Top 10 Memory Care Communities in Fort Worth, Texas

Seniors and their families typically combine personal income sources, insurance policies, savings, and pension income to pay for their ideal memory care community in Fort Worth. Qualifying seniors also use federal and state programs, such as veterans benefits, Medicaid, and Medicare, to help offset some medical and memory care costs. In this section, you’ll find helpful information on the most common payment methods used by families.

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) is the state agency responsible for licensing and regulating memory care facilities. Memory care facilities are considered a type of assisted living in Texas, so memory care regulations are built into existing assisted living regulations and laws.

The state of Texas refers to assisted living facilities as ALFs and categorizes them into two main types:

• Type A ALFs provide care to seniors who don’t need routine overnight attendance and are able to follow directions in an emergency.
• Type B ALFs are for seniors who need nighttime attendance and staff assistance to evacuate during emergency situations. This type includes facilities with special care units, including memory care and skilled nursing.

All licensed memory care facilities fall under the Type B assisted living facility (ALF). The main difference between general assisted living and assisted living facilities with memory care is that the latter must meet additional certification requirements. Texas’ memory care regulations hold memory care communities to a higher standard than other states. Regulations require memory care staff to continuously learn about the latest dementia research and train in tried-and-true memory care techniques. Texas even requires facilities to offer specialized memory care programming to actively engage residents.

Read on for some additional licensing standards for assisted living facilities licensed in memory care.

Memory care staffing and training regulations

• Memory care facilities providing care to more than 17 residents are required to have two caregiving staff members on-site at all times.
• Caregiving staff must undergo 4 hours of memory care-specific training before they assume any job-related duties or tasks.
• After the initial training, caregiving staff must complete 16 hours of on-the-job supervised training. This training should encompass all of their responsibilities, including assisting with activities of daily living, behavior management, emergency procedures, and more.
• Memory care facility managers are required to complete 6 hours of memory care training on an annual basis. And their memory care team will need to complete 12 hours of continued education and memory care training on a yearly basis.

Memory care admissions, assessments, and care plans

• It’s required for each memory care facility to develop a process for ensuring their ability to care for a potential resident and apply this process before admitting each resident.
• Within a new resident’s initial two weeks after admission, facilities are required to perform an assessment of the resident’s behaviors, health conditions, communication abilities, dietary requirements, required medications, and ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs).
• Resident assessments should be used to craft personalized care plans that accommodate residents’ needs, preferences, and strengths. These care plans should keep a resident physically, cognitively, and socially healthy.
• Care plans must be adjusted on an annual basis and after serious conditional changes in the resident.

Memory care activities programming

• Memory care facilities must have an activities program that encourages, not forces, socialization, self-expression, physical activity, and cognitive awareness among residents.
• A designated activity director is required to lead activity programming. They should ensure a healthy balance of group and individual activities that address varying cognitive, recreational, and daily living needs.
• The activity director must also consider each resident’s medical history, limitations, and preferences to determine person-centered activities. They must also arrange special equipment for the residents who need it.

Memory care facility inspections

To regulate memory care-specialized assisted living facilities, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission performs unannounced inspections approximately every two years after the initial inspection. Inspections assess a facility’s compliance with Texas’ health and life safety code.

The health code inspection includes a review of the following:

• Appropriate staff-to-resident ratios
• Employee background checks
• Management of the facility
• Any items that could affect resident health

The life safety code inspection reviews the following:

• Construction of the facility
• Safety and emergency features
• Protection from hazardous areas
• Documentation of fire drills, system checks, etc.

You can access each licensed community’s most recent inspection report and general facility information through the Texas Health and Human Services’ Long-term Care Provider Search. To request any information not found in reports, you can email rsltcr.recordsmgmt@hhsc.state.tx.us.

