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How will we pay for this?
Most families use more than one source: savings first, then insurance, VA benefits or Medicaid. Fill in what you know and we'll sort the options, with this year's limits beside each one.
A starting point, not a decision. Every program makes its own determination.
We couldn't confirm whether your state's Medicaid pays for assisted living. Your local aging office will know. The asset limit is $2,000 in most states. Medicaid looks back 60 months at gifts. Don't transfer money or the house before getting advice.
If your parent is chronically ill and has a plan of care from a licensed health professional, assisted living and memory care costs can count as medical expenses. Medical expenses above 7.5% of adjusted gross income are deductible for people who itemize. If you pay for a parent, you may be able to claim them too. Ask a tax professional.
Medicare doesn't pay for long-term assisted living, memory care or ongoing help with daily activities. It still covers doctors, hospital stays, short rehab, home health and hospice, including hospice care in