Hays County is part of the greater Austin metropolitan area, the capital city of Texas. This is a state in which over 380,000 residents have been diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease or dementia, memory conditions that are especially prevalent in the 65 and older demographic. In Hays County itself, 10.6 percent of its 195,000 residents have been diagnosed with a memory condition; to care for these individuals, Hays County is home to half a dozen memory care facilities.
Memory care facilities in Texas are licensed and regulated by the state's Department of Health and Human Services. This includes all Type B facilities, both stand-alone memory care facilities and those separate, secure wings that are part of larger assisted living communities. All memory care facilities require special training and certification of all staff, overnight care and supervision of residents, and staff assistance in case of an emergency evacuation.