DEV | TEST h1 template (view-level fallback) Assisted Living

There are several ways a person can pay for assisted living, so it’s important to maximize options by planning early. Many families use a mixture of private methods and public sources to finance assisted living costs. In this section, we’ve compiled a variety of methods and resources to help you pay for assisted living in Houston.

In the state of Texas, all assisted living facilities must be licensed by Texas Health and Human Services (also known as HHS) in order to operate and house residents.

Texas Health and Human Services refers to assisted living facilities as ALFs and categorizes them into two types — A and B. Type A ALFs provide care to residents who don’t require routine attendance overnight and are capable of following directions in emergency situations. Type B ALFs care for residents who require nighttime attendance and assistance for evacuation during emergencies.

All licensed assisted living facilities must pass a life safety code, physical plant inspection, and health inspection before they are officially licensed. After the initial inspection, facilities are inspected at least once every two years. The life safety code is used to ascertain whether the facility is built to safely house residents, and the health inspection helps confirm that a facility is equipped to protect residents’ health.

Texas Health and Human Services inspections check for the following in a facility and more:

• Sufficient staff-to-resident ratios
• Compliance with employee background checks
• Management of the facility
• Facility construction
• Implementation of safety and emergency features
• Protection from hazardous areas
• Documented reports of fire drills, systems, checks, etc.

To access a licensed assisted living facility’s most recent inspection report and general facility information, visit the Texas Health and Human Services Long-term Care Provider Search. To request any information not found on the site, email RSLTCR.RecordsMgmt@hhsc.state.tx.us.

Additional information and resources

• Summary of Texas assisted living regulations and records
• Texas assisted living laws
• Texas assisted living regulations

Texas Health and Human Services 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 Houston assisted living facilities

Houston itself doesn’t have any COVID-19 regulations in place for assisted living facilities; however, the Harris County Public Health Department provides COVID-19 updates and general information regarding testing, vaccines, and more.

For the state, Texas Health and Human Services (also known as HHS) developed a COVID-19 response plan for assisted living facilities. They regularly provide updates through COVID-19 FAQs to help facilities stay up to date with practices.

HHS requires assisted living facilities to develop their own policies and procedures regarding masks, social distancing, and additional protocols for personal protective equipment (PPE) to help ensure resident safety. They must also allow all residents to have visitors, as it is a resident right.

Texas COVID-19 guidelines include the following:

Houston’s population of 2.2 million is quickly rising and contributing to the growth of the aging population because many seniors prefer to remain close to their families. Houston seniors often seek assisted living options in neighborhoods close to their loved ones. Luckily, the city has no shortage of options. From luxury communities downtown to traditional communities in suburban neighborhoods, seniors have a range of options to choose from. Check out some unique Houston, Texas, assisted living features below.

Robust on-site amenities and activities

Due to high temperatures in Houston, many residents prefer to have as many on-site activities, amenities, and conveniences as possible. Our in-network communities do a great job of this, as many of them offer everything from beauty salons and fitness centers to theaters and libraries. Texas regulations hold assisted living communities to a high standard, as they require communities to provide weekly social programming. Many communities take this a step further and provide a rotating calendar of events and activities on a monthly basis.

On-site medical care services

Many Houston families and residents feel safer when care is available on site. Especially when an on-site medical director oversees care plans and an on-call doctor is available to attend to any urgent needs. Approximately 35% of our in-network communities have an on-site medical director, while 80% of them have an on-call doctor. Several communities also have visiting dentists, nurses, and physical, occupational, and speech therapists. These visits are covered by Medicare when medically necessary for residents.

Cultural and religious accommodations

More than half of our in-network communities employ staff members that speak at least one other language, with Spanish being the most popular one. A small number of our Houston partner communities also employ staff fluent in sign language, Mandarin, and French. Additionally, several communities enable residents to practice their faith by offering a place of worship, devotional services, religious study groups, or visiting chaplains. Some communities are even faith-based, enabling seniors to reside and practice their faith with like-minded individuals.

Assisted living in the surrounding Houston suburbs

As seniors age, many of them prefer to move away from Houston traffic. Luckily, there are several suburbs nearby with a range of assisted living options. In recent years, Sugar Land and Katy have become some of Houston’s most popular suburbs and retirement destinations. These suburban cities come with a lot of open space, enabling seniors to live in large, nationally recognized, and award-winning assisted living communities that house unique amenities and multiple care types under one roof.

Health care for seniors in Houston

Houston is a health care hub for veterans and seniors. The city is home to two nationally ranked hospitals and the top-ranked hospital in Texas. Take a look at some information on the top hospitals in Houston:

Transportation for seniors in Houston

Assisted living facilities are home to seniors with a range of mobility needs. Some seniors are wheelchair users or require transfer assistance, while others just need some safety accommodations like grab bars, ramps, etc. To accommodate these various needs, most assisted living facilities provide their own complimentary transportation, at-cost transportation services, or easy access to public options.

Houston public transportation options include METRO, which offers buses, rails, and paratransit services to Harris County residents. Another option is RIDES, offered through Harris County Transit, for residents who aren’t able to access METRO services. RIDES service is provided to qualifying individuals with disabilities and 65+ adults.

For active seniors who’d like to explore Houston with friends and families, the following scores from WalkScore may be useful. They’re each out of 100 and are based on Houston’s public density, walking routes, transportation services, biking trails, and more: