US Memory Care Announces Locations Across Texas


Alzheimer’s and dementia are on the rise, and the number of cases in the United States is expected to triple by 2050. A massive influx of patients is about to hit the long term care facility industry, and there aren’t enough beds to take them all… Not yet, anyway.

Memory Care Gains Ground 

US Memory Care, founded in 2011, is currently in the process of opening a number of memory care facilities across Texas. The company’s first memory care center opened recently in Colleyville, a city outside Dallas. The facility was the first of 20 separate memory care facilities that US Memory Care plans to build over the next 3 years.

Construction began early this year on 2 other locations in North Dallas and Vintage. Facilities in 2 more locations, Cedar Park (outside of Austin) and Southwest Houston, were announced this week and are expected to break ground soon. Each US Memory Care facility is expected to be 60,000 square feet and hold 75 residents.

Memory care facilities have become increasingly popular as the need for dementia specific care becomes more apparent. Patients suffering from Alzheimer’s and dementia require a very different environment than other nursing home residents, and senior housing developers are recognizing the importance of these care-specific settings in the long term care realm.

Designed for Success

US Memory Care facilities are all set up in the same way; they are separated into 3 “neighborhoods” developed around a “Main Street” common area. Each of the different neighborhoods is home to residents that require a similar level of care, and the common area focuses on positive social interaction.

Marti Smith, Regional Director of Marketing and Sales at US Memory Care released the following statement regarding the construction of the company’s new facilities: “At US Memory Care we live our mission everyday: to transform the lives of those afflicted with Alzheimer’s and those who care for them. Elderly care, especially in the area of memory loss, must provide a safe and compassionate environment for the residents and the families they serve. The design of our communities is unique to US Memory Care, and establishes a setting that enables us to provide the level of expertise and care for each resident on an individual basis.”

The setting certainly seems compassionate, namely the common room that includes a movie theater, barber shop, beauty salon, music hall, sweet shop, dining hall, and more. The typical image of cold, quiet halls in a barren nursing home that one might associate with long term care is completely squashed by this innovative type of care setting.

Progress Ahead

US Memory Care offers Texas residents a totally new way to receive dementia care. As Alzheimer’s prevalence increases rapidly across the nation, this specialized care is spreading in popularity, too.

Facilities like the US Memory Care facilities are top notch facilities that many people would choose as their preferred facility if given the option. However, not every one has the option. If you rely on Medicaid for your long term care, you will most likely end up in a standard nursing home. Patients with Long Term Care Insurance are able to choose from a variety of services, including in-home care, specialized care centers like these memory care centers, assisted living facilities, or nursing homes.

Long Term Care Insurance provides policyholders with the assurance that their assets will not be exhausted and they will still receive the type of care they prefer in the setting they choose. Texans are fortunate enough that the state has set up a Long Term Care Insurance Partnership Program, which incentivizes residents to buy LTCI. Visit our home page to learn more about the Partnership Program and general Texas LTCI information.

In Wake of National Nursing Home Week, Understanding How to Choose a Long Term Care Facility Is As Important As Ever

In light of National Nursing Home Week, which was celebrated May 11-17 this year, it seems prudent to discuss some current issues facing nursing homes across the state of Texas. Texas has had its fair share of negative light shone on nursing homes across the state, but two violent attacks in Houston’s long-term care facilities recently brought the subject back into the spotlight again.

Do Your Research on Nursing Homes

The brutal occurrences, which left two men dead and one critically injured, bring up yet again the issues of nursing home oversight, staffing levels, and the crucial importance of researching a nursing home before enrolling as a resident. When it comes to finding a good nursing home, looks can often be deceiving. Just because a facility looks nice on the outside, or maybe even on the inside, too, doesn’t mean there aren’t problems lurking below the surface. Unfortunately, some families find this out the hard way.

No matter how much research you do, it can be difficult to detect problems in nursing homes, but there are a few things you can do to help increase the chances that the facility you choose isn’t one of the bad apples. Whether it’s a lack of staff personnel or poor administrative oversight, some nursing homes face problems that can often pass down negative consequences to residents. Before you decide on a certain facility, make sure you take the time to look into various aspects of the facility to help you better understand the staff, administration, and quality of care provided.

Problems Facing Texas

Just last year, a nationwide Nursing Home Report Card was published and Texas ranked 51st, the absolute worst ranking possible. This ranking was based on a number of different measures including facility deficiencies, staff levels, and verified ombudsmen complaints. The report card, produced by a non-profit organization in Florida, highlights the extreme problems facing nursing homes across the state of Texas. The Lone Star state received a grade of F and was the only state to receive failing grades in 6 of the 8 measures.

According to the report, just over 94% of nursing home facilities in Texas have deficiencies and a little more than 16% were cited as having severe deficiencies. Texas also had the lowest percentage of nursing homes with an above-average direct care staff rating, with just 19.68% of nursing homes qualifying under that measure. Because nursing home quality has been shown to be poor across the entire state of Texas, it is especially important for Texans to understand the best ways to research nursing homes and compare different ones to find the best available.

How to Compare Long-Term Care Facilities

One way to gain some insider knowledge about the state of different nursing homes is to speak with your local long-term care ombudsman. Ombudsmen are individuals who volunteer to help investigate complaints surrounding nursing homes and work with local organizations to help rectify the problems. They provide free services to family members and individuals interested in long-term care. You can get in touch with your local ombudsman by contacting your local Area Agency on Aging, of which there are 28 in Texas.

Another way to compare nursing homes is to utilize the Nursing Home Compare online tool provided by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. US News and Health Report also publishes an annual nursing homes ranking list compiled using data from the CMS website and other sources. You can view this year’s ranking list of nursing homes here and navigate through the ones specifically in Texas.

Besides doing research online, in-person research is another crucial tool to helping you get a better grasp of what is happening in nursing homes across Texas or in your area. If you are able, visit the nursing home yourself and walk around all the different areas of the facility. It’s best to visit nursing homes a number of times on different days. For example, you might want to make two visits during the week, one in the morning or afternoon and one at night. It is wise to do the same thing again on the weekend to get a good feel of how the facility operates and whether or not it is a good fit for what you are looking for.

When it comes to long term care, there are extremely important things at stake, including the safety, health, and wellbeing of either you or your loved one. Before committing to a specific nursing home, do your best to research, visit, and compare nursing homes so you can find the best one.