Daytona Beach Senior AdvisorBy Daytona Beach Senior Advisor Care Team · September 8, 2026
42 of the 105 licensed assisted living facilities in Volusia and Flagler counties tell AHCA they run a memory care program. Under s. 429.076, each will need a separate memory care services license within six months of AHCA's rules taking effect (the rules are due by June 1, 2027). Until then, s. 429.178 still applies, and families should ask every building whether it plans to apply.
What changed in Florida law in 2026?
For years, 'memory care' in Florida was mostly a description a facility chose for itself. An assisted living facility that advertised special care for Alzheimer's disease had to meet the standards in s. 429.178, Florida Statutes: someone awake at all hours once 17 or more residents live there, activities designed for people with memory loss, a safe physical environment and dementia training for staff. There was no separate license, and the AHCA profile simply carried a self-reported 'memory care' program flag.
Chapter 2026-102, Laws of Florida, created s. 429.076 and with it a memory care services license. Once AHCA adopts implementing rules, which the law requires by June 1, 2027, any ALF that serves memory care residents or uses terms such as memory care, dementia care or Alzheimer's care in its marketing must hold that license. Facilities already operating get six months from the rules' effective date to obtain it.
Which local facilities report memory care today?
Across the two counties, 42 ALFs report a memory care program on their AHCA profiles, licensed for 3,072 residents in all. Palm Coast and Ormond Beach have the most, reflecting the newer buildings that opened there over the last decade, while Deltona's entries are mostly small residential homes. The license capacity is a ceiling for the whole building; AHCA does not publish how many beds sit inside a secured memory care wing.
| City | County | ALFs reporting memory care | Licensed beds (whole building) | Of which licensed for 16 or fewer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palm Coast | Flagler | 10 | 733 | 3 |
| Ormond Beach | Volusia | 7 | 542 | 1 |
| New Smyrna Beach | Volusia | 5 | 324 | 1 |
| Port Orange | Volusia | 4 | 234 | 1 |
| DeLand | Volusia | 3 | 268 | 1 |
| Orange City | Volusia | 3 | 208 | 0 |
| Deltona | Volusia | 3 | 108 | 2 |
| Daytona Beach | Volusia | 3 | 320 | 0 |
| DeBary | Volusia | 1 | 98 | 0 |
| Edgewater | Volusia | 1 | 95 | 0 |
| Daytona Beach Shores | Volusia | 1 | 126 | 0 |
| South Daytona | Volusia | 1 | 16 | 1 |
Source: AHCA FloridaHealthFinder profiles, retrieved November 6, 2026. The memory care flag is reported by each facility.
Which are the largest buildings on the list?
Large buildings with dedicated memory care wings tend to be easier to compare, because AHCA posts their inspection histories. The biggest local facilities reporting memory care are:
| Facility | City | Licensed beds | Latest standard survey | Citations at that survey |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Villa of Deland | DeLand | 170 | 10/14/2026 | 0 |
| Tuscan Gardens of Palm Coast | Palm Coast | 160 | 12/17/2024 | 1 |
| Aden Senior Living | Ormond Beach | 160 | Not posted | — |
| The Blake at LPGA | Daytona Beach | 137 | 08/13/2025 | 1 |
| Heritage Waterside LLC | Daytona Beach Shores | 126 | 11/10/2025 | 0 |
| Sancerre at Palm Coast | Palm Coast | 116 | 02/17/2026 | 1 |
| Grand Villa of Ormond Beach | Ormond Beach | 115 | 12/02/2025 | 0 |
| Lexington Place Assisted Living Facility | New Smyrna Beach | 115 | 09/17/2024 | 2 |
A clean survey is a good sign but not a guarantee. Read the citations on each facility's page and ask about anything that touches supervision, residents leaving the building or staff training.
What could the new license mean for a family moving in now?
The practical risk is timing. A facility that markets memory care today but decides not to apply for the new license will be allowed to keep its current memory care residents only under strict conditions: it must show AHCA it cannot reasonably get the license, notify residents and families in writing that they may move, help them find a licensed facility if asked, stop admitting new memory care residents and amend each contract to describe the services it actually provides.
For a family placing a parent with dementia in late 2026 or 2027, that makes one question essential: does this building intend to apply for the s. 429.076 license, and when? A clear yes, with a plan, is reassuring. Vague answers deserve follow-up, because a second move a year later is hard on someone with memory loss.
What should we ask on a memory care tour?
Beyond the license question, ask who is awake on the memory care wing between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., how many of the current caregivers have completed dementia training under s. 430.5025, how exits and outdoor areas are secured, what behaviors would lead to a 45-day discharge notice, and what the total monthly price is, including any dementia care charge. No public survey publishes memory care prices in Florida, so written quotes are the only way to compare.
Our memory care directory lists every facility above with its AHCA record, and the memory care license page sets out the statute in full.
Frequently asked questions
Does every ALF that accepts residents with dementia need the new license?
No. A facility that offers supportive services to residents with dementia but does not advertise memory care, dementia care or Alzheimer's care, and does not serve 'memory care residents' as the rules will define them, will not need it.
When will memory care licenses appear on AHCA profiles?
Only after AHCA adopts its rules, due by June 1, 2027, and facilities apply. Existing facilities then have six months.
Is memory care cheaper in a small home?
Often, but no published data compares them. Ask each home for a written monthly total and compare what is included.
Does Medicaid pay for memory care?
A Florida Medicaid long-term care plan can pay for services in a contracted memory care setting, but not for room and board.
