According to reports from the American Medical Association and Alzheimer's Association, at least 5,000 households in Austin are affected by Alzheimer's disease.

Silverado Senior Living, an Irvine, Calif.–based company that specializes in assisted living for people who have dementia, opened Silverado Senior Living-Onion Creek on Farrah Lane near FM 1626 in early May.

The community, which can accommodate up to 90 residents, is the company's first in Austin and eighth in Texas.

Silverado staffers' care philosophy focuses on and re-enforces a resident's strengths rather than his or her impairments, Silverado CEO Loren Shook said.

"We've created a culture that is really supportive of everyone we touch," he said.

Shook touted the company's 24-hour visiting hours, pet therapy and efforts to reduce the amount of psychotropic drugs residents take every month.

"In a typical long-term care situation, a resident may be on 10 to 12 prescriptions on average," he said.

"We have an average of 5.7 prescriptions throughout the company. We are able to reduce the amount they're taking without negative side effects, and it reduces costs."

Shook added that he was excited to expand to the Austin market, and he praised the medical and leadership teams at the new facility.