Info below is compiled from the NC Dept. of Health & Human Services (NCDHHS), senior community websites & trusted data sources such as Walk Score & BBB.
Communities are listed from highest-ranked to lowest-ranked based on our methodology.
Care Types in This Table
AL (Assisted Living):
Housing with help for daily activities like bathing, dressing, and medication, without 24-hour skilled nursing.
NH (Nursing Home):
24/7 skilled nursing care for residents with complex, ongoing medical needs.
SNF (Skilled Nursing Facility):
Round-the-clock nursing care, often for recovery after surgery, injury, or illness.
MC (Memory Care):
Secured, specialized care for people living with Alzheimer's or dementia.
RC (Respite Care):
Short-term temporary care that gives family caregivers a break.
IL (Independent Living):
Community living with dining, activities, and transportation for active seniors who need little personal care.
HC (Home Care):
Professional care delivered in the person's own home, from companionship to skilled nursing.
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City and state of the facility. Used for mapping and state-average comparisons.
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Licensed bed capacity (maximum allowed). Not the same as how many beds are currently filled.
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Indicates whether residents are allowed to have pets in the facility.
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Third-party neighborhood walkability score (0–100). Convenience/context metric, not a healthcare quality measure.
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NC DHSR Star Rating (0–4 stars). Issued by North Carolina's Division of Health Service Regulation based on annual facility inspections. Stars reflect overall compliance with state health and safety rules - 4 stars requires scores of 100+ on two consecutive annual inspections. Ratings can change between inspections if new violations or licensure actions occur.
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DHSR Quality Score (/200). Each annual inspection starts at a base of 100 points. Facilities earn demerit points for violations and citations, and merit points for correcting issues, maintaining resident/family councils, sprinkler systems, and other quality programs. The "/200" display reflects the two most recent annual inspections combined - giving a longer-term view of compliance trends rather than a single snapshot.
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Count of regulatory inspections in the reporting window. Higher volume can reflect more oversight visits, complaint-driven surveys, or routine licensure cycles.
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forest at Duke | MC AL | Durham | - | No |
42
Facility
42
NC AVG
35
Rank
#113 / 300 | - | - | - |
| Croasdaile Village | MC AL HC IL NH SNF | Durham | - | Yes |
3
Facility
3
NC AVG
35
Rank
#286 / 300 | - | - | - |
| Carver Rehabilitation & Living Center | MC NH RC SNF | Durham | - | No |
31
Facility
31
NC AVG
35
Rank
#158 / 300 | - | - | - |
| Livewell @ Hope Valley (Durham) | MC AL HC | Durham (Hope Valley) | 6
Facility
6
NC AVG
76
Rank
#229 / 252 | Yes | - | 102.50/200
Facility
102.50/200
NC AVG
91
Rank
#41 / 217 | 1 |
Rank badges are statewide and care-type specific: each memory care community is ranked against every other NC memory care community we track that reports that metric, not just the 14 analyzed for Durham. See how we rank facilities
LiveWell at Hope Valley is a prominent senior living provider in Durham, North Carolina, dedicated to fostering happiness throughout aging. This establishment extends Assisted Living and Memory Care services to its esteemed senior residents.
Notably, LiveWell Cares is the sole elder care service provider in North Carolina to offer a comprehensive range of solutions, encompassing both Home Care and Care Home options.
Carver Rehabilitation & Living Center offers nursing home and skilled nursing care, memory care, and respite care in Durham, NC. Skilled nursing includes licensed nursing care on site around the clock, while memory care takes place in Serenity Gardens, a secure memory care unit. Respite care offers a short stay when a resident’s usual caregiver needs time away, so the range of care may suit someone who needs ongoing nursing support, a secured memory care setting, or temporary care.
Physical, occupational, and speech therapy are available, and the Restore unit has private rehabilitation suites for short term stays focused on rehabilitation. On site laboratory services and X rays mean residents can have those services completed at the community, while an on site beauty salon and gourmet meals prepared by Chef Preston Mayo add to the daily routine. Weekly outings and religious services are offered as scheduled activities, but the community’s Walk Score is 31 out of 100, placing it in a car dependent setting where most errands require a car or a ride, so residents who do not drive would generally need transportation for those errands.
