10 Best Assisted Living Facilities in Katy, TX

From private savings to public benefits, there are several ways for seniors and their families to pay for assisted living. Typically, seniors pull together multiple sources of income like savings accounts, retirement income, insurance policies, and funds from federal and state programs to cover assisted living costs.

In this section, you’ll find useful information on how to use private pay options as well as veterans benefits, Medicaid, and Medicare to cover long-term care and assisted living expenses in Katy.

All Texas assisted living facilities must be licensed and certified 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 Type A and Type B. Here’s how the two differ:^[06]

• Type A ALFs house residents who don’t require routine attendance and are capable of following directions in an emergency situation.
• Type B ALFs provide care to residents who require nighttime attendance and assistance with evacuation during emergencies.

Most stand-alone assisted living facilities in Katy qualify as Type A, while facilities with memory care and/or other specialized care units usually qualify as Type B. In Katy, assisted living facilities must meet several standards to remain licensed. Below, you’ll find a summary of these Texas assisted living standards.

Assisted living staffing and training regulations

• Assisted living facility managers must complete a course in management of assisted living facilities. The course must cover general assisted living standards, resident characteristics, resident assessments, skills to care for residents, and information on food and nutrition services. Training must also include information on community resources, ethics, financial management, and federal laws — especially accessibility laws under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
• Assisted living facilities must have caregivers on-site 24 hours a day. These caregivers are required to complete 4 hours of orientation before assuming any caregiver responsibilities. They must also complete 16 hours of supervised, on-the-job training. Training should cover assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs), safety measures, fall prevention, emergency evacuation training, first aid procedures, behavior management, and more. Thereafter, caregivers must complete 6 hours of educational training on a yearly basis.
• Each facility must have sufficient staff to maintain the facility’s order, safety, and cleanliness. Caregivers must also assist residents with medication routines, meal preparation and accommodations, and laundry.

Assisted living admissions, assessments, and care plans

• Assisted living facilities should ensure that they can meet the needs of potential residents. They must not admit or retain residents whose needs can’t be met at the facility.
• Prior to admission, facilities must provide a written admission agreement between the facility and the resident. The agreement should detail the services to be provided and charges for the services. If a provided service or supply can be covered by Medicare, the assisted living facility must let the residents know in a statement. Additionally, communities should secure each resident’s Medicare and/or Medicaid number at the time of admission.
• Newly admitted residents must have a health examination performed by a physician. It should be performed no more than 30 days before admission or 14 days after. This examination must then be used to create a comprehensive resident assessment and service plan.
• Comprehensive assessments must include the resident’s previous place of residence, preferred language, sleep-cycle issues, behavioral symptoms, psychosocial issues, dementia history, activities of daily living patterns, preferred activities, cognitive skills, communication ability, physical function, continence status, nutritional status, medications, health conditions, and other details.^[07]

Assisted living facility inspections

All Texas ALFs must pass a life safety code, physical inspection, and health inspection before they receive their license. The life safety code ensures a facility’s ability to safely house residents, while the health inspection ensures that it’s equipped to protect resident health. After an initial inspection, facilities are inspected at least once every two years.^[08]

During an inspection, Texas Health and Human Services (HHS) checks for the following in an ALF:^[08,09]

• General facility construction
• Management of the facility
• Sufficient staff-to-resident ratios
• Compliance with employee background checks
• Implementation of safety and emergency features
• Proper protection from hazardous areas
• Documentation of fire drills, system checks, etc.

You can use the Texas HHS Long-term Care Provider Search to access each licensed assisted living facility’s most recent inspection report and general facility information. To request any additional information not found on the site, you can 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 Department of Health and Human Services (HHS or HHSC) contact information

4601 W. Guadalupe St.
Austin, TX 78751

Phone: 512-424-6500
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 5. p.m.

Katy doesn’t have any COVID-19 regulations specific to assisted living communities. However, Texas does require all assisted living facilities to develop their own infection prevention and control measures for common infections, including COVID-19. The measures should include guidance on a community’s hygiene practices, touching the following:

• Disinfection and sterilization techniques
• Use of personal protective equipment (PPE)
• Safe injection methods
• Physical distancing requirements

Because communities are allowed to set their own regulations, it’s best to check with your prospective community to see what current COVID-19 rules they may have in place. You can also visit the COVID-19 informational page on the Katy website or the Harris County coronavirus page to find regular updates regarding local risk levels, testing, vaccinations, and more.

Katy attracts seniors due to its temperate climate, great health care options, proximity to Houston, and affordability. The city also offers robust senior living options — namely assisted living communities — to properly accommodate its aging population.

Check out the unique features provided by our assisted living partners in Katy below.

Multiple levels of care promote aging in place

Many of our assisted living partners in Katy offer aging-in-place options. This means our partner communities offer more than one level of care on-site. Katy senior living communities offer independent living and/or memory care options in addition to assisted living. The most popular combination is assisted living and memory care. This allows residents to remain in the same community even when their care needs change or if their partner has different needs.

Care levels are generally outlined as follows:

• The independent living option enables seniors to eliminate the stress of home ownership and daily chores and focus on their hobbies and social lives.
• Assisted living offers residents all of the above along with assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs) and personalized care services, depending on their care needs.
• Memory care offers everything that independent and assisted living offer, but also provides personalized, attentive care for residents with memory loss. Memory care staff members are often trained to provide specialized treatments and therapies for behaviors common in dementia patients.

Residential care homes offer familiarity and comfort

Seniors who prefer a home-like environment can also receive assisted living services within a care home in Katy. Approximately 20% of our Katy assisted living partners are residential care homes.^[01] Care homes offer assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs) and personal care services within a family-style home in a residential neighborhood.

