Tar Heel State, Old North State, North Carolina… whatever you want to call it, it is often in the discussion of best places to retire in America, and for good reason. We’re going to go over the basics of assisted living and senior care in North Carolina, as well as touching on the topic of memory care, and helping you along your way as you research the best places to seek assisted living in this state, and the rest of the country. We’ve compiled detailed information about every state so that you can easily compare them, but if you’ve already decided on seeking a living arrangement in North Caroline, you’re already in the right place.

Research is crucial, and since everyone’s needs and budget and requirements are different, we find it much more valuable to help inform you about what to look for, and the right questions to ask, because there’s necessarily a “Best assisted living facility in North Carolina”, at least not one answer that will be suitable for every single person. Thus, we’ve compiled this page to give you an overview, and to cover all the crucial information, and also to point you in the right direction so that you can find the perfect facility for you or for someone you care about.

If you are on the fence about moving to, or staying in, North Caroline, we’ve also put together a brief list of fun things to do and see in this state, because leisure time is a crucial part of one’s life, especially later in life – you don’t want to just fall into the same old habit of every day being exactly the same. The Blue Ridge Parkway is one of the top attractions, and the Biltmore Estate is also a must-see. The Sarah P. Duke Gardens are a beautiful way to spend a day, and the North Caroline Museum of Natural Sciences will open your mind and amaze you. The Wheels Through Time Transportation Museum is a one of a kind look at the history of transport, and there are countless other very highly rated restaurants, gardens, and historical sites to experience.

Now, with that out of the way, let’s dive right into information about North Caroline senior living, memory care, and assisted living in general after going over a few quick facts about this state.

Quick Facts about North Carolina

• From Charlotte to Raleigh and everything in between, North Carolina has a total population of 10,146,788 which ranks them in 9^th place in the USA.
• The total land area in NC is 53,819 square miles, which is enough to sit at 28^th place.
• The median household income is $50,797 which puts North Carolina below the average, in 38^th place. A lower income can also mean a lower cost of living, thus more affordable care. We’ll also cover the basics of Medicaid for assisted living in NC at the bottom of this page.

Types of Assisted Living in State

Basic senior care in North Carolina includes things like housing, help scheduling and setting up health care, and some types of facilities will also offer basic nursing care and around the clock supervision, however other types of facilities aren’t equipped to provide such services.

For facilities that are able to cater to those with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, their memory care units require additional staff who are trained in such ailments, and ideally a separate unit to ensure optimal safety. Wandering off is a very dangerous aspect of these types of conditions, as people can become confused, and having a facility that’s built and laid out to address these concerns can make a world of difference.

Requirements for moving into a facility or leaving one

Initial assessment information: An initial assessment ensures that a resident’s needs can, and are, being met by the correct type of facility. This is a screening process that can ensure each resident is getting the level of care they need, because no two people are the same, and a personal assessment is very important.

General Information About Care

Bathroom requirements: The requirements when it comes to the ratio of washrooms to residents in North Caroline aren’t ideal. For every five people living in a facility, there must be at least one sink and toilet. In additional, for every ten people living there, there must be at least one shower or bathtub. Obviously, private washrooms that aren’t shared at all are ideal, however they can also lead to the cost of care being more expensive, too. None the less, we don’t believe this is an ideal way to cut costs, but proper scheduling and management of bathing and other hygiene can help a great deal.

Medication handling: This depends the resident’s abilities, which often also determine the type of home they’re in to begin with, so in some cases the residents can administer their own medicine, however in other types of homes, it’s required that licensed, trained, and certified staff handle medication administration.

Fire and Safety information: Most rooms in a facility, including storage lockers, along with multiple rooms in each resident’s unit, are required to have proper fire safety equipment as per the state, and local, regulations and guidelines.

Staff Training and Requirements

There is an extensive 80 hour training program for staff members that work directly with residents, and it must be completed over the course of the first half-year after the staff members begins working there.

Staff members working in special care units, like memory care, also require training to understand and properly address the needs of people living with dementia, Alzheimer’s, or any similar types of scenarios.

Medicaid for Assisted Living in North Carolina and Additional Information

For additional information, you can reach out to the facilities directly, or to the Division of Health Service Regulation, which is a part of the North Caroline Department of Health and Human Services.

There is a state Medicaid plan in place that can assist with the costs, as well.