Texas Health and Human Services (HHS or HHSC) contact information

4601 W. Guadalupe St.
Austin, TX 78751
Phone: 512-424-6500
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

COVID-19 regulations for Fort Worth memory care facilities

Fort Worth doesn’t have any regulations in place regarding the spread of COVID-19. However, Texas qualifies memory care facilities as assisted living facilities. Therefore, these facilities must follow assisted living requirements. The state requires assisted living facilities to develop their own infection prevention and control measures for common infections, including COVID-19. The measures should include guidance on the following hygiene practices:

• Disinfection and sterilization techniques
• Use of personal protective equipment (PPE)
• Safe injection methods
• Physical distancing requirements

Because communities are allowed to set their own guidelines, it’s recommended that you check with each prospective community to see what COVID-19 measures are currently in place. You can also visit the COVID-19 informational page on the Fort Worth website to see regular updates regarding local risk levels, testing, vaccinations, and more.

With each passing year, Fort Worth puts in more effort to be dementia- and senior-friendly. As a part of the city’s Dementia Friendly America network, seniors can expect to find dementia-friendly accommodations throughout the city. The Dementia Friendly Fort Worth initiative inspires Fort Worth’s businesses, organizations, and institutions to accommodate individuals with dementia. Their mission is to support the dementia-affected community with CARE — compassion, activities, resources, and connections.

Friends and families of persons affected by dementia can also benefit from services available at the local James L. West Center for Dementia Care. The organization offers support groups, caregiving tips, resources, and dementia simulations to educate families on the effects of dementia.

The city of Fort Worth also has several memory care communities designed to accommodate the specialized needs of seniors with dementia. Learn about the unique aspects of these Fort Worth memory care communities below.

What type of memory care communities are available?

Your senior loved one has many memory care options in Fort Worth, with different types of communities to live in. You can find a suitable fit depending on your loved one’s current situation and personal preferences. Families can choose from stand-alone memory care communities, memory care group homes, and larger assisted living communities that offer a memory care unit.

Group homes may be ideal for seniors who feel more comfortable in a smaller, family-like atmosphere within a homey environment. Assisted living facilities with memory care units might be more suitable for senior couples or friends with varying needs and preferences. Stand-alone memory care communities might be best suited for seniors seeking to reside in an environment filled with individuals experiencing similar memory loss symptoms.

How can memory care staff help manage my loved one’s dementia symptoms?

Texas requires specialized memory care training for its caregiving staff. So caregivers at these facilities should be trained to use gentle redirection, cueing, and reorientation techniques. Through these person-centered care techniques, dementia caregivers help manage common behaviors and symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.

Here’s a brief overview of some common symptoms and behaviors caregivers at our memory care partners in Fort Worth are trained to handle:

• 95% of communities specially train their staff to handle dementia symptoms like restlessness, pacing, and wandering.
• 73% of communities specially train their caregivers to handle hallucinations and delusions.
• 52% of communities specially train their caregivers to handle anxiety, aggression, or agitation.

How are my loved one’s daily needs taken care of?

Memory care residents don’t have to worry about daily chores like cleaning, cooking, or scheduling rides as memory care staff members take care of everything for them. Housekeeping and laundry services help ensure a clean environment for all residents, while professional chefs and concierge take care of meals and appointments. And your loved one can get constant oversight and support, when needed, by trained caregivers.

Residents can relish tasty meals and snacks in on-site cafes or restaurant-style dining rooms. And most of our partner communities offer anytime dining, enabling residents to eat whenever they’d like. This is especially helpful for memory care patients, as their eating schedules may vary. Some communities even enable residents to request meal accommodations and choose to have their meals delivered to their units.

Additionally, residents don’t have to worry about scheduling rides for off-site appointments as most communities offer transportation to and from appointments. Our partner memory care communities also host visiting doctors and specialists to prevent unnecessary travel for residents. Nearly 60% of our memory care partners in Fort Worth offer full, on-site nursing services, enabling seniors to receive standard medical services without having to visit a clinic.

