By Tucson Senior Advisor Care Team · October 9, 2026
39 of Pima County's 53 assisted living centers and 257 of its 257 homes hold a directed care license, Arizona's license level for memory care. The centers assign 2,115 beds to directed care. Supply is densest in northwest and east Tucson.
Why count directed care licenses instead of 'memory care' communities?
Arizona has no separate memory-care license. A community that advertises memory care is legally an assisted living facility licensed for the directed care service level, which A.R.S. 36-401 defines as care for people who cannot recognize danger, summon assistance, express needs or make basic care decisions. Counting licenses avoids the marketing problem: some places use the words memory care loosely, and some directed care homes never use them.
This count comes from AZ Care Check on October 30, 2026. For centers, the license lists how many beds are assigned to directed care; for small homes, the whole license usually covers all three service levels, so we count the home's full capacity.
Where are the directed care beds?
| Area | Directed care centers | Directed care homes | Directed care beds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Casas Adobes | 8 | 69 | 1205 |
| Green Valley | 4 | 12 | 462 |
| Catalina Foothills | 7 | 11 | 458 |
| Tucson 85712 | 4 | 18 | 420 |
| Tucson 85710 | 4 | 28 | 406 |
| Tucson 85711 | 1 | 34 | 398 |
| Tucson 85705 | 1 | 10 | 159 |
| Tucson 85748 | 1 | 13 | 156 |
| Tucson 85745 | 1 | 4 | 137 |
| Oro Valley | 3 | 1 | 95 |
| Tucson 85749 | 1 | 5 | 92 |
| Marana | 1 | 6 | 81 |
Casas Adobes and northwest Tucson lead because of the sheer number of ten-bed homes in ZIPs 85704 and 85741. East Tucson's 85710 and midtown's 85711 and 85712 follow, again driven by small homes. Green Valley has its own cluster, which matters for families who want a parent to stay in the community.
How many centers offer only memory care?
1 Pima County center is licensed for directed care alone, with no supervisory or personal care beds. The other 38 directed care centers combine levels, usually with a secured neighborhood inside a larger assisted living building.
Combined licenses let a resident move from personal care to directed care without leaving the building. Stand-alone memory care buildings can focus their design and staffing entirely on dementia. Neither is better in general; the right choice depends on how far the disease has progressed and whether a spouse also needs a place to live.
Are directed care licenses changing?
Licenses do change. AZ Care Check records show 5 Pima County facilities with a recent review that removed directed care or shifted beds between directed and personal care. That is one reason to check the live record before touring: a community's brochure may predate a license change.
When a center reduces its directed care beds, current residents who need that level must be given written notice under Arizona's residency rules, and the long-term care ombudsman can help a family through the transition.
What should families do with these numbers?
Use them to set expectations about choice and distance. A family in Vail or Sahuarita should expect to drive into Tucson or to Green Valley for most directed care options. A family in northwest Tucson has dozens within a few miles and should spend its effort on comparing inspection records and overnight staffing rather than on finding any opening at all.
Then shortlist three or four, read their last two inspections on AZ Care Check, and visit each one at a different time of day.
How quickly do directed care openings turn over?
Nobody publishes vacancy data for Arizona assisted living, so the only way to know is to call. In practice openings in ten-bed homes appear and fill within days, while larger centers may keep a short waiting list for their secured neighborhoods.
If a hospital discharge is pushing the timeline, ask each home whether it can hold a room for a few days and what it charges to do so. A local advisor who calls homes every week usually knows which ones have just had an opening.
Directed care license: what it is and is not
| It is | It is not | |
|---|---|---|
| Legal meaning | permission to care for people who cannot direct their own care | a memory-care brand |
| Exit rules | controlled egress to an outside area | a locked hospital ward |
| Bed count | beds assigned on the license | beds open today |
Frequently asked questions
Is every small assisted living home in Tucson a memory care home?
Nearly every one holds a directed care license (257 of 257 in Pima County), so they may legally care for residents with dementia. Whether a home is a good fit depends on its staffing, training and the mix of current residents, which you learn by visiting.
Does a directed care license mean the building is locked?
Not exactly. Arizona requires wander-safety policies and an exit arrangement that lets residents reach an outside area at least 30 feet from the building while alerting staff, or special egress-control devices. Most facilities use an enclosed yard or courtyard.
How can I see a facility's directed care beds?
Open its record on AZ Care Check, which lists each licensed service level and, for most centers, the beds assigned to it. Our memory care directory page reproduces those figures for every Pima County center.
Is there a published cost for memory care in Tucson?
No. CareScout does not survey memory care as a separate category and no other primary source publishes an Arizona or Tucson memory-care median. Ask each facility for its directed care rate sheet in writing.
Can a facility drop its directed care license?
Yes. AZ Care Check shows Pima County facilities that removed directed care or moved beds to personal care through a license modification. Residents who need directed care must then receive written notice, and the ombudsman can help with the move.
