What is a home for the aged in Tennessee?
A Tennessee home for the aged is a residence held out to the public as accepting primarily aged persons (51% or more) for relatively permanent, domiciliary care, providing room, board and personal services to four or more unrelated people, licensed under rule 0720-21.
The license is often called a residential home for the aged, or RHA, and HFC's reports list these homes separately from ACLFs. A home for the aged resident must be ambulatory and will be transferred to a hospital, nursing home or assisted-care living facility when health care services are needed (0720-21-.01(28)). In other words, an RHA is a supervised residence with meals and personal help, not a setting that delivers medical services.
How many homes for the aged are licensed around Memphis?
The Health Facilities Commission's October 2026 report lists 4 licensed homes for the aged in Shelby, Fayette and Tipton counties, with 30 beds in all, the largest with 12 beds.
The number has fallen over time: HFC's facility listings for Shelby, Fayette and Tipton counties show far more closed, withdrawn or expired home-for-the-aged licenses than active ones, a pattern consistent with small operators either converting to ACLF licenses or closing. Every active license is on our assisted living roster, with its bed count and last survey date.
How is a home for the aged different from assisted living in Tennessee?
The key difference is medical services: an ACLF may administer medications and arrange part-time nursing, therapy and hospice inside the building, while a home for the aged provides room, board and personal services and transfers residents elsewhere when they need health care.
Homes for the aged are usually small. License fees reflect that, starting at $390 a year for fewer than six beds and $1,040 for six to 24 beds, then following the same bed-based scale as ACLFs. A small home can offer a quieter, family-style setting at a lower price, but families should confirm how medications are handled, who is awake overnight and what happens if their parent's health declines, because the answer is usually a move.
How do I check a home for the aged's license and record?
Search the Health Facilities Commission's facility listings by facility type “Home for the Aged” and county, which shows the license number, status, beds, last survey date and any disciplinary actions, and confirm the home appears on HFC's current quarterly bed report.
A home that cares for four or more unrelated older adults and is not on either list may be operating without a license, which Tennessee treats as a separate violation. Report suspected unlicensed operations to HFC's complaint line at 1-877-287-0010, and if anyone is in danger, call 911 or Adult Protective Services at 1-888-277-8366.
At a glance
| A Tennessee home for the aged is | A Tennessee home for the aged is not | |
|---|---|---|
| License | HFC Home for the Aged license (rule 0720-21) | An ACLF license |
| Residents | Ambulatory older adults needing personal services | People who need health care services on site |
| Size | Often small, from a handful of beds | Required to be large |
| Health changes | A trigger for transfer to a hospital, nursing home or ACLF | Managed in place with nursing |
Sources include Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. chapters 0720-26, 0720-21 and 0720-18, Health Facilities Commission and TennCare pages, CareScout and VA rate tables as cited above; see our editorial standards.
