Arlington, Texas, attracts seniors from all walks of life due to its ideal temperatures, impressive parks, and thrilling sports scene. And, it’s perfect for seniors looking to escape Dallas’ traffic and noise without straying too far. The suburban nature of Arlington offers an additional safety net to seniors, as the peaceful neighborhoods provide several nature paths and conveniences nearby. The open space also enables the city to offer spacious senior living communities — including memory care.
Memory care communities accommodate seniors with dementia through intentional design features, person-centered care services, and specialized memory care staff and programming. These facilities also offer assisted living services like assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs), medication management, dining plans, and other senior care services.
A Place for Mom partners with 19 memory care facilities within a 10-mile radius of south-central Arlington. In this guide, you can browse through these communities’ features, like cleanliness, activities, amenities, care services, and more. You’ll also find sections on local memory care costs, how families typically pay, senior-specific benefit resources, Texas memory care regulations, and dementia-friendly activities in Arlington.
Magnolia Estates In Grand Prairie is an exception to most Assisted Living facilities I’ve visited. The suites are ample in size and bright in appearance. I love the fact that residents have private...
The community is great for memory care. My loved one is now on a routine. The staff makes sure my loved one gets out of their room, down to the dining room, and is clean everyday. My loved one is happy...
They are the most wonderful place in the world. They cared for her, they got to know her personally. They were very warm and welcoming. They did a great job, and I am so happy I found them.
Friendly helpful staff, nice atmosphere, a good place for mom, food is nutritious and adequate, always activities going on. The nursing staff is amazing and friendly and she gets her medicine on time...
We developed a proprietary recommendation system that orders Arlington community options based on factors we know are important to seniors and their families:
We collect proprietary data from our network of 14,000+ senior living communities in the U.S., with regular refreshes of data and information
We have 387,000+ reviews from senior living residents and family members that provide first-hand accounts about senior living communities
Seniors and their families pay an average of $5,418 per month for rent at a memory care facility in Arlington, according to A Place for Mom’s 2022-2023 proprietary data.[01] Memory care residents in Arlington pay significantly less than residents in the surrounding cities of Dallas and Fort Worth.
The above figure only accounts for rent, so it’s important to note that costs may vary based on a community’s location, the selected floor plan, available amenities, and your loved one’s required level of care. Luckily, there are several amenities and services included in the baseline rent at Arlington memory care communities.
Here’s a list of amenities and services you’ll typically find covered by monthly baseline rent in Arlington memory care communities:
Some of the following services and amenities are also typically found at Arlington memory care communities, though they may incur additional costs:
The following chart provides a good baseline cost comparison of memory care communities across the greater Arlington area:
Seniors and their families typically use a mixture of personal income sources, insurance policies, savings, and pension income to pay for a memory care community in Arlington. Qualifying seniors also use federal and state programs, such as veterans benefits, Medicaid, and Medicare to help offset some medical and memory care costs. In this section, you’ll find useful information on the most common payment methods used by families.
Families often initially look to their personal assets when crafting a payment plan for memory care. Savings accounts usually come to mind first. But families can also utilize other personal assets, including health savings accounts (HSAs), retirement pensions, investment returns, and/or Social Security benefits. And, luckily, Texas doesn’t levy a personal income tax, saving seniors from paying taxes on these income sources at the state level.
If you’re considering long-term care insurance as a payment method for memory care, we recommend that you reach out to your senior loved one’s policy provider to learn about what memory care costs can be covered under their plan.
Depending on your loved one’s current situation, you can also turn to the following options to pay for memory care in Arlington:
Number of veterans living in Arlington as of 2021
About 47% of Arlington veterans are 65+.
Eligible senior veterans and their spouses could use funds provided by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to pay for long-term care and memory care costs in Arlington. The Aid and Attendance benefit, specifically, is important for disabled veterans as it’s especially generous. It can be added to an existing Veterans Pension to cover anything that improves a senior’s quality of life — which could include rent and care at a memory care community.
If you’re unsure about your loved one’s eligibility status for VA benefits, you should reach out to a local veterans service organization (VSO). These organizations are nonprofits, are often VA-vetted, and can help veterans find benefit options they may not know about. Such organizations offer benefit advising and assistance to help you or your loved one successfully file for a claim or appeal a denied claim.
