Illinois memory care licensing explained — Assisted Living Establishments, SHEs, and IDPH regulation

Illinois recognizes two residential care license types under the Assisted Living and Shared Housing Act (210 ILCS 9). Both provide housing with assistance for daily living for adults who need support but do not require the level of care provided in a skilled nursing facility.

The practical difference: a Shared Housing Establishment (SHE) is capped at 12 residents, which typically means a smaller, more homelike environment. Families who want a less institutional setting for a loved one with dementia sometimes prefer SHEs for this reason. However, smaller size does not automatically mean better staffing ratios or higher quality care — the inspection record is still the most reliable signal.

An Illinois ALE or SHE that operates a dedicated Alzheimer's or dementia care unit is required by 210 ILCS 9 to obtain a Special Alzheimer's/Dementia Care designation from IDPH. This designation requires the facility to:

• Maintain a written dementia care philosophy reviewed by IDPH
• Provide staff training in dementia-specific care, communication, and behavioral management
• Operate a secured or monitored environment to prevent unsafe resident exits (where applicable)
• Provide structured programming tailored to residents with cognitive impairment
• Document individualized care plans with dementia-specific goals

Holding the designation signals that IDPH verified compliance with these baseline requirements at the time of the designation review. It is not a star rating or an independent quality certification. Cross-reference designation status with the facility's Type 1 violation history for a more complete picture.

IDPH Division of Assisted Living conducts biennial on-site surveys of all licensed ALEs and SHEs — approximately every two years — and investigates complaints and reportable incidents. The biennial cycle is less frequent than California's annual CDSS inspections or Oregon's typically annual DHS surveys, which means the indexed record may be older in some cases.

During a survey, IDPH inspectors review:

• Resident rights and freedom from abuse, neglect, and exploitation
• Staffing ratios and employee documentation
• Medication management and storage
• Individual service plans and care delivery
• Physical environment, safety, and fire preparedness
• For Special Alzheimer's/Dementia Care designation holders: dementia program compliance

StarlynnCare's Illinois inspection data is sourced from IDPH via FOIA request and covers inspections and complaint investigations from January 2024 through May 2026. Each Illinois facility profile shows the inspection exit date, violation type (1/2/3), and the citation code.

Each Illinois ALE or SHE profile on StarlynnCare shows:

• License type (ALE or SHE) and Special Alzheimer's/Dementia Care designation status where available
• IDPH inspection findings with exit dates, violation type (1/2/3), and citation codes
• Complaint investigation outcomes where records are available
• Direct link to the IDPH LLCS portal for source verification

Because Illinois uses a biennial survey cycle, some profiles may not reflect a survey in the past 12 months. When reviewing a profile, note the inspection exit date to understand the recency of the record.