VA Benefits for Memory Care in Wyoming

Baseline Assisted Living Services in Wyoming

All assisted living facilities in Wyoming, including those that provide memory care, must offer a core range of resident services.

• Meals, housekeeping, and laundry services.
• A safe and sanitary living environment.
• Assistance arranging public transportation.
• Support with medical, dental, and vision care coordination.
• Access to group activities both inside and outside the facility.
• Help managing personal funds when requested by the resident.
• Personal care assistance, including support with dressing, hygiene, and skin care.
• Light wound care and light mobility assistance.
• Reminders for daily needs, medications, or scheduled activities.
• 24-hour monitoring and oversight.
• Nursing assessments.

Level 2 Admission and Resident Assessment Requirements

Residents entering Wyoming assisted living communities must receive medical and physical evaluations before admission. Those moving into a Level 2 dementia care unit are subject to additional evaluation requirements.

• All residents must undergo full medical and physical evaluations before admission.
• These evaluations are used to identify all known care needs before placement.
• Residents with dementia entering a Level 2 assisted living facility must receive additional assessments addressing their specialized cognitive and behavioral needs.

Room and Building Standards

Wyoming establishes minimum living space and bathroom requirements for assisted living facilities, including memory care programs.

• Private rooms must contain at least 120 square feet.
• Shared rooms must provide at least 80 square feet per resident.
• No more than two residents may share a room.
• Facilities must provide at least one toilet for every two beds.
• Facilities must provide at least one shower or bathtub for every 10 beds.

Level 2 Dementia Staff Training Requirements

Staff working in secured Level 2 memory care units must receive documented training specific to dementia care and resident safety.

• Training must address the facility’s philosophy and approach to caring for residents with severe cognitive impairment.
• Staff must learn how to care for, intervene with, and redirect residents who need help with daily living activities.
• Employees must be trained in techniques for minimizing difficult dementia-related behaviors such as wandering and paranoia.
• Training must include therapeutic programming that promotes residents’ independence, privacy, dignity, choice, and functioning.
• Staff must know how to identify and remove physical and psychological safety risks in the environment.
• After initial training, staff must complete at least 12 hours of annual continuing education related to dementia care.

Nursing Coverage, Background Checks, and Management Standards

Wyoming’s Level 2 memory care rules also establish expectations for nursing presence, employee screening, and administrator qualifications.

• Level 2 assisted living facilities should have a licensed nurse on staff and awake at all times.
• All staff must pass a criminal history background check before resident contact.
• Employees must also clear the Department of Family Services central registry screening.

Administrators and site managers overseeing Level 2 dementia programs have additional requirements.

• They must be at least 21 years old.
• They must pass Wyoming’s assisted living licensure and program administration test with a score of at least 85%.
• They must have qualifying post-secondary education in health care, elder care, care management, facility management, or a related field.
• They must also have at least two years of experience working with elderly persons or individuals with disabilities.
• Site managers must complete 16 hours of annual continuing education, including eight hours focused on severe cognitive impairment and dementia care.

Orientation, Inspections, and Public Violation Reports

Facility management in Wyoming must provide staff orientation and on-site education that addresses resident care, resident rights, and emergency procedures.

• Orientation must prepare staff to care for residents appropriately.
• Training must include how to protect residents’ rights.
• Emergency procedures must be covered in facility education programs.

The Wyoming Department of Health also maintains a public inspection-report database families can use to review compliance history for assisted living facilities.

• The database allows users to search facilities by location.
• To identify memory care communities, users should select Assisted Living Facilities under the facility type filter.
• Searches can then be narrowed by county and city.
• Facility profiles include inspection history, cited violations, the impact on residents, and corrective actions taken by the provider.