10 Best Nursing Homes in Lubbock, TX

When considering how to pay for a nursing home, assisted living facility or memory care facility, there are multiple options to look into. In the following sections, we’ll review private payment options, VA benefits, Medicaid, and Medicare — and discuss how each can help.

The oversight of nursing homes, assisted living communities, and memory care facilities fall under the jurisdiction of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHS). HHS licenses and inspects all the state’s long-term care facilities.

Laws and regulations for nursing homes

In addition to state laws and regulations, nursing homes must also adhere to federal laws. Nursing homes are for people who need the round-the-clock care of licensed nurses. Medical care and personal care are both provided. While Texas laws don’t require a specific ratio of nurses to residents, a sufficient number of licensed nurses and nurse aides are required to be available at all times to provide the care residents need. Doctors are also required to visit once a month for a resident’s first 90 days and every other month beyond that. Nursing home residents have a long list of rights facilities must respect and follow.

Laws and regulations for assisted living

Assisted living facilities (ALF) in Texas must follow licensing requirements and regulations outlined in this Texas Administrative Code and this Health and Safety Code. ALFs are required to provide housing, meals, assistance with activities of daily living, supervision, and medication administration to their residents. Assisted living facilities require a Type A license from HHS, which means the facility houses residents who can follow directions in case of emergency and don’t require help during overnight hours. However, staff will still be on hand to assist 24/7 if the need arises.

Laws and regulations for memory care

A memory care facility in Lubbock would need a Type B Assisted Living Facility license and would be considered a Certified Alzheimer’s Assisted Living Facility. This type of license is for facilities where the residents do need help during the night or during an emergency — and wouldn’t comprehend or follow directions.

With this license, there are additional rules that apply. Regulations state that memory care facilities must have security measures, such as controlled egress exits, to keep residents safe in case they try to wander. Memory care facilities must also provide specific activities appropriate for engaging residents with memory issues. Additionally, specialized training must be provided to staff members on how to properly provide care for people with dementia or Alzheimer’s.

Inspections for long-term care facilities

On average, nursing homes are inspected once a year, while assisted living and memory care facilities are inspected once every two years. Complaints must be inspected as received. To take a look at the results of the inspections, click on this long-term care provider search, which provides information on all three types of facilities in Lubbock.

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 Lubbock nursing homes

The city of Lubbock does not have mandatory COVID-19 prevention guidelines for nursing homes, assisted living facilities, or memory care facilities. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) does, however, provide some guidelines for COVID-19 prevention.

In Northwest Texas, you can find plenty of options for your loved one to receive the type of care needed. If your loved one speaks English as a second language, you might even want to look for one of our partner facilities where Spanish is also spoken — that’s the case at 64% of our partner facilities.

Senior care options for the right fit

A Place for Mom doesn’t partner with nursing homes, but we do have 11 senior care facility partners in the Lubbock area. While five of these offer assisted living only, and two specialize in memory care, the rest offer a combination of arrangements. One combines the option for independent living or assisted living in one facility, while three others offer assisted living and memory care within the same facility.

The everyday things are covered

In our partner assisted living and memory care facilities, your loved one will have laundry, housekeeping, and meals all taken care of. Some of our facilities even offer extra conveniences like personal delivery services so that everyday needs — like soap and toilet paper — can be delivered right to your loved one’s door.

Safety and care are the right combination

At our partner assisted living facilities in Lubbock, it doesn’t matter what time of day or night, someone is awake and ready to assist your loved one. Almost all of our partners bring in visiting specialists like podiatrists, physical therapists, and occupational therapists. In fact, 91% of our partners also have visiting nurses, while 73% offer on-site nursing.

In all our partner facilities, safety is always top of mind. In memory care, you can be sure your loved one will be kept safe from wandering while still being given as much freedom as possible, with more than half of our partner facilities offering secure communities.

Activities to encourage engagement and friendship

With an activity director on staff at more than half our partner facilities, your loved one will have plenty of opportunities to make friends at events like art classes, holiday parties, summer barbecues, or trivia games. There are plenty of places to hang out with friends both new and old. Watch a movie in the theater room, play a hand of cards in the game room, or relax in the library — all of these common areas are available at more than half our partner facilities.

Health care for seniors in Lubbock

Lubbock is home to the area’s largest health system, which means your loved one will have no trouble finding the right health care for their needs.

Transportation for seniors in Lubbock

Getting to medical appointments or taking care of errands is made easy with the free transportation offered by 73% of our partner assisted living and memory care facilities and the at-cost transportation available at 46% of our partner facilities.

But if you need other options for your loved one, there are a few. Lubbock has a public transportation system called Citibus that operates on nine fixed routes every day but Sundays. If you can’t get where you need to go on a fixed route, you can use Citibus On-Demand. For paratransit needs, CitiAccess is the Lubbock service that can help. For details on how to use any of Lubbock’s public transportation options, review this Guide to Ride.

If you have a smartphone, you can use Uber or Lyft to hail a ride. But if you don’t, you can use GoGoGrandparent for on-demand rides that will arrive in less than 15 minutes. Caregivers can also call 855-464-6872 (extension 57129) to set up rides for loved ones through GoGoGrandparent. The service is available 24/7 but does require a monthly membership fee.

Senior activities in Lubbock

The Hub City’s claim to fame is live, original music. From Rock to Country to Tejano, the Lubbock Cultural District prides itself on being the center of it all. It’s there, in fact, that you’ll find the West Texas Walk of Fame featuring a statue of Buddy Holly. The rock-and-roller was born in Lubbock, and the city commemorates him at The Buddy Holly Center, where seniors ages 60+ can get a discount and check out the memorabilia and exhibits.

Over at Buddy Holly Hall, enjoy a Broadway play, a comedy show, or a concert. If your loved one can’t get enough live music, head over to Buddy Holly Avenue and visit the 1930s Cactus Theater. In addition to being on the National Register of Historic Places, it’s another hot spot for live music.

If your loved one is looking to learn something interesting or experience something  new, Lubbock has several museums and attractions that might fit the bill:

• National Ranching Heritage Center: You can’t learn about Texas without knowing something about the state’s ranching roots, and that’s exactly what this museum is all about.
• FiberMax Center for Discovery: West Texas’ history of agriculture is at the center of this museum and learning venue.
• Silent Wings Museum: The World War II military glider program and its pilots are commemorated at this historical museum.
• American Windmill Museum: Maybe you’ve never thought too much about windmills, but now you and your loved one can! This interesting museum features more than 100 restored beauties.
• Science Spectrum: There are more than 250 science-based exhibits for your loved one to get their hands on at this fun and interactive science museum.
• Lubbock Lake Landmark: The Robert A. Nash Interpretive Center is just part of this 336-acre natural history site. Enjoy a trail or explore the work in progress at this Texas Tech University museum.
• Caviel Museum of African-American History: This African-American history museum bills itself as the first in West Texas.

If you’d like your loved one to spend some time under the vast Texas sky, head out to the Sam Wahl Recreation Area, Lubbock’s Lake Alan Henry, or Buffalo Springs Lake for some fishing, a nice stroll, or just take in the beautiful waterfront views.

To take part in some local traditions, enjoy the Lubbock Downtown Farmers Market on any Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. during the season. You can also hit the First Friday Art Trail, which happens from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. every Friday. Use a free trolley to get around easier. Finally, take in football, baseball, or any number of sports while cheering on the local Texas Tech University Red Raiders.