How will my loved one stay active and engaged within a memory care community?

A common notion people have about memory care facilities is that seniors will lack freedom — especially when it comes to activities and hobbies. However, that’s far from the truth in Texas. Texas memory care regulations require that memory care facilities provide specialized programming that encourages residents to stay social, active, and healthy. Our partner facilities are designed to keep your loved one engaged with person-centered activities, so they can practice hobbies that keep them happy and in a state of well-being.

Seniors can also enjoy on-site amenities at their own leisure, with or without the help of a caregiver. Residents are given the freedom to remain independent where they are able, while caregivers provide gentle oversight for continued safety. Typical on-site amenities found in Fort Worth memory care communities include game rooms, libraries, movie theaters, fitness centers, and life-skill stations. Life-skill stations imitate real-life environments and are a form of reminiscence therapy.

Activities like brain-stimulating puzzles, sensory stimulation, and reminiscence therapies are often personalized for best outcomes. To be as person-centered as possible, activities are often informed by a resident’s close family, friends, and/or caregivers. Such personalized activities help individual residents recall their cherished memories and promote new, meaningful experiences. Residents can also participate in fitness activities suitable for all mobility levels, as well as arts and crafts lessons, interest clubs, and musical events.

Fort Worth’s health care options are part of the greater Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) area, with the top-rated medical centers mainly in Dallas. Below, you’ll find information on what these medical centers in the DFW area have to offer along with links to help your loved one access care nearby.

Most of our memory care partners in Fort Worth offer on-site transportation services to residents, or they connect residents to local ride programs. Do keep in mind that these rides may be limited to essential errands and medical appointments.

It’s never recommended for seniors with dementia to use public transportation without a caregiver escort. But, visiting families and friends can utilize Tarrant County’s public transportation system, Trinity Metro, to easily get around Fort Worth when visiting their senior loved one. Trinity Metro offers buses, trains, and rideshare options.

Tarrant County also partners with nonprofit transportation services to offer seniors rides to routine medical appointments, shopping trips, and other essential errands within the county. If your senior loved one must choose a public transportation method, make sure they’re accompanied by a caregiver.

Fort Worth makes tremendous efforts to help seniors with dementia enjoy beloved activities and have new experiences. Seniors can participate in virtual activities from the comfort of their homes, or they can explore accessible attractions throughout the city with visiting loved ones or caregivers. Most of our memory care partners in Fort Worth also regularly host group outings to help seniors get out of their shells and engage with the community.

Check out this brief list of senior-favored, dementia-friendly activities in Fort Worth:

• Dementia Friendly Fort Worth activities. Because Fort Worth is a part of the Dementia Friendly America network, the city offers a variety of activities and events catered to individuals and seniors with dementia. Seniors can join engaging Zoom sessions filled with activities like music therapy, singalongs, crafts, easy exercises, group games, and more. Seniors and affected families are also invited to attend group gatherings at local churches.
• Fort Worth Opera. In partnership with Dementia Friendly Fort Worth and the United Way Area Agency on Aging in Texas, the local opera theater hosts a special event called “Music, Memory, and More” to interactively engage seniors with dementia. Seniors can spend occasional mornings learning about historical periods of classical music and participating in therapeutic activities.
• Amon Carter Museum of American Art. This local art museum hosts a monthly event called “Artful Moments” for individuals with dementia. This program enables seniors with early-stage dementia to connect with artworks in a social setting. It helps them to reminisce and stimulate their brains through hands-on activities. This program is also hosted at some memory care communities in Fort Worth.
• Fort Worth Botanic Garden. Seniors can calm their minds and immerse themselves in the beautiful sights and sounds of nature at the local botanical garden. Families can explore the stunning, 120-acre campus filled with blooming flowers, exotic plants, horticulture displays, and more. The garden even provides wheelchairs on a first-come, first-served basis, along with guided tours to help seniors with varying mobility levels explore the gardens.