10 Best Nursing Homes in Plano, TX

When looking into how to pay for a nursing home, assisted living facility, or memory care facility in the Plano area, there are several options to consider. In the following sections, we’ll discuss private payment options, benefits from the U.S. Veterans Administration, Medicaid, and Medicare — and discuss how each can help you or your loved one’s situation.

The licensing and inspections of nursing homes, assisted living communities, and memory care facilities is the responsibility of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHS).

Laws and regulations for nursing homes in Plano

Nursing homes are governed by federal laws as well as state laws and regulations. Both skilled nursing care by licensed nurses and personal care is provided 24/7 to nursing home residents. Texas laws do not specify the ratio of nurses to residents; however, the laws do say that a sufficient number of licensed nurses and nurse aides have to be available at all times to provide resident care. Doctors must also visit monthly for a resident’s first 90 days and every other month after that. Residents of nursing homes in the Plano area have a long list of rights facilities must honor.

Laws and regulations for assisted living in Plano

TexasAssisted living facilities (ALF) are required to follow licensing requirements and regulations outlined via the Texas Administrative Code and the Health and Safety Code. ALFs must provide their residents with housing, daily meals, personal assistance with activities of daily living, 24-hour supervision, and medication administration. Assisted living facilities need a Type A license from HHS. This type of license is for facilities that have residents who don’t regularly need help during the night and can follow directions given during an emergency or evacuation.

Laws and regulations for memory care in Plano

A memory care facility in Plano needs a Type B Assisted Living Facility license and would be a Certified Alzheimer’s Assisted Living Facility. The Type B license is given to facilities where residents wouldn’t necessarily be able to comprehend or follow directions during an emergency and who do need regular assistance during the night.

Additional rules apply to facilities with a Type B license. Regulations require memory care facilities to have security measures in place, such as controlled egress exits, for the safety of residents who are prone to wandering. Memory care facility staff also have to provide specific activities appropriate for engaging residents with cognitive issues. Finally, specialized training for staff members must be provided on how to best care for people with Alzheimer’s or dementia.

Inspections for Plano area long-term care facilities

Annual inspections take place at nursing homes in the Plano area, and assisted living and memory care facilities are inspected once every two years. If a complaint is received, it has to be inspected at that time. Use this long-term care provider search site to view inspection results for all long-term care facilities.

Texas Department of Health contact information

Texas Department of Health and Human Services
North Austin Complex
4601 W. Guadalupe St.
Austin, TX 78751
Phone: 512-424-6500

COVID-19 regulations for Plano nursing homes

Plano doesn’t require any specific COVID-19 prevention tactics for nursing homes, assisted living facilities, or memory care facilities. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) makes guidelines for COVID-19 prevention available for anyone to follow.

Plano is one of the best and safest places to live. It’s been ranked as one of America’s safest cities and voted into the top five for being a great place to live and work. These are just a handful of the reasons Plano calls itself the City of Excellence. It’s a thriving community in which to look for the perfect senior living option.

 Senior living options for the perfect fit

No matter what you’re looking for in a senior living arrangement, A Place for Mom has plenty of options that will help you find the perfect fit for your situation. We don’t partner with facilities that focus only on skilled nursing care, but we have 100 Plano area partners who offer a variety of services. Our partner breakdown is as follows:

• 4 facilities that focus on offering assisted living
• 15 facilities that focus on offering memory care
• 38 facilities that offer both assisted living and memory care
• 3 communities that combine independent living and assisted living
• 5 communities that offer independent living options, assisted living, and memory care
• 17 personal care homes that offer assisted living
• 18 personal care homes that focus on offering memory care

Personal care homes in the Plano area are smaller, more intimate settings usually found in residential neighborhoods. They’re typically homes that are used for senior care.

Care and safety are top priorities

In all our partner facilities, care and safety is always top of mind.No matter what time of day or night, there will always be someone awake and available to help residents at our partner assisted living and memory care facilities. In our partner memory care facilities, your loved one will be kept safe from wandering while still being allowed plenty of freedom within a secure community.

Your loved one’s health is a top consideration, too. Almost all of our partners have either visiting nurses or a doctor on call. Additionally, 68% offer on-site nursing, and a few have skilled nursing wings if your loved one needs 24/7 medical care.

Everything is handled to make life easier

Three meals a day, laundry service, and housekeeping are all covered in our partner assisted living and memory care facilities. Transportation and even delivery service are available at many of our partners, so you can easily get to appointments and have personal items brought right to your door.

