Winston-Salem Senior Advisor
What is Winston-Salem Senior Advisor?
Winston-Salem Senior Advisor is a free referral and guidance service for families looking for assisted living, memory care, nursing homes or home care in Winston-Salem and the rest of Forsyth, Davidson, Davie, Stokes and Yadkin counties.
The site lays out what North Carolina's rules require, what the published price data can and cannot tell you, and every licensed home from the state's own files, with star ratings, inspections and fines. An advisor then helps you narrow the list. We are paid by communities when a family we introduced moves in, never by families, and we would rather you know that up front.
How many older adults and licensed care homes does the Winston-Salem area have?
Census Bureau estimates count about 144,755 people aged 65 and over in the five counties on July 1, 2025, and the state licenses 47 adult care homes, 13 family care homes and 32 nursing homes there.
| County | Residents 65+ | Share 65+ | Adult care homes | Family care homes | Buildings with a dementia unit | Nursing homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forsyth | 76,339 | 19.0% | 30 | 9 | 16 | 16 |
| Davidson | 37,392 | 20.8% | 5 | 3 | 6 | 8 |
| Davie | 11,086 | 24.2% | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Stokes | 11,366 | 24.6% | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Yadkin | 8,572 | 22.4% | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
Population: U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 county population estimates by age (July 1, 2025). Licenses: DHSR files pulled November 6, 2026.
What does assisted living mean under North Carolina law?
There is no license by that name: a home serving seven or more residents is an adult care home under 10A NCAC 13F, one serving two to six is a family care home under 13G, and a dementia unit is a block of special care unit beds approved on an adult care home's license.
The state also rates each of those homes from zero to four stars after its inspections. See what the license covers and how the rating works.
How much does senior care cost in North Carolina?
CareScout's 2025 statewide medians put assisted living at about $6,200 a month and a shared nursing home room at about $9,733, with home care at $30 an hour; nobody publishes a Winston-Salem figure or a memory care figure.
For residents with little income, Special Assistance pays up to $1,397 a month toward an adult care home in 2026, so the way you pay can matter as much as the price. Start with costs and payment help.
Where should a Winston-Salem family start?
Start with whatever just changed: a discharge from Baptist or Forsyth Medical Center, a fall, a dementia diagnosis, a caregiver who is worn down, or money that is running short each calls for a different first step, and our situation guides take them one at a time.
What we are, and what we are not
| Winston-Salem Senior Advisor is | Winston-Salem Senior Advisor is not | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to you | Free; communities pay a referral fee after a move-in | A bill now or later |
| Data | State license, rating and penalty files plus CMS Care Compare | Paid listings or scraped reviews |
| Ratings | The state's stars and CMS's stars, each labelled | Scores of our own invention |
| Affiliation | An independent private referral service | A government office or the area agency on aging |
