10 Best Assisted Living Facilities in Nashville, TN

This guide will explain financing an assisted living stay in Nashville using private funding options, VA benefits, Medicare, and Medicaid. Here you’ll discover resources for each payment method.

Assisted living facilities and residential homes for seniors in Nashville are licensed by the Tennessee Department of Health’s Board for Licensing Health Care Facilities. Facilities receive one-, two-, or three-year licenses, which can be viewed on the Tennessee Department of Health’s website.

Nashville-based assisted living facilities require a pre-licensure inspection conducted by the Tennessee Department of Health’s Board for Licensing Health Care Facilities. It’s done within 15 months and as needed after its last inspection date. You can look up inspection reports for Nashville facilities online.

Tennessee has a variety of laws and regulations in place to protect residents of assisted living facilities, including:

• Tennessee Assisted Living Facility Regulations: Oversee staffing levels, quality of care, resident rights, safety, cleanliness, and food service standards
• Tennessee Administrative Code: Establish rules and procedures for licensing and certification, including staffing levels, quality of care, and resident rights. Requires one direct care staff member on duty and awake at all times when residents are present
• Tennessee Health and Safety Code: Outlines minimum health and safety requirements for assisted living facilities, including staff qualifications, training, and emergency preparedness
• Tennessee Fair Housing Law: Protects assisted living residents from discrimination based on race, religion, sex, age, and other factors. Requires facilities to be accessible to individuals with disabilities

Facilities must have certified administrators, qualified dieticians, and sufficient staff to meet residents’ needs. Training requirements include fire safety, disaster preparedness, and emergency procedures. Privacy and safety standards are set for bedrooms and bathrooms.

Assisted living facilities are required to conduct assessments within 72 hours of admission and develop a plan of care within five days. The plan addresses personal care assistance, medical services, visits by health care providers, advance care directives, recreational activities, dietary needs, and more.

Before admission or signature of a contract for resident care, assisted care living facilities must declare in writing to the resident or the resident’s legal representative if the facility has liability insurance and, if so, the insurance provider’s name.

Tennessee Department of Health contact information

Tennessee Department of Health

710 James Robertson Parkway

Nashville, TN 37243

Phone: 615-741-3111

Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

COVID-19 regulations for Nashville assisted living facilities

Nashville does not have specific guidelines for assisted living facilities to follow regarding COVID-19. However, it may vary from facility to facility. Here are some general rules to follow to prevent the spread of the disease from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Nashville, the well-known home to country music and iconic music venues like the Grand Ole Opry, is also a relaxing place for seniors to get the personal care they need in an assisted living facility. These communities take care of everything from washing to housekeeping, leaving plenty of room for seniors to socialize and enjoy Nashville’s mild climate.

Multiple care type accommodations

We partner with 15 assisted living facilities within a 10-mile radius of the heart of Nashville. While three offer assisted living alone, the rest blend different types of senior living. These include:

• 1 assisted living and independent living facility
• 1 assisted living, independent living, and memory care facility
• 1 facility offering assisted living, independent living, memory care, or senior apartments
• 9 assisted living and memory care facility combinations

Facilities dedicated to the care of residents

In all of our partner assisted living facilities in Nashville, the staff provides full medication management, and someone is always awake 24/7 to attend to the needs of the residents. Nashville is also home to several high-quality medical centers and hospitals, including Vanderbilt University Medical Center, which is frequently ranked among the best in the country.

Fun activities and amenities within the community

All of our partner facilities in Nashville welcome pets; residents can access outdoor and indoor common areas to connect with others or visit family and friends. On-site beauty services make it simple for residents to get haircuts and perms. Seniors can enjoy Southern staples in a restaurant-style dining room, including vegetarian, gluten-free, and low-sodium options.

There are plenty of on-site activities to keep residents engaged. Transportation is also available to take seniors on fun outings to museums, farmer’s markets, and more Music City landmarks.

A beautiful place to live

Many of our partner Nashville assisted living facilities in the area have beautiful touches, like tray ceilings, wide windows, beautiful terraces, and circular walkways. Well-appointed common areas, like on-site libraries and game rooms with pool tables, provide plenty of spaces for seniors to get together outside of their own private spaces. These details make Nashville’s assisted living facilities feel like home.

