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Austin Senior Advisor

About Austin Senior Advisor

HomeAbout Austin Senior Advisor

What we do

We help families in the Austin metro find senior care, and we publish what we can verify about how senior care works in Texas. That is the whole business.

How we are paid, stated plainly

Our service is free to families because senior living communities pay us a referral fee when a family we introduce moves in. We think you should know that on the first page you read rather than find it in a footer, because it is the thing most likely to bias a referral service.

Two consequences worth naming. First, we have a financial interest in you choosing a community that pays referral fees, and not every good option does — small residential care homes often do not. Ask us about those anyway; we will tell you what we know. Second, the fee does not vary by community in a way that should steer a recommendation, and if an advisor ever pushes a specific building without a reason that makes sense to you, push back.

Our editorial standard

We publish figures we can trace to a primary source. Where a widely-repeated number cannot be traced — Austin-specific cost of care data is the clearest example — we say that instead of repeating it. Where a source is disputed, we flag the dispute. This makes some of our pages less satisfying than competitors' and more useful.

What we are not

  • We are not affiliated with Texas HHSC, the Area Agency on Aging, or any government agency.
  • We do not provide medical, legal or financial advice.
  • We do not operate, own or manage any senior living community.
  • We do not publish paid reviews or rankings.

Questions Austin families ask

What's the difference between Type A and Type B assisted living in Texas?

Texas licenses assisted living by residents' ability to evacuate. Type A residents must evacuate without physical staff assistance, follow emergency directions, and not need nighttime attendance. Type B residents may need staff help evacuating, nighttime attendance, and help transferring from a wheelchair, but cannot be permanently bedfast.

Is memory care a separate license in Texas?

No. Memory care isn't a license type. Under Texas rule 26 TAC 553.27, any community advertising specialized Alzheimer's or dementia care must hold an Alzheimer's certification, and it must be licensed as Type B to qualify. Always ask to see the Alzheimer's certificate, not just the license.

How do I check if an Austin assisted living facility is licensed?

Search the Texas HHSC provider database. Use TULIP at tulip.hhs.texas.gov for current license status, and the legacy tool at apps.hhs.texas.gov/ltcsearch for inspection history and cited deficiencies. Both are free and public. Confirm the license type, Type A or Type B, matches your parent's actual care needs.

Do Texas assisted living facilities have star ratings like nursing homes?

No. CMS star ratings on Medicare Care Compare cover nursing facilities only. Texas assisted living facilities are regulated solely by state HHSC and receive no federal star rating. To evaluate an Austin assisted living community, review its HHSC inspection history and deficiency reports directly.

Not sure where to start?

Answer five questions and a local advisor will come back with senior care options in the Austin area that actually fit your situation and budget. It is free, and there is no obligation.

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