Forest at Duke offers assisted living and memory care in Durham, NC. Assisted living includes help with daily tasks such as bathing, dressing, and medication while allowing residents to maintain their own living space.
Memory care provides a secured setting with supervision for someone living with dementia who may be at risk of wandering. With both care levels available, the community may be a good fit for a resident whose needs could grow over time and who may be able to move to a different level of care without leaving the community.
There are structured ways to stay involved. Programs include classes, lectures, and workshops, giving residents opportunities for learning and participation. Meals can be chosen from four dining venues, while the indoor saline swimming pool, fitness center, art studio, auditorium, and community gardens offer places for exercise, creative activities, events, and gardening.
Transportation is available for residents who need help getting to destinations outside the community. A Walk Score of 42 places the area in a car dependent setting, so most errands require a car or a ride. Forest at Duke also has a salon and spa.
Croasdaile Village is the ideal backdrop for a fulfilling and delightful retirement in Durham’s vibrant embrace. Set against the former dairy farm spanning over 100 acres, this assisted living community blends the serenity of rural surroundings seamlessly with the convenience of urban living. Croasdaile Village’s expansive campus caters to a diverse community. The allure lies not only in the sprawling open spaces but also in the sought-after location of Durham itself.
For senior residents at Croasdaile, the vista of native hardwoods, meadows, and the tranquil private lake unfolds from maintained walking paths—a serene panorama capturing North Carolina’s splendor. Here, a newfound sense of liberation blossoms, where the avenues for camaraderie and personal fulfillment are limitless. At Croasdaile Village, the power to shape days around passions and happiness becomes a reality, ushering in an era of boundless opportunity and cherished companionship with farm-to-table dining experiences, world-renowned museums, and captivating sporting events, the community revels in the best Durham offers. Yet, above all, it’s the strong sense of belonging that genuinely transforms Croasdaile Village into a cherished home.
Every community above is evaluated across six weighted categories using public data including state inspection records, review platforms, BBB profiles, and operator-published materials. Rank badges compare each community against other memory care communities in the same state — never against a different care type.
The single largest share of every ranking. Aggregated review sentiment and volume from major platforms — the closest signal to real resident experience.
State inspection records, citations, and complaint visits. We weight per-inspection rates more heavily than raw counts.
Communities that publish high-quality visuals give families a real preview. No photos or tours = a negative transparency signal.
Site quality and whether the operator publishes basic accountability information — staff names, contact details, ownership.
Operational signals indicating whether a community is well-run and meeting demand.
Walkability and pricing transparency. Walk Score is weighted higher for Independent Living than for Memory Care, where most residents do not leave unaccompanied.
We help families find affordable senior communities and unlock same day discounts, Medicaid, and Medicare options tailored to your needs.
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Assisted living in North Carolina supports residents with daily activities (bathing, dressing, medication management) while preserving independence. Memory care is a specialized form of assisted living for residents living with Alzheimer's or dementia, and adds 24/7 secured environments, dementia-trained staff, and structured routines designed to reduce confusion and wandering.
North Carolina Medicaid does not directly pay room-and-board for memory care, but most states (including North Carolina) offer Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waivers that can offset the cost of care services delivered inside a licensed community. Eligibility, waitlists, and covered services vary — check directly with the state Medicaid agency.
Memory care is a specialized form of assisted living for residents living with Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia, with secured environments, dementia-trained staff, and routines built to reduce confusion and wandering.
This page features 14 memory care communities in Durham, NC. Use the filters and comparison tools above to compare ratings, amenities, and pricing.
Start by matching the level of care offered to the resident's current and anticipated needs, then compare licensing status, staff-to-resident ratios, recent inspection results, and pricing. Tour at least two or three communities in Durham, NC, talk to current residents and families, and confirm what is included in the base rate versus billed as add-on services.
Pay attention to staff interactions with residents, cleanliness and odor, food quality at meal times, the activity calendar, and how questions about pricing and care plans are answered. Ask to see the most recent state inspection report, the move-out / level-of-care-change policy, and a sample monthly bill that lists every fee.
