Texas is a huge state with a lot of different things to offer, including various cultures and diverse cities like Austin and Dallas. With so much to do, so much to see, and so much incredible BBQ to eat, it’s hard to think of it as a place to just lay back and retire, but it’s also a very chill place with a lot of open spaces and incredible nature, so whatever one’s personality is, they can find some peace in Texas. There is great health care in Texas, not to mention that the cost of living is lower than average for the United States, which is another plus.

Let’s go over everything you need to know about assisted living in Texas, and senior care. The research phase is very important, then comes the initial assessment (which we’ll describe in great detail), and finally moving in after looking at various funding options. It’s also a good idea to visit a few facilities to compare them, if that’s an option for you, after all choosing a place to live is a very big decision. You shouldn’t buy the first house you look at, right? So why should this be any different?

Anyways, if you’re moving from out of state, or already live in Texas, there are a lot of facilities to choose from and it’s important to know what you’re looking for, in order to compare them, and what questions to ask. We’ve compiled all the basic info and you can take it from there. After reading this page and absorbing the information, you’ll have a much greater understanding and your research will become a lot easier moving forward.

Quick Facts about Texas

• Aside from Alaska, Texas is the largest state in the USA with a total area of 268,581 square miles.
• In terms of population, Texas is also ranked 2^nd place with 27,862,596 people living in this state.
• This time, Texas is ranked 2^nd behind California rather than Alaska. It’s interesting, if you think about it, how Texas fits right behind each of those two very different states, it highlights the uniqueness and diversity of Texas.

Types of Assisted Living in Texas

A senior home or a facility in Texas can handle things like helping with medication, and standard activities of daily living. Beyond that, residents have the option to contract out a third party provider for help with additional needs.

When it comes to memory care, only facilities with the B ALF designation are allowed to provide such care to people with Alzheimer’s disease. In additional, there are disclosures and extra steps and precautions that need to be taken to ensure that the care is administered in a way that will benefit the resident, and to ensure that their additional needs are met, including additional safety for people with cognitive difficulties.

Requirements for Moving in or Moving Out

Initial assessment information: It’s necessary to have an initial assessment, but there isn’t a standard form that gets filled out necessarily, however a facility may have their own forms and things that they ask and check for.

Please ensure that you, or your loved one, are being completely honest when it comes to this assessment, it’s not the time to be optimistic, it’s a time for reflection and to be completely upfront about everything because it directly impacts the level of care that one will receive, and if this assessment isn’t done correctly, the resident won’t be having all of their needs met which can substantially impact quality of life, at least until they’re re-evaluated which happens on a regular basis.

General Information About Care

Bathroom requirements: Washroom facilities can be shared at a ratio of one sink and toilet for every six people living in a facility, and one shower or tub for every ten residents living there. It’s not the best ratio by any stretch of the imagination, but it doesn’t mean that individual facilities can’t choose to offer more washrooms for their residents, so definitely look into it on a case by case basis if this is an aspect that’s important you.

Medication handling: Residents, if they’re able to, are allowed to administer their medication themselves. If they can’t do that, or they would rather have a professional take care of it for them, that’s also an option. A registered nurse or somebody licensed needs to administer the medication, unless they have tasked somebody else to assist the resident, in which case the person can simply help the resident with taking their medication but cannot administer it to them directly.

Fire and Safety information: All facilities need to follow the guidelines set out by the NFPA, which is the National Fire Prevention Association.

Staff Training and Requirements

Newly hired staff members can work with residents right away, but there is a four hour orientation required within their first sixteen hours at the facility. For anyone working with residents in memory care and with cognitive challenges, additional training is necessary.

Medicaid for Assisted Living in State and Additional Information

Medicaid is available for people seeking assisted living and senior care in Texas, and for more information you can reach out to the Department of Aging and Disability Services.

Hopefully this page has helped to shine some light on this subject that can be quite confusing, and given you some ideas of things to look for when trying to find a facility for you or your loved ones.