It’s in your best interest to reach out to a local VSO before applying for benefits. They’ll help your loved one obtain and maximize benefits. You can also check out this service-connected disabilities fact sheet to see whether your loved one’s disability or condition qualifies them for benefits. Keep in mind that the fact sheet is not exhaustive, and conditions often change. So, even if you don’t think your loved one’s condition is covered, it’s still a good idea to check with a VSO, especially with a dementia diagnosis.
Fortunately, Arlington has a simplified process for veterans seeking benefits assistance. Families can reach out to the Tarrant County Veterans Services Office to access a variety of VSOs. This office connects veterans to local, regional, and national services offered by organizations like the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Texas Veterans Commission (TVC), and others.
You can reach out to the above mentioned organizations for benefits assistance using the contact information below. We’ve also provided some online guides for more information.
Resources for Arlington veterans
Tarrant County Veteran Services Office
1200 Circle Drive, Suite 300
Fort Worth, TX 76119
Phone: 817-531-5645
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Medicaid is a public health insurance program that’s jointly funded by the state and federal governments. It can’t be used to pay rent at a private memory care community in Arlington. But it can help cover some long-term health care services and medically necessary care services within a memory care community.
The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) operates Texas Medicaid, which is called STAR. STAR offers a managed care program specifically for seniors 65+ and individuals with disabilities called STAR+PLUS. In addition to routine health care costs, the STAR+PLUS program covers long-term care services, which can include the following:
Keep in mind that STAR+PLUS can only cover health care and long-term care services through agencies licensed and certified by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC).
As of 2023, seniors 65+ must not exceed the following monthly income limits to qualify for STAR+PLUS:[03]
For care services to be covered within a private memory care or assisted living facility, seniors must be eligible for a home and community based services (HCBS) Medicaid waiver program. And the facility must qualify as a residential or community based setting. HCBS waivers allow Medicaid to cover care services provided through a home health care agency contracted with the patient’s managed care provider. This enables seniors to receive care in a residential setting of their choice, like a memory care community, rather than an institutional setting like a nursing home.[04]
The STAR+PLUS HCBS waiver program can help cover the following care costs as long as the agency providing the care services is contracted with Medicaid:[05]
When a senior applies for Medicaid, the HHSC will assess their need for the HCBS waiver program. As of 2023, seniors must meet the following eligibility requirements:[04]
Note about HCBS settings: Many stand-alone memory care facilities may not qualify as an HCBS setting. However, some memory care group homes and assisted living facilities with a memory care unit will. Be sure to check with each prospective community if you plan to use Medicaid to pay for care services. To qualify as an HCBS setting, facilities must meet the following qualifications:[06]
If you require help understanding or accessing your loved one’s eligible Medicaid benefits, you can contact your local area agencies on aging (or AAAs). These agencies can provide assistance in accessing local long-term care services and disability programs. You can also submit a complaint if you have concerns about your loved one’s current Medicaid coverage.
Below, you can use the Your Texas Benefits search tool to find a local Medicaid office near you or you can use the HHSC services search to find other local long-term care programs. We’ve also provided easy access to online applications and guides. You can even contact your local long-term care (LTC) ombudsman to better understand your loved one’s available memory care options and payment methods.
Arlington resident Medicaid resources
Area Agency on Aging of Tarrant County website
201 N. Rupert St., Suite 107
Fort Worth, TX 76107
Tiffany McLennan, managing local ombudsman
Phone: 817-258-8102
Email: tiffany.mclennan@unitedwaytarrant.org
Medicare is a federal health insurance program providing coverage to adults aged 65 and older and individuals with disabilities. It can’t be used to cover room and board costs in a private Arlington memory care community, but it can help cover some medically necessary care costs within a memory care facility.
The following Texas programs can help seniors save on Medicare costs and apply for Medicare benefits:
As of 2023, seniors must not exceed a monthly income of $1,458 as an individual or $1,972 as a couple to qualify for this program. They must also not exceed $9,090 for resources as an individual or $13,630 as a couple.[03]
For additional assistance with your loved one’s eligible Medicare benefits and enrollment, you can visit the Medicare website or call 2-1-1. Below, you’ll also find applications and resources to help your senior loved one access their Medicare benefits in Arlington.
If you’d like further assistance with Texas Medicare, reach out to a local Social Security Administration office, the Texas Legal Services Center (TLSC), or your local long-term care ombudsman. A long-term care ombudsman can be found at the Area Agency on Aging of Tarrant County. They advocate for the health care rights of memory care residents and help families learn about potential senior care options and payment methods.
