What do our Birmingham senior care guides cover?
Our 12 guides explain Alabama licensing, memory care, costs, Medicaid, hospital discharge and local help for families in the seven-county Birmingham area, each sourced against Alabama and federal records.
New guides appear here and in the footer of every page as they are published.
How are the guides different from the rest of the site?
The guides go deeper on one question at a time, often walking through a real decision step by step, while the rules and costs sections hold the canonical explanations they link back to.
Every guide has a short TL;DR, at least one table and a closing set of questions.
Alabama Medicaid's 2026 Numbers Every Birmingham Family Should Know
The income and resource limits for nursing home Medicaid, the home and community-based waivers, SSI and the Medicare Savings Programs, in one place, from the Alabama Medicaid Agency's 2026 sheet.
Read the guide →October 30, 2026How Long Will the Money Last? An Assisted Living Budget for Alabama Families
Because Alabama Medicaid does not pay for assisted living, the length of a family's runway is the key number. A simple worksheet using Alabama's 2025 median.
Read the guide →October 30, 2026Senior Care in Bibb and Chilton Counties: Small Rosters, Clear Next Steps
The two southern counties in our area have the fewest licensed options. Here is exactly what ADPH lists in Centreville, Brent and Clanton, and where families turn next.
Read the guide →October 30, 2026Nursing Home Staffing Around Birmingham: What CMS's Data Shows
We summarized CMS Care Compare's October 2026 data for the certified nursing homes in seven Birmingham-area counties: star ratings, nurse hours, turnover, deficiencies and penalties.
Read the guide →October 30, 2026Hoover, Trussville, Helena, Leeds: When a City Crosses County Lines
Four Birmingham-area cities sit in more than one county. That changes who you call for aging services and abuse reports, but not the rules a facility must follow.
Read the guide →October 30, 2026Observation Status and the Three-Day Rule at Birmingham Hospitals
Whether a parent was admitted or kept under observation decides whether Medicare pays for nursing home rehab afterward. Here is how to ask, and what to do with the answer.
Read the guide →October 30, 2026The PSMS Score: Why Alabama Memory Care Has a 23-Point Limit
Alabama's memory care rule screens every resident with the Physical Self-Maintenance Scale and sets a hard ceiling. Here is what the score measures and why it decides when a move to a nursing home comes.
Read the guide →October 30, 2026Small Group Assisted Living Homes Around Birmingham: What the Roster Shows
Alabama licenses assisted living homes of 3 to 16 residents as group facilities. Around Birmingham most are outside Jefferson County. Here is where they are and how to evaluate one.
Read the guide →October 30, 2026Memory Care Staffing in Alabama: The Table A Math, Bed by Bed
Alabama is one of the few states that writes a minimum staffing table into its memory care rules. Here is what Table A requires at common SCALF sizes around Birmingham, and how to check it on a tour.
Read the guide →October 30, 2026Senior Care Along U.S. 280: Shelby County Licenses With Birmingham Addresses
Greystone, Inverness and Riverchase are in Shelby County, but many of their senior communities carry Birmingham or Hoover mailing addresses. Here is what that means for agencies, roster searches and planning.
Read the guide →October 30, 2026Senior Care in Walker County: Jasper's Options for the Region's Oldest County
Walker County has the highest share of older residents of any county around Birmingham. Here is what ADPH's roster lists in and around Jasper, and where families find help.
Read the guide →October 30, 2026What Alabama Inspectors Cite Most in Birmingham-Area Assisted Living
We read the newest posted ADPH statement of deficiencies for 43 assisted living and memory care licenses in seven counties. Here is what surveyors cite most, and what it means on a tour.
Read the guide →