Health care for seniors in Nashville

Transportation for seniors in Nashville

With more than 500 square miles in Tennessee’s capital, it’s no surprise that getting around Nashville is heavily reliant on cars. It does, however, contain a handful of walkable neighborhoods. The most walkable neighborhoods in Nashville are East End, Downtown, and Cameron Trimble. The suburbs surrounding the city center are significantly less walkable, and public transportation options are minimal.

The total walk score for the city is 29, while the transit score is 22. For context, Walk Score rates what a city’s transportation by bike, foot, and public transit means on a scale of 0 to 100.^[07]

Our partner assisted living facilities in Nashville offer seniors transportation options as well. Eighty-seven percent of our partner facilities offer complimentary transportation, while 33% charge a fee.^[01]

In terms of public transportation, WeGo Public Transit operates 34 bus lines and one train route from Lebanon to the city. Seniors over 65 and disabled individuals can pay a fare of 85 cents by providing a driver’s license, Medicare, or a Seniors-MTA Golden Age card.

Those who are disabled use the WeGo Access Program, which costs $3.70 per ride. It follows predetermined routes, and riders may require the assistance of a personal care attendant.

Seniors over 60 can use the Senior Ride Nashville with a round-trip ticket of $6 and a yearly membership fee of $25. After registering, eligible residents will be notified when they can join. There is a waiting list for those who want to use this service.

Senior activities in Nashville

The bustling metropolis of Nashville is located deep in Tennessee’s center. The city has always had its own identity, making it one of the most distinctive cities in the country.

There’s a reason it’s been dubbed Music City for nearly a century. It’s home to one of the world’s largest museums devoted to music, the Country Music Hall of Fame. The museum displays a diverse collection of historically significant artifacts associated with country music. Moreover, it’s a great opportunity to learn about the lives of performers. The museum provides wheelchairs, assistive listening devices, and large print guides upon request.

The Grand Ole Opry is an iconic venue that showcases famous country musicians from country music’s past, present, and future. The venue also has assistive listening devices and wheelchair-accessible features for individuals requiring them. Nashville doesn’t just have one well-known country music hot spot — there’s also the Ryman Auditorium, which offers a full range of accessibility options.

If you want to experience something other than country music, the General Jackson Showboat provides a nice sail down the Cumberland River so you can soak in the spectacular city sights while enjoying a meal and a show.

Beyond its famous music scene, Nashville caters to sports enthusiasts with a range of professional sports teams to root for. Experience the excitement of a Tennessee Titans NFL game at Nissan Stadium as you cheer on the team during kickoff. For ice hockey enthusiasts, Bridgestone Arena is the place to be, where you can witness thrilling Nashville Predators games. And if you’re a fan of America’s favorite pastime, don’t miss the opportunity to catch a Nashville Sounds minor league baseball game. In Nashville, sports lovers have plenty of thrilling options to indulge in.

Seniors who want to be active while admiring the scenery of Music City can visit Centennial Park, which features wonderful walking routes and a sunken garden. There’s also an art center, historical sites, and a family arts activity center around the venue. Multiple events take place at the park, so check their schedule to learn more.

The Nashville Zoo is the perfect destination for seniors to take a journey through the animal kingdom. Well-maintained habitats house 3,000 animals and 325 different species. Nashville Zoo’s well-shaded seating areas offer the ideal place for seniors to relax and reconnect with nature in a peaceful setting. The zoo makes an effort to ensure all pathways, exhibits, and facilities are accessible to every visitor. If you can’t bring your own wheelchair, rentals start at $12.

Nashville Farmers Market is an enormous market that’s open all year. The venue boasts open-air sheds, a 24,000-square-foot garden center, a culinary incubator center, and a giant food hall where you can find Nashville hot chicken and more.

The Metro Parks Senior Recreation Program offers visual arts, dance, crafts, and other leisure activities for persons over 55. It comprises three main branches (East, Elizabeth, and Hadley) and nine satellite branches.