Arlington resident Medicare resources
Find an SSA office near Arlington
2010 N. State Highway 360
Grand Prairie, TX 75050
Phone: 800-772-1213
Hours: Monday through Friday, 9 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Texas Health Information, Counseling, and Advocacy Program (HICAP)
Phone: 800-252-9240
The Legal Hotline for Texans
Phone: 800-622-2520, ext. 3
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Area Agency on Aging of Tarrant County website
201 N. Rupert St., Suite 107
Fort Worth, TX 76107
Tiffany McLennan, managing local ombudsman
Phone: 817-258-8102
Email: tiffany.mclennan@unitedwaytarrant.org
If your senior loved one qualifies for both Medicare and Medicaid, they’re eligible to receive dual coverage through one Medicare-Medicaid Plan (MMP) in Arlington, Texas. This program is called the Dual Eligible Integrated Care Demonstration Project and is commonly referred to as “the Demonstration.” The Demonstration aims to do the following:
To qualify for the Demonstration, a senior must meet the following eligibility criteria:
Dual-eligible individuals should be automatically enrolled in the program. They may choose to opt out of the Demonstration after they receive an enrollment letter in the mail notifying them of their enrollment. To request additional information on this program, you can email managed_care_initiatives@hhsc.state.tx.us.
The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) is the state agency responsible for licensing and regulating memory care facilities. Memory care facilities are considered a type of assisted living in Texas, so memory care regulations are built into existing assisted living regulations and laws.
The state of Texas refers to assisted living facilities as ALFs and categorizes them into two main types:[07]
All licensed memory care facilities fall under the Type B assisted living facility (ALF). Assisted living facilities with memory care must meet additional memory-care certification requirements.
Texas’ regulations hold memory care communities to a higher standard than other states. For example, regulations require memory care staff to continuously learn about the latest dementia research and train in tried-and-true memory care techniques. Texas even requires facilities to offer specialized memory care programming to actively engage residents.
Read on for some additional regulation standards that Texas has for assisted living facilities licensed in memory care.
To regulate memory care-specialized assisted living facilities, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission performs unannounced inspections approximately every two years after the initial inspection. Inspections assess a facility’s compliance with Texas’ health and life safety code.[09]
The health code inspection includes a review of the following:
The life safety code inspection reviews the following:[09,10]
You can access each licensed community’s most recent inspection report and general facility information through the Texas Health and Human Services’ Long-term Care Provider Search. Inspection reports typically include the date of a community’s most recent inspection, a list of any found violations, and the date violations were corrected. To request any information not found in reports, you can email rsltcr.recordsmgmt@hhsc.state.tx.us.
4601 W. Guadalupe St.
Austin, TX 78751
Phone: 512-424-6500
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Arlington doesn’t have any regulations in place for city residents regarding the spread of COVID-19. However, Texas qualifies memory care facilities as assisted living facilities. Therefore, these facilities must follow assisted living guidelines.
Texas assisted living facilities are required to develop their own infection prevention and control measures for common infections, including COVID-19. The measures should include guidance on the following hygiene practices:
Because communities are allowed to set their own guidelines, it’s recommended that you check with each prospective community to see how they’re handling the spread of COVID-19 or any virus. You can also visit the coronavirus informational page on the Arlington city website to find regular updates regarding local risk levels, testing, vaccinations, and more.
Arlington offers many benefits for seniors living with dementia. The city is a part of the North Central Texas Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. This means affected community members have access to many local resources, programs, and events that help families learn about, cope with, and fund research efforts for Alzheimer’s.
As a suburb of Dallas, Arlington also benefits from the dementia-friendly initiatives in place in the greater Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) metroplex. Dementia-affected families can travel to the surrounding cities to access a wider network of dementia-friendly businesses, programs, and activities in Fort Worth and Dallas.
Arlington also offers many memory care communities designed to accommodate the specialized needs of individuals with dementia. Learn about how our Arlington memory care partners are accommodating unique memory care needs below.
Texas requires specialized memory care training for its caregiving staff. Caregivers at these facilities should be trained to use gentle redirection, cueing, and reorientation techniques to address common dementia behaviors. Through these person-centered care techniques, dementia caregivers help to ease common behaviors and symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.
Here’s a brief overview of some common symptoms and behaviors caregivers at our memory care partners in Arlington are trained to handle:[01]
Memory care communities also employ staff members to handle daily chores like cooking, cleaning, driving, and scheduling appointments. Residents can expect housekeeping and laundry services, meal plans, and transportation for off-site appointments and group activities. More than half of our partner communities in Arlington also offer full, on-site nursing services, enabling residents to receive standard medical care services without having to visit a clinic.
