Memory Care in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania doesn't issue a separate memory care license. Memory care happens in a secure dementia care unit inside a licensed personal care home, or a special care unit inside a licensed assisted living residence. PA DHS lists 364 facilities with one of these units — 11,993 dementia care beds in all — grouped by county below.
Facilities
364
Dementia care beds
11,993
Personal care homes
329
Assisted living
35
Adams County (1)
Allegheny County (46)
Beaver County (3)
Bedford County (1)
Berks County (11)
Blair County (4)
Bradford County (1)
Bucks County (29)
Butler County (8)
Cambria County (2)
Carbon County (3)
Centre County (3)
Chester County (29)
Clearfield County (5)
Cumberland County (7)
Dauphin County (7)
Delaware County (14)
Erie County (7)
Fayette County (1)
Franklin County (7)
Indiana County (2)
Jefferson County (2)
Lackawanna County (7)
Lancaster County (18)
Lawrence County (2)
Lebanon County (3)
Lehigh County (18)
Luzerne County (5)
Lycoming County (3)
Mercer County (3)
Monroe County (1)
Montgomery County (50)
Montour County (1)
Northampton County (8)
Northumberland County (2)
Philadelphia County (7)
Pike County (1)
Schuylkill County (3)
Snyder County (1)
Somerset County (2)
Union County (2)
Warren County (1)
Washington County (3)
Westmoreland County (9)
Wyoming County (1)
York County (11)
Other Pennsylvania (9)
Source: PA Department of Human Services Human Services Provider Directory. Unit size is licensed capacity, not open beds — call the home or request a shortlist to confirm.
Frequently asked questions
- Is memory care a separate license in Pennsylvania?
- No. Pennsylvania does not issue a memory care license. Memory care is provided in a secure dementia care unit inside a licensed personal care home (55 Pa. Code Chapter 2600) or a special care unit inside a licensed assisted living residence (Chapter 2800). Both have extra rules on staff training, secured exits, and individual dementia care plans.
- How many memory care facilities are in Pennsylvania?
- PA Care Finder lists 364 facilities with a DHS-licensed dementia unit: 329 personal care homes (10,826 beds) and 35 assisted living residences (1,167 beds), across 47 counties.
- How much does memory care cost in PA?
- Memory care is usually billed as a surcharge on the base monthly rate — often $800–$1,500 a month more in Pennsylvania personal care homes, and sometimes higher. Ask whether the surcharge is flat or tiered and what triggers a move to a higher tier.
- How do I check a memory care unit's inspections?
- Each listing shows its PA DHS license number and links to the DHS inspection summary. On your tour, ask for the latest inspection report, overnight staffing in the unit, and the written policy for responding to distressed residents.