10 Best Memory Care Facilities in Fresno, CA

Below we guide you through your memory care payment options. First, you’ll learn about personal payment options and how you and your senior loved one may combine them with senior benefits. Next, you’ll browse senior benefits that may lower the costs associated with memory care.

Included in this section are Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits, Medi-Cal, Medicare, and Social Security. Tabs for each benefit contain access to application links and local benefit assistance contact information. We hope that reviewing this section will help you discover the best combination of payment options, to get the most out of private funds and potential benefits.

Fresno memory care communities are licensed by the California Department of Social Services (also referred to as CDSS). These communities fall under the title of Residential Care Facility for the Elderly (RCFE).

Each community licensed as a RCFE must adhere to specific regulations:

• House a maximum of two residents per bedroom
• Provide individual privacy in each bathroom
• Ensure bedrooms have room to accommodate wheelchairs and walkers
• Provide clean and accessible common rooms for residents
• Provide activities involving social, leisure, and daily living skills

Resident and staff requirements

Fresno memory care communities are required to assess seniors prior to move-in. Your loved one’s assessment may include a review of their health history and an interview with the senior and your family.

Memory care communities are also required to have enough staff at all times to provide care for residents. Regardless of the number of residents, all memory care facilities must have one staff member awake and on duty at night. If the facility has more than 16 residents, it must also have an on-call staff member. In addition, every staffed caregiver must have a minimum of eight annual hours in dementia-specific training to care for the specialized needs of seniors with dementia.

Inspections

The CDSS inspects each Fresno memory care facility once a year and no later than 10 days after a complaint has been filed. The CDSS has a Care Facility Search site where you can find lists of memory care facilities and their inspection reports.

To navigate the Care Facility Search site, scroll to “Search By Facility Group,” choose “Elderly Assisted Living,” choose the “Facility Type” and “Fresno County,” and then click on the search button. The site also allows you to search by facility name or address if you already have that information.

California Department of Health contact information

California Department of Public Health

1616 Capitol Ave.

Sacramento, CA 95899-7377

Phone: 916-558-1784

COVID-19 regulations for Fresno memory care facilities

Fresno County follows the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) COVID-19 guidance. Fresno encourages its residents to continue accessing vaccines and tests when needed, but there’s no current mask mandate.

Please note that some Fresno memory care communities may have their own COVID-19 guidelines. We recommend speaking with a community you’re interested in to learn about what rules are currently in effect.

Fresno memory care facilities were created for seniors with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia. To make sure your senior family member gets the care they need, each community has highly trained caregivers, memory care therapies, and dementia-friendly layouts that provide familiarity and security.

Choose from the range of memory care community types below to find the best fit for your loved one’s needs.

Residential care homes

Among our partner memory care communities, 47% are residential care homes, sometimes known in Fresno as simply care homes. These communities are typically smaller in size than larger community facilities, as they’re traditional residential homes converted into memory care homes. They also have fewer residents than larger facilities, with memory care services provided in a cozy, family-like environment.

Fresno memory care homes offer amenities and activities to support a fulfilled, homey life:

• Homemade meals
• Traditional indoor common areas, like living and dining rooms
• Secured grounds, with secured fences and privacy hedges
• Private or shared furnished bedrooms
• Social activities that promote seniors’ mental and physical well-being

Services in these care homes are comparable to those found in larger memory care facilities. Baseline services typically include:

• Companionship and personalized care services
• 24-hour care and supervision
• Visiting nurses, doctors, and therapists
• Laundry services
• Cleaning services

Combined senior care communities

Approximately 42% of our partner memory care communities share a campus with other types of senior care. You’ll find a range of care combinations all on the same campus, whether it’s memory care with assisted living, independent living, or a campus with all three care types.

What’s more, about half of these combined care communities also provide on-site skilled nursing services. Meaning, if your loved one moves into a combined senior care community for their memory care needs, they may be able to transition to a nursing level of care without having to move. These combined-care communities are also great for partners with different care needs who wish to live in the same facility.

Amenities you can expect to find at our partner senior care with memory care communities in Fresno can include the following:

• Movie theaters
• Salons and day spas
• Art studios
• Libraries
• Computer rooms
• Bistros
• Private family dining rooms
• Activity rooms
• Fitness centers
• Garden patios
• Resident gardens
• Walking paths
• Courtyards
• Pet parks

Activities you can expect to find at our partner senior care with memory care communities in Fresno can include the following:

• Fitness classes
• Celebrations and social events
• Resident-led activities and clubs
• Physical exercise
• Brain fitness activities

• Lifelong learning opportunities
• Faith and spirituality outlets
• Park outings
• Game and movie nights
• Karaoke
• Craft and cooking activities

Services you can expect to find at our partner senior care with memory care communities in Fresno can include the following:

• Indoor and outdoor restaurant-style dining
• Personal care, like assistance with activities of daily living
• Nursing care and on-call physicians
• Housekeeping and laundry services
• Transportation
• Concierge services
• Beauty and barber services
• Emergency call systems

Stand-alone memory care facilities

Our two partner stand-alone Fresno communities provide exclusively for seniors with memory care needs. These stand-alone facilities provide the same types of general assisted living services and amenities as other senior care facilities, while specializing all features for memory care needs — like more security features, family-style meals, and more therapeutic services.