Memory care communities offer personalized activities and therapies to properly and healthily engage residents. Activities are often informed by a resident’s close family, friends, caregivers, and/or physicians to make them truly person-centered. Such personalized assistance helps residents recall their cherished memories and promote new, meaningful experiences.
And, Texas requires memory care facilities to provide specialized programming that encourages residents to stay social, active, and healthy. This means that many of our partner facilities go the extra mile to implement unique memory care programs to help ensure the well-being of their residents.
The most common memory care activities practiced in our partner communities include brain-stimulating puzzles, sensory stimulation, and reminiscence therapies. Communities often offer several different types of reminiscence therapies — music therapy, art therapy, taste and scent therapy, and pet therapy — based on residents’ history and interests. Some communities even offer life-skill stations which imitate real-life environments to promote reminiscing. Depending on the individual resident’s history, life-skill stations are any scene that helps the resident recall long-term memories of the hobbies or professions of their past.
Residents are also free to enjoy any on-site amenities at these communities whenever they’d like, with or without the help of a caregiver. This enables residents to retain some independence as caregivers watch from a distance for continued safety. Typical on-site amenities found in our partner Arlington memory care communities include game rooms, libraries, movie theaters, fitness centers, courtyards, patios, gardens, and more.
More than half of our memory care partners in Arlington offer multiple levels of care to promote aging in place as well as help couples with different needs age together. With multitier care, seniors can move into a community for the social aspect with independent living and then switch to assisted living or memory care if care needs arise.
The independent living option offers on-site conveniences and entertainment, which enable seniors to leave the stresses of home ownership behind, make new friends, and have convenient access to daily activities. Assisted living offers all of that with added personal care services, like assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs). With memory care, residents with a dementia diagnosis benefit from more personalized forms of assisted living care to accommodate their memory loss symptoms.
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Number of seniors over the age of 65 living in Arlington as of 2021
Approximate number of Arlington seniors 65+ who have a cognitive difficulty
Average annual retirement income for Arlington seniors 65+[02]
As a suburb of Dallas, Arlington doesn’t have many regionally or nationally recognized hospitals, because Dallas tends to house the bulk of them. Regardless, seniors have a variety of high-quality options for hospitals and memory care specialists within Arlington. Learn about Arlington’s top health care facilities below.
Medical City Arlington opened its doors in 1976. It offers 433 beds and employs 1,500 medical professionals. It’s known for its high performance in six specialties, including treatment of heart failure, diabetes, kidney failure, stroke, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to U.S. News and World Report.
USMD Hospital at Arlington is known for providing exceptional surgical care in North Texas. It’s high performing for the treatment of prostate cancer and pneumonia, according to U.S. News and World Report.
Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital is a Level IV trauma center, Cycle II chest pain center, and primary stroke center. It’s known for its high performance in treating kidney failure, stroke, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to U.S. News and World Report.
Kindred Hospital Tarrant County — Arlington is one of the smaller hospitals in Arlington. This hospital offers 68 beds for long-term acute care, six beds for ICU, and two negative pressure rooms. Seniors can receive advanced wound care, cardiac care, and other specialized services at this location.
Seniors in memory care facilities don’t have to worry about driving themselves around because our memory care partners in Arlington offer access to transportation services on-site. Some Arlington communities offer complimentary or at-cost rides through their own shuttle or car service. If a community doesn’t have their own shuttle or car service, you can ask the concierge to coordinate a ride with a local ride service.
Arlington also offers Handitran to seniors 65+ and individuals with disabilities. To apply, seniors need to provide proof of age and pay an initial $10. Thereafter, seniors must pay $2 per one-way trip or $55 per month for unlimited rides. If you must use this ride service, we recommend that seniors with dementia are accompanied by a caregiver escort.
There are several senior- and dementia-friendly activities in Arlington. From mouthwatering eats and fun shops to beautiful parks and thrilling sporting events, Arlington seniors have a world of activities at their fingertips. And, many of these places offer accommodations for seniors with a disability — just be sure to ask!
Seniors can explore local attractions during scheduled outings coordinated by our Arlington memory care partners. Or, they can venture out with visiting loved ones to create new, meaningful memories. Check out some of the best, dementia-friendly activities in Arlington below.