These homes typically house a smaller number of residents and offer all the comforts of a home. The smaller number allows caregivers to learn more about residents and form long-lasting relationships. In addition to the usual bedrooms, kitchens, living spaces, and yards, these care homes offer accessible features that help residents get around safely, like ramps and grab bars. These care homes also offer prepared meals, housekeeping, and transportation.

Comprehensive care services enhance quality of life

Our Katy assisted living partners do their best to eliminate excessive travel for routine care needs. To do so, many of our partner communities offer on-site nurses and medical services within each resident’s unit. Some of the most common on-site care services available at Katy assisted living communities include the following:^[01]

• Medication management
• Diabetes management
• Urinary or bowel incontinence management
• Dental care
• Podiatry
• Hospice or palliative care
• Physical, occupational, and speech therapies

Some assisted living communities even offer on-site clinics, with optometrists, dieticians, doctors, and other specialists to help residents access optimal care.

On-site activities and amenities keep residents healthily active

Katy assisted living communities offer a range of on-site amenities and a rotating calendar of activities to engage residents’ minds, bodies, and souls. Some communities offer researched programs to help seniors thrive, while other communities encourage resident-led activities.

Some of the most common activities offered by our Katy assisted living partners include the following:^[01]

• Art and cooking classes
• Day trips and outings (local diners, museums, local festivals, etc.)
• Devotional services
• Fitness classes (chair yoga, strength training, aerobics, etc.)
• Group games (trivia, bingo, poker, board games, etc.)
• Happy hours and/or wine tastings
• Holiday parties and birthday celebrations
• Interest clubs (book clubs, chess club, gardening club, etc.)
• Lifelong learning lectures or classes
• Singing events (karaoke nights, choir groups, etc.)

Seniors can also take advantage of on-site amenities whenever they’d like. Some of the most common amenities available at our partner Katy assisted living communities include the following:

• Arts and crafts centers
• Beauty salons and barbershops
• Common living spaces (sunrooms, lounges, etc.)
• Courtyards and walking paths
• Devotional spaces
• Fitness centers
• Game rooms
• Gardens with raised gardening beds
• Libraries and business centers
• On-site cafes and pubs
• Movie theaters and TV lounges

Health care for seniors in Katy

Katy is known for its great health care options. The city often appears on top retirement lists due to its health care offerings. The city itself doesn’t have many hospitals, because Houston tends to house most of them, but Katy does have some recognized clinics. Residents also have a few hospitals in the area, which you can learn about below.

Transportation for seniors in Katy

Due to Katy’s close proximity to Houston, many seniors own a car to occasionally drive out to the vast city. However, as seniors age, they tend to drive less and turn to other transportation options. Luckily, all of our partner assisted living communities in Katy offer complimentary or at-cost transportation services for residents.^[01]

Community-provided transportation means that seniors don’t have to drive unless they wish to. It also helps ensure seniors’ safe arrival and departure, because rides are provided by qualified individuals who can help seniors with disabilities get around with ease.

Visiting family and friends can also utilize some public transportation options with their senior loved one. Katy doesn’t have its own public transit system, but Houston’s METRO does offer some buses and rail lines in Katy. Seniors 65+ can apply for one of the discounted METRO fare cards. Seniors between 65 and 69 can get a discounted rate, while seniors 70+ can ride for free. METRO also offers discounts for individuals with disabilities and free rides for qualifying veterans.

To get a better feel for the city’s sprawl and infrastructure, check out the scores provided by Walk Score below. These scores are each out of 100, and they’re based on Katy’s walking trails, biking routes, transportation options, and public density:^[10]

Senior activities in Katy

There are tons of activities for seniors to enjoy in Katy and in the nearby city of Houston. Seniors and visiting families can savor delicious eats at the local restaurants or browse the town’s shops and museums. Check out the Travel Katy website for more fun things to see and do.

Most of our assisted living partners in Katy also schedule group outings to help residents attend events and explore local attractions safely and with ease. Check out some senior-favored activities among Katy residents:

• LaCenterra at Cinco Ranch. This outdoor shopping complex is located on Katy’s historic streets. It offers boutiques, restaurants, bars, and open spaces. Seniors can grab a bite, browse shops, catch a flick, attend local events like trivia nights, jazz music nights, farmers markets, and much more.
• Katy museums. Founded in 1945, Katy has a rich history of farming, and it houses an old railroad depot. The city has museums that display antiques and preserve the city’s original elements that can be explored. Most of the museums are free and accessible, and some even offer fun events for senior loved ones to attend.
• Katy parks. The city has stunning parks scattered throughout the city to encourage residents to get out and explore. Mary Jo Peckham Park is especially popular in Katy due to its expansive 32 acres featuring a fun miniature golf course, putting green, pavilion, gazebo, tranquil fishing lake, six-hole disc golf course, scenic trails, and picnic areas. It even has a dog park and an aquatic and fitness center.
• Visit Houston. Katy is one of Houston’s most popular suburbs, so residents often drive out to the big city for exciting events, festivals, and attractions. You can dine at mouthwatering restaurants, attend cutting-edge shows in the theater district, explore museums, and much more. Houston is also home to several national league teams — the Texans, Astros, and Rockets — so Katy residents often support their favorite teams by catching a game or attending local watch parties.

Some of the places listed above offer accommodations for individuals with disabilities, so be sure to inquire with each place before visiting. You can ask about accessible seating, guided tours, maps, rentable wheelchairs, etc.