Engaging activities

With an activity director on staff at more than half our partner facilities, you or your loved one will have plenty of opportunities to socialize at planned events like art classes, live music performances, holiday parties, and trivia games. Even when there isn’t something on the calendar, there’s still no shortage of things to do. You can choose to catch a movie in the theater room or join a game of bridge in the game room or other common areas available at most of our partner facilities.

Health care for seniors in Plano

Just 19 miles from downtown Dallas, Plano is one of the primary suburbs of the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area, so you can be sure there is plenty of access to great health care in this bustling city. Plano itself made the 2023 Top 50 list for America’s healthiest cities.

Transportation for seniors in Plano

Getting around Plano or making it to doctor’s appointments is convenient for residents of our partner assisted living and memory care facilities, as 43% of them provide complimentary transportation, and 53% provide it at cost.

But if you or your loved one are looking for additional options, you’ll be happy to hear that Plano is one of 12 suburbs of the Dallas-Fort Worth area to opt into the Dallas Area Rapid Transit System (DART) so that  Plano has access to DART light rails, buses, and on-demand transportation.

In Plano, you can use the DART Rail System’s Orange or Red Lines at the Downtown Plano Station or the Parker Road Station. Take a look at this rail system map to get a better idea of how they all connect to other lines. The DART Bus System offers two Plano park-and-ride locations: the Jack Hatchell Transit Center and the Northwest Plano Park-and-Ride.

A DART travel training program allows people with disabilities (either physical or mental) to spend one-on-one time with an instructor to learn all about how to get around on the DART system. Call 214-828-8676 to sign up or ask questions about the program.

GoLink is the DART On-Demand service available seven days a week from 5 a.m. to midnight. DART also has a door-to-door paratransit service for people with disabilities who can’t use the regular DART system.

Finally, there is DART Rides, which is a rider assistance program for people who have a qualifying disability or are at least 65 years old. You have to apply for and qualify for this program, which you can do online or by downloading the application and mailing it or emailing it to:

•  DART Rides, P.O. Box 660163, Dallas, TX 75266-7271
• mmsrap@dart.org

Senior activities in Plano

While our partner assisted living and memory care facilities offer a wide array of on-site activities and local outings, you and your loved one still might want to get out and have lunch, spend time outside, or explore the area. While Plano itself has plenty to fit the bill, you can also hop on the DART Red Line or Orange Line and quickly go into Dallas to find even more to do!

Downtown Plano

The Downtown Plano Arts District is a great starting point for fun and relaxation. You can participate in events like the Third Thursday Sip and Shop or the Jazz Concert Under the Starz. You’ll also find Haggard Park there, where you can take in lakeside views and enjoy concerts in the gazebo from the Plano Community Band and local choirs. Pick up a treat at the Tell Me Something  Sweet Bakery or stop for lunch at The Plano Tortilla and Tamale Factory.

Step back in time

If you enjoy local history, the Heritage Farmstead Museum is a perfect stop. This facility brings the history of life on the North Texas Blackland Prairie to life. You can see live animals and visit historic structures. The Interurban Railway Museum is another fun stop (and admission is free)! Due to the historic nature of some of the structures, there are accessibility challenges, so you’ll want to check before you go. There are plenty of exhibits that are always available as well as some rotating and visiting exhibits.

Play outside

If you like to fish or take a walk, Plano has excellent options. Oak Point Park and Nature Preserve offer miles of trails and a fishing lake where you can cast a line. A full eight miles of the trail system are smooth concrete making them great for accessibility. Bob Woodruff Park North boasts a fishing pier, trails, and an equestrian area. You may not ride horses, but it is fun to do some people- and horse-watching.

Take a short drive

Southfork Ranch sits slightly North of Plano. If you decide to drive by, it may look quite familiar to you! It’s no wonder because it was featured as the Ewing mansion on the popular T.V. show “Dallas.”

Speaking of Dallas, you’ll want to head into the city to visit the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, where thousands of colorful plants and flowers await, as well as plenty of sculptures and water features. Seniors get a discount on admission, and wheelchairs and trams are available, making the gardens accessible.

If sports are more to your liking, Dallas has plenty for you in that realm. Cheer on the Dallas Cowboys or get a special behind-the-scenes look at this popular NFL team through a tour of AT&T Stadium, where they play. There’s plenty of pro-team excitement in Dallas, where you can enjoy rooting for the MLB’s Texas Rangers, the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks, or the NHL’s Dallas Stars.

If you are interested in American history, visit the George W. Bush Presidential Center. In addition to being a presidential library and museum, it features a Texas rose garden and a 15-acre prairie. You can dive even deeper into presidential history at Dealey Plaza, where you’ll find The Sixth Floor Museum. Located inside the former Texas School Book Depository from where President John F. Kennedy was assassinated, this museum covers the life and death of JFK.