Winston-Salem Senior AdvisorBy Winston-Salem Senior Advisor Care Team · August 27, 2026
The state lists 23 adult care homes with dementia special care units in the five counties. 6 of them are dementia-only, with every licensed bed in the unit; the other 17 run a unit inside a larger building. Each model suits different families.
Two ways to deliver memory care
North Carolina has no memory care license. A dementia unit exists when the Division of Health Service Regulation approves special care unit beds on an adult care home's license. Around Winston-Salem, that approval takes two shapes. Some homes are dementia units entirely: every licensed bed is in the special care unit. Others are larger assisted living buildings with a secured wing or floor for residents with dementia, and the rest of the beds open to everyone.
Both are legitimate and both are inspected under the same rules, including 10A NCAC 13F .1300 and the written disclosure required by N.C.G.S. 131D-8. The difference is what the building is built around.
The dementia-only homes
These homes have special care unit beds equal to their licensed beds, according to the state's October 2026 special care unit list:
| Home | Town | Licensed beds | Unit beds | State stars |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mocksville Senior Living and Memory Care | Mocksville | 69 | 69 | 4 stars |
| Rose Tara Senior Living | King | 65 | 65 | 4 stars |
| Clemmons Village I | Clemmons | 60 | 60 | 4 stars |
| Somerset Court at University Place | Winston-Salem | 60 | 60 | 3 stars |
| Memory Care of the Triad | Kernersville | 42 | 42 | Not rated |
| Brookdale Winston-Salem | Winston-Salem | 38 | 38 | 3 stars |
Source: N.C. DHSR adult care rosters, star ratings and 36-month penalty list, pulled November 6, 2026.
The appeal is focus. Every staff member works with dementia every shift, the building's routines are set for people with memory loss, and no one is the only resident with dementia in a hallway of independent neighbors. The trade-off is that a spouse without dementia cannot usually live alongside, and a parent with very mild symptoms may find the setting more restrictive than needed.
Units inside larger buildings
The rest of the special care units sit inside larger adult care homes:
| Home | Town | Licensed beds | Unit beds | State stars |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Villa Assisted Living at Winston | Winston-Salem | 142 | 62 | 3 stars |
| Brookstone Retirement Center | Lexington | 115 | 42 | 4 stars |
| Cadence at Clemmons | Clemmons | 96 | 36 | 4 stars |
| Magnolia Creek Assisted Living | Winston-Salem | 117 | 33 | 3 stars |
| Mallard Ridge Assisted Living | Clemmons | 100 | 32 | 3 stars |
| Trinity Elms | Clemmons | 104 | 30 | 3 stars |
| Brighton Gardens of Winston-Salem | Winston-Salem | 115 | 26 | 1 star |
| Brookdale Lexington | Lexington | 76 | 24 | 3 stars |
| Priddy Manor Assisted Living | King | 79 | 24 | 4 stars |
| PruittPlace-Winston Salem | Winston-Salem | 125 | 24 | 2 stars |
| Brookstone of Clemmons | Clemmons | 40 | 20 | 2 stars |
| Southfork | Winston-Salem | 78 | 20 | 3 stars |
| Walnut Ridge Assisted Living | Walnut Cove | 63 | 20 | 4 stars |
| Homestead Hills Assisted Living | Winston-Salem | 66 | 18 | 2 stars |
| Grayson Creek of Welcome | Lexington | 75 | 16 | 3 stars |
| Brookstone Terrace of Thomasville | Thomasville | 62 | 14 | 4 stars |
| Kerner Ridge Assisted Living | Kernersville | 66 | 14 | 4 stars |
Source: N.C. DHSR adult care rosters, star ratings and 36-month penalty list, pulled November 6, 2026.
The main advantage is continuity. A parent can move into the assisted living side and, if dementia advances, move into the unit without changing addresses, doctors or familiar staff. Couples with different needs can stay under one roof. The risk is that the unit becomes an afterthought in a building whose energy goes to the bigger assisted living population, so ask who manages the unit and how its staffing is protected when the rest of the building is short.
What about nursing homes with dementia beds?
4 nursing homes in the five counties also hold special care unit beds: North Carolina State Veterans Home Kernersville in Kernersville (24 beds), Pine Ridge Health and Rehabilitation Center in Thomasville (28 beds), PruittHealth-High Point in Winston-Salem (32 beds), Willowbrook Rehabilitation and Care in Yadkinville (20 beds). These suit residents with dementia who also need daily skilled nursing, and they are rated by CMS rather than by the state's adult care star system.
How to choose between the two
Start with the person. Someone already restless, exit-seeking or confused at night will usually do better in a dementia-only home or a well-run unit from day one. Someone in early stages who enjoys company and outings may be happier on the assisted living side of a building that also has a unit for later.
Then check the paperwork the same way for both. Confirm the unit beds on the state list, ask for the disclosure statement, and ask how many staff are physically inside the unit at 3 a.m. Read the latest survey for findings about supervision. If money is limited, ask whether the unit accepts Special Assistance, which pays its Enhanced Rate of $1,792 a month in a special care unit in 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Is a dementia-only home safer than a memory care wing?
Not automatically. Safety depends on staffing, training and layout. Compare night staffing and recent survey findings for each option.
Can a married couple live together if one has dementia?
Sometimes, in a building with both assisted living and a unit. Dementia-only homes generally admit only residents who need the unit.
How do we confirm a home's dementia unit is licensed?
Check for special care unit beds on the state list, which our memory care directory reproduces.
Does Medicare pay for a dementia unit?
No. Medicare does not pay room, board or personal care in an adult care home of any kind.
