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Indy Senior Advisor

About Indy Senior Advisor

HomeAbout Indy Senior Advisor

What we do

We help families across the Indianapolis metro find senior care, and we publish what we can verify about how senior care works in Indiana. That is the whole business.

How we are paid, stated plainly

Our service is free to families because senior living communities pay us a referral fee when a family we introduce moves in. We think you should know that on the first page you read rather than find it in a footer, because it is the thing most likely to bias a referral service.

Two consequences worth naming. First, we have a financial interest in you choosing a community that pays referral fees, and not every good option does. Ask us about those anyway; we will tell you what we know. Second, the fee does not vary by community in a way that should steer a recommendation, and if an advisor ever pushes a specific building without a reason that makes sense to you, push back.

Our editorial standard

We publish figures we can trace to a primary source. Where a widely-repeated number cannot be traced — metro-specific cost of care data is the clearest example — we say that instead of repeating it. Where a source is disputed, we flag the dispute.

What we are not

  • We are not affiliated with any state health department, department of aging, Area Agency on Aging, or any government agency.
  • We do not provide medical, legal or financial advice.
  • We do not operate, own or manage any senior living community.
  • We do not publish paid reviews or rankings.

Questions families ask

What license does Indiana require for assisted living?

Indiana licenses assisted-living-type communities as Residential Care Facilities (RCF) under 410 IAC 16.2-5 and Indiana Code 16-28-2, issued by the Indiana Department of Health. It is a single license type -- Indiana does not tier assisted living into Type A/Type B categories the way Texas does.

Does Indiana require every assisted living community to be licensed?

No. Under 410 IAC 16.2-5-0.5(c), a community that provides only room, board, housekeeping and activities -- without administering medication or providing nursing care -- is not required to hold a Residential Care Facility license at all. Some buildings marketed as assisted living in Indiana may carry no state license, so always confirm directly.

Does Indiana require a separate license for memory care?

No. Indiana requires a written Alzheimer's and Dementia Special Care Disclosure under Indiana Code 12-10-5.5, not a separate state certification. Communities must file the disclosure and meet training requirements, but there is no distinct 'certified memory care' license to check for.

How do I check a facility's Indiana license and inspection history?

Use the Indiana Long Term Care Survey & Inspection Public Search at hoosierusa.isdh.in.gov, run by the Indiana Department of Health. Nursing homes also carry a federal CMS Care Compare star rating; assisted living (Residential Care Facilities) does not.

Not sure where to start?

Answer five questions and a local advisor will come back with senior care options in your area that actually fit your situation and budget. It is free, and there is no obligation.

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