Searching for memory care in Dickson, you deserve far more than a plain directory. This page brings together current Tennessee Department of Health (TDH) licensing data with the cost and hospital context specific to Dickson. We currently track 2 TDH-licensed Assisted-Care Living Facilities serving Dickson.
What's below: the licensed providers, 2026 Dickson cost ranges, the local hospital and neighborhood context, what to ask on a tour, and how to act fast if a hospital discharge is looming. Prefer to talk it through? Get matched with a free local advisor — no fees, ever.
What memory care means — and who it's for
Memory care is for someone with Alzheimer's or another dementia who wanders, gets disoriented, or needs a secured, structured environment with dementia-trained staff. Families usually move here when safety at home or in standard assisted living slips.
How Tennessee regulates it: Tennessee does not issue a separate 'memory care' license. Secured dementia care is a specialty delivered inside TDH-licensed Assisted-Care Living Facilities (ACLFs) under Rule 1200-08-25, which must meet additional staffing, security, and dementia-training standards. Confirm the secured-unit staffing ratio, staff dementia-training hours, and TDH license endorsement.
In Dickson specifically, that means weighing the licensed options against Dickson's cost range and your family's timeline. The right choice balances care level, budget, location near Horizon Medical Center (Dickson), and how quickly you need a spot.
Dickson memory care: by the numbers
2 TDH-licensed Assisted-Care Living Facilities in Dickson; about 78 total licensed/certified beds; averaging 39 beds per facility; the largest at 58 beds; 1 offering memory care. Memory care in Tennessee is a specialty delivered inside TDH-licensed Assisted-Care Living Facilities (ACLFs) that meet additional staffing, training, and secured-unit requirements — it is not a separate license type. These are real, current licensed and certified provider counts for the area — not national estimates.
Licensed memory care providers in Dickson
Providers flagged for memory care (secured/dementia-trained units). Source: Tennessee Department of Health (TDH) Board for Licensing Health Care Facilities, current 2026. Always confirm a current license at tn.gov/health before signing.
With a memory-care designation: 1
| Provider | City | Memory Care | License / CCN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Olive Branch Assisted Living | Dickson | Yes | ACLF #81 |
Senior care in Dickson, Dickson County
Dickson is Dickson County's seat and the main commercial hub for the western Nashville fringe, a city of about 16,000 with affordable housing, a stable manufacturing economy, and Horizon Medical Center providing local hospital services. Horizon Medical Center and NHC Healthcare Dickson anchor a western-fringe market with some of the metro's most affordable senior care — families here have good nursing home options and lean on TennCare CHOICES at high rates.
Nearby hospitals: Horizon Medical Center (Dickson), Vanderbilt University Medical Center (regional), TriStar Centennial (Nashville, east). For Dickson families, quick hospital access shapes the shortlist — it eases discharges, emergencies, and the steady rhythm of specialist appointments.
Areas families ask about: Downtown Dickson, Highway 70 West corridor, East Dickson, Bakers Crossroads area, Charlotte Pike area.
What memory care costs in Dickson (2026)
Dickson pricing runs $4,400–$5,450/month, below the metro average for the Nashville metro — a reflection of local real-estate costs and the mix of residential homes versus large communities.
- Assisted living (ACLF, standard): $3,800–$4,600/month
- Memory care (within ACLF): $4,400–$5,450/month
- Residential Home for the Aged (RHFA): $2,800–$4,200/month
- In-home care: $25–$33/hour
What lowers the bill in Dickson: a shared room (often $600–$1,100/mo less), a Residential Home for the Aged over a large ACLF, right-sizing the care level, and VA Aid & Attendance or TennCare CHOICES for those who qualify.
How we vet Dickson providers
- TDH license or CMS certification active and clean, checked on the provider lookup
- Two most recent inspections read for repeat citations
- Family feedback gathered firsthand where possible
- Up-front written pricing with every recurring fee disclosed
- A recent advisor visit, not a brochure
Questions to ask on a tour
- How fast can staff respond to a call button at night?
- What would trigger a move to a higher care level?
- What's the true all-in monthly cost for our parent's needs?
- How are falls and med changes communicated to family?
- How long have caregivers worked here on average?
What's included — and what costs extra
Usually included: a secured residence, all meals, 24/7 dementia-trained staff, structured daily activities, housekeeping, laundry, and behavioral support. Typically extra: higher acuity care, two-person transfers, hospice coordination, and private-duty aide time. Ask any Dickson provider for an itemized rate sheet so you can compare apples to apples.
How fast you can move in Dickson
A non-urgent move in Dickson usually comes together over one to two weeks from start to finish. Following a hospital stay near Horizon Medical Center (Dickson), though, families often need a placement within just a few days — so it pays to line up the paperwork early. A free local advisor can tell you which Dickson providers have current openings.
Worth keeping in mind around Dickson: the strongest memory care options aren't always the ones with the fattest marketing budgets. We lean on TDH license standing, staffing, and family feedback rather than advertising — and that's how families here sidestep a polished tour that quietly hides a thin overnight crew.
