What is Birmingham Senior Advisor?
Birmingham Senior Advisor is a free senior care referral and advisory service for families in Birmingham and six surrounding Alabama counties: Jefferson, Shelby, St. Clair, Walker, Blount, Chilton and Bibb.
Three things set this site apart: the rules are quoted from Alabama's administrative code, the prices come from published surveys with their dates, and the facility listings come straight from ADPH's licensing export and posted inspection reports. Our advisors are paid by participating communities after a move-in, never by families, and every license in the seven counties is listed whether or not that community works with us.
How many seniors and licensed care options are there around Birmingham?
The seven counties had about 224,984 residents 65 and older on July 1, 2025, according to Census Bureau estimates, and ADPH lists 35 assisted living licenses, 25 specialty care (memory care) licenses and 51 nursing homes there.
| County | Residents 65+ | Share 65+ | ALF licenses | SCALF licenses | Nursing homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County | 124,311 | 18.7% | 15 | 13 | 34 |
| Shelby County | 43,293 | 18.1% | 10 | 7 | 3 |
| St. Clair County | 19,105 | 19.5% | 3 | 0 | 5 |
| Walker County | 13,726 | 21.1% | 4 | 2 | 5 |
| Blount County | 11,952 | 19.9% | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| Chilton County | 8,705 | 18.2% | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Bibb County | 3,892 | 17.5% | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Population: U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 county population estimates by age (July 1, 2025). Licenses: ADPH directory export, October 30, 2026.
How does Alabama license assisted living and memory care?
ADPH licenses regular assisted living facilities (ALFs) in group (3-16 residents) and congregate (17 or more) classes under chapter 420-5-4, and memory care as specialty care assisted living facilities (SCALFs) under chapter 420-5-20, which alone may secure exits for residents with dementia.
SCALFs must meet minimum staffing on every shift, employ an RN and a physician medical director and train staff in Alabama's DETA dementia curriculum. Read the licensing guide or the memory care rules.
What does senior care cost in Alabama?
CareScout's 2025 Alabama medians are about $4,200 a month for assisted living, $8,334 for a semi-private nursing home room and about $27 an hour for home care; there is no published Birmingham figure and no memory care median anywhere.
Alabama Medicaid does not pay for assisted living, so the payment plan matters as much as the monthly price. See costs and paying for care.
Where should a Birmingham family start?
Begin with whatever just happened, because a discharge from UAB or Brookwood, a new dementia diagnosis, a fall at home, a worn-out caregiver or dwindling savings each lead to a different first phone call.
What this site does and doesn't do
| We do | We don't | |
|---|---|---|
| Families' cost | Help at no charge, funded by participating communities | Bill families for advice or placement |
| Listings | Show every ADPH license in seven counties | Sell placement or hide non-paying facilities |
| Quality | Quote ADPH survey tags and CMS stars with dates | Invent scores, badges or rankings |
| Who we are | An independent referral service | ADPH, Medicaid or an area agency on aging |
