 square feet per resident.
• Security monitoring systems must be present in memory care units where exit doors are unlocked.
• Each memory care unit should have a sink and toilet for every five residents, with a shower and tub provided in every unit.
• Special care units for memory care residents must be separated from the rest of the facility by closed doors when it’s a portion or wing of the facility.
• Memory care units should limit or completely avoid the placement of loud mechanical objects like ice machines, alarm systems, and window air conditioners.^[09]

Reporting abuse and complaints

Any confirmed or suspected incidents of abuse, neglect, or exploitation of a resident are required to be reported by a facility. Facilities are also required to report any injuries or illnesses of a resident as soon as possible, no later than 24 hours after an incident.^[09] Anyone, however, can report abuse or neglect by filing a complaint to the NC DHSR. You can also contact your local ombudsman office and Area Agency on Aging to investigate any complaints.

North Carolina Division of Health Service Regulation (DHSR) contact information

809 Ruggles Drive
Raleigh, NC 27603
Phone: 919-855-3750

Centralina Area Agency on Aging contact information

525 N. Tryon St.
Charlotte, NC 28202
Phone: 704-372-2416