El Paso Senior AdvisorWhat is a small assisted living home in El Paso?
A small home is a licensed Type A, Type B or legacy Type C assisted living facility with 16 or fewer residents, usually a converted house on a residential street, licensed and inspected by HHSC like a large facility.
Half of El Paso's assisted living licenses are for 15 residents or fewer.
Who does a small home suit?
People who do better in a quiet household with the same few caregivers, home-style meals and fewer transitions.
Less suited to those who want many activities or on-site nurses.
What should we check at a small home?
Night staffing, the manager's presence, backup when a caregiver is out, the TULIP record, and emergency evacuation plans.
Small homes often have fire safety findings; read them.
What do small homes cost?
Prices vary by room and care; compare written quotes against the Texas median.
Some accept STAR+PLUS; ask.
Can a small home care for dementia?
A Type B small home can serve residents with some confusion, but only certified units may market dementia care.
Check our memory care roster.
How do small El Paso homes handle emergencies at night?
A small home must have enough staff to evacuate every resident safely, which in a Type B home can mean more than one person on duty at night; ask exactly who is awake and how fast a second person can arrive.
Ask to see the fire drill records, the emergency plan and the home's 2-1-1 Texas registration for disasters. Several small El Paso homes have Life Safety Code findings on TULIP; read them before you choose.
Where are licensed small residential homes providers in El Paso?
The state's records show 21 licensed small residential homes providers in the metro, 3 in West Side, Upper Valley & Northwest, 2 in Central, Downtown & Kern Place, 5 in Northeast El Paso & Fort Bliss, 7 in Cielo Vista, Eastwood & the UMC Corridor, 1 in Lower Valley & Ysleta, 3 in East Side & Far East.
| Part of the metro | Licensed providers | Licensed capacity |
|---|---|---|
| West Side, Upper Valley & Northwest | 3 | 24 |
| Central, Downtown & Kern Place | 2 | 20 |
| Northeast El Paso & Fort Bliss | 5 | 79 |
| Cielo Vista, Eastwood & the UMC Corridor | 7 | 57 |
| Lower Valley & Ysleta | 1 | 13 |
| East Side & Far East | 3 | 28 |
| Outside the city | 0 | 0 |
Side by side
| A small licensed home provides | A small licensed home does not provide | |
|---|---|---|
| Living | A household of 16 or fewer with the same caregivers | A large activity calendar |
| License | The same HHSC license and inspections as large buildings | A lighter set of rules |
| Staffing | Personal attention | Deep backup when someone calls in sick |
Sources: Texas Health and Safety Code chapters 142, 242 and 247; 26 Texas Administrative Code chapters 553, 554, 558 and 559; HHSC program handbooks; CareScout, CMS and VA rate tables, as cited above. See our editorial standards.
