Last verified: October 2026
Does Arizona license memory care separately?
No. Arizona has no memory-care license; dementia care is provided under the directed care service level on an assisted living license, so a community advertising memory care should hold a directed care license on AZ Care Check.
The word memory care is marketing language. The license is the legal promise. 39 Pima County centers and 257 homes were licensed for directed care on October 30, 2026.
Sources: A.R.S. 36-401; AZ Care Check.
What must an Arizona directed care facility do about wandering?
A directed care facility must have written policies to keep residents who may wander safe, and an exit arrangement for residents without a key or special knowledge: either access to an outside area at least 30 feet from the building that alerts staff or controls egress, or special egress-control devices meeting the International Building Code.
That is why most Tucson directed care settings have an enclosed courtyard or yard rather than locked interior doors alone. Ask to walk the outdoor area, see where the alarms sound, and find out who responds overnight.
Sources: A.A.C. R9-10-815(F).
Who can a directed care facility not accept or keep?
A directed care facility may not accept or keep a resident who is confined to a bed or chair because they cannot walk even with help, or who has a stage 3 or 4 pressure sore, unless the exception process in the personal care rule is met.
That exception requires a request from the resident or representative and a primary care provider's examination and signed determination that the facility can meet the resident's needs, repeated at least every six months. In practice, late-stage dementia with total immobility often moves to a nursing home or to hospice care in place.
Sources: A.A.C. R9-10-815(B); R9-10-814(B).
Does a directed care resident need a representative?
Yes. The manager must make sure a representative is designated for every resident who is unable to direct their own care, usually a family member holding a health care power of attorney or a court-appointed guardian.
If no family member has legal authority, talk with an elder law attorney before a move; the facility will need someone who can sign the residency agreement and the service plan.
How do you compare memory care options around Tucson?
Start from the license: confirm directed care on AZ Care Check, then compare the inspection record, the number of directed care beds, the secured outdoor space and overnight staffing, and only then compare price and amenities.
Our memory care list shows every directed care center with its directed care beds and latest inspection result. CareScout does not survey memory care as a separate category, so no published Arizona memory-care median exists; ask each community for the directed care rate in writing.
Memory care in Arizona: what it is and is not
| It is | It is not | |
|---|---|---|
| License | the directed care service level | a separate memory-care license |
| Exits | controlled egress to an outside area or IBC devices | simply locked doors |
| Residents | people who cannot direct their own care | bed-bound residents, except by exception |