Some families prefer this style of community for their loved ones due to the facility’s extensive dementia-friendly design. Families can also expect all staff and caregivers in these memory care exclusive communities to be highly trained with advanced memory care training and experience. From environmental sensory cues to individualized activities, therapies, and supports, stand-alone communities can provide a haven for your loved one and their unique needs.

Health care for seniors in Fresno

Find local health care options that work for the senior in your life. Fresno has a variety of local health care options, from a veteran-specific clinic to medical centers with doctors who specialize in Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.

Transportation for seniors in Fresno

Fresno has a few bike-friendly routes and walkable areas for visitors, but it’s generally considered a car-dependent city. That’s why 90% of A Place for Mom’s partner Fresno memory care communities provide either complimentary or at-cost transportation services to their residents. These transportation services are a secure way for seniors with dementia to participate in community outings and attend appointments.

The options outlined below are additional ways you can explore Fresno alongside your loved one.

Fresno Area Express (FAX)

The Fresno Area Express (or FAX) is the local public transportation service. Local family and friends can visit their loved one using this service, if they have no transportation of their own. All buses can accommodate seniors and people with physical disabilities, and there are routes throughout the city. The following FAX features can be found on all buses to help visitors and their senior loved ones get around Fresno:

• Priority seating for seniors
• Space to transport mobility devices
• Bike racks
• Ramps and lifts
• Bus drivers who can provide assistance with mobility devices, getting on, and getting off

Taxis, Uber, or Lyft

Lyft and Uber are the shared ride services typically readily available in Fresno. Both are great options for visitors who want to get around without depending on their own cars. These local services are especially common in the area, and some allow you to schedule rides ahead of time. Local taxi services are another popular option for visitors to use. However, seniors with dementia should not access these modes of public transportation without a caregiver.

Senior activities in Fresno

Nestled in the heart of the San Joaquin Valley, Fresno provides an expansive Californian playground for you to explore with your senior loved one. The city is only a 40-minute drive from the spellbinding beauty of Yosemite and the stunning Sierra National Forest. In addition, Fresno is only three hours away from the cities of Los Angeles and Santa Cruz. But if you want to stay around town, there are still plenty of engaging possibilities.

Browse our local highlights below, and curate a Fresno experience for you and your loved one. We also recommend perusing the helpful Visit Fresno County website to browse other accessible, senior-friendly activities you can peacefully enjoy as a family.

Outdoor opportunities

Botanical gardens, golf courses, and parks allow visitors to create peaceful outdoor memories with their senior loved ones:

• Blossom Trail is a popular scenic driving route through local orchards, where you can find a variety of springtime blossoms.
• Clovis Botanical Garden is a collection of themed outdoor experiences, including a Mediterranean garden and an accessible calming sensory garden.
• Forestiere Underground Gardens were built in the early 1900s by a Sicilian farmworker to escape the sweltering Fresno summers. Its stone walls and wheelchair-accessible tunnels are built into the ground and lead to underground courtyards with pristine gardens.
• Woodward Park is the city’s largest park. It’s known for its dog park, walking trails, and a Japanese garden.
• Airways Golf Course offers small greens and brief courses that can accommodate a range of ages and abilities.

Lively entertainment

Accompany your loved one to these local live events:

• Chukchansi Park is where you can enjoy the excitement of live events and the local minor league baseball team, the Fresno Grizzlies.
• Bulldog Stadium hosts a range of sports, including soccer, football, basketball, and more.
• Fresno Convention and Entertainment Center is where you can find live events such as concerts, competitions, and musicals.
• Tower Theatre for the Performing Arts hosts musicians, comedians, and more.

The strong community culture of Fresno

There’s strong sense of community throughout this historical city. Find your and your loved one’s niche in locales like these:

• Fresno County Public Library has a wide range of literature and dozens of local branches to choose from.
• Fresno Art Museum paints a picture of the community’s diversity. In addition to a disability-friendly layout, the museum includes a range of exhibits, including visual and cultural art.
• Old Town Clovis is known for its Vintage and Antiques District, historic streets, and lively evening scene.
• Kearney Mansion Museum paints a picture of the area’s agricultural history and offers walkable public grounds and guided tours.

Fresno — the center of “America’s breadbasket”

Take your loved one out to experience what makes Fresno most notable, the freshest produce and flavorful foods:

• Outdoor markets boast local produce, food trucks, handmade gifts, music, and more.
• Fresno’s farm-to-table restaurants offer dishes crafted with the best local ingredients.
• Tower District is a popular walkable area full of eateries, coffee shops, and storefronts.