Seniors with dementia are able to relax their minds when surrounded by their favorite artworks, so a visit to the local Arlington Museum of Art might be worthwhile. The museum houses immersive artworks that calm the mind along with historic pieces that transport you back in time and enable you to reflect on the past.
Seniors and their families may also attend their favorite concerts, plays, ballets, or symphonies at one of Arlington’s performing arts theaters. Both the museum and several local theaters offer accessible routes and other accommodations for individuals with disabilities — so be sure to inquire before you visit.
Another soothing activity could include a visit to an Arlington park. Seniors and families can take a stroll or spend the day picnicking and birdwatching. Richard Greene Linear Park is especially popular among locals due to its expansive hiking trails, biking routes, and picnic areas alongside a tranquil lake. The park also displays the captivating Caelum Moor environmental sculpture, a 5-acre long Celtic-inspired monolith installation, which can be viewed while traversing the landscape.
It’s important for seniors to continue doing the things they love, which might include supporting their favorite local sports team. In that case, visitors might want to take their loved one out to see a Dallas Cowboys or Texas Rangers game. Both stadiums provide accessible routes and enhanced sightlines for seniors with disabilities. Or, families can watch their favorite team play on a big screen as they grab a bite or drink at one of Arlington’s sports bars and pubs.
For more locally favored activities, you can visit the Things to Do page on the Arlington city website.
Avalon Memory Care - Fort Worth, Sunrise of Fort Worth and Highlands Village Senior Living of Mansfield are the top-rated Memory Care facilities near Arlington, TX. These Memory Care facilities received the highest rankings based on verified family reviews. See full list of communities.
The average cost of Memory Care in Arlington is $4,839 per month. This cost may vary based on location, amenities, floorplan, level of care and other factors.
The 39 memory care facilities near you in Arlington, Texas typically provide housing, therapies, and care tailored to those who have Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia. To find memory care in Arlington, Texas, browse our detailed listings showing photos, floor plans, amenities, activities, and reviews from real families.
Browse A Place for Mom’s listings for memory care in Arlington, Texas, to take a virtual tour. Our local senior living experts can arrange for a live tour of these communities as well.
The cost of memory care facilities in Arlington, Texas ranges from $1250 to $15000. The average Memory Care cost in Arlington, Texas is $4,839. Prices often vary based on care provided, amenities, unit size, and more.
The cost of memory care in Arlington, Texas typically starts at $1250. A Place for Mom’s local, expert senior living advisors can help you find affordable memory care facilities near you and offer advice on how to lower costs and pay for care with VA benefits or public payment options.
A Place for Mom. (2022). A Place for Mom proprietary data.
United States Census Bureau. (2023). Arlington city; Texas.
Texas Health and Human Services. (2023, March 1). Appendix XXXI, monthly income/resource limits. In STAR+PLUS Handbook.
Texas Health and Human Services. (2016, March 1). A-3300, home and community-based services waiver programs. In Medicaid for the Elderly and People with Disabilities Handbook.
Texas Health and Human Services. (2022). STAR+PLUS, STAR+PLUS client FAQs.
Texas Health and Human Services. (2022). Home and community based services (HCBS).
Texas Health and Human Services. (2023). Assisted living facilities (ALF).
Licensing Standards for Assisted Living Facilities, Texas Administrative Code § 553 (2021).
Texas Health and Human Services. (2022). Long-term care provider search.
Assisted Living Facility Licensing Act, Health Facilities § 247.001 (2021).
U.S. News and World Report. (2023). Best hospitals in Arlington, TX.
Ask an A Place for Mom local advisor at no cost.
A Place for Mom. (2022). A Place for Mom proprietary data.
United States Census Bureau. (2023). Arlington city; Texas.
Texas Health and Human Services. (2023, March 1). Appendix XXXI, monthly income/resource limits. In STAR+PLUS Handbook.
Texas Health and Human Services. (2016, March 1). A-3300, home and community-based services waiver programs. In Medicaid for the Elderly and People with Disabilities Handbook.
Texas Health and Human Services. (2022). STAR+PLUS, STAR+PLUS client FAQs.
Texas Health and Human Services. (2022). Home and community based services (HCBS).
Texas Health and Human Services. (2023). Assisted living facilities (ALF).
Licensing Standards for Assisted Living Facilities, Texas Administrative Code § 553 (2021).
Texas Health and Human Services. (2022). Long-term care provider search.
Assisted Living Facility Licensing Act, Health Facilities § 247.001 (2021).
U.S. News and World Report. (2023). Best hospitals in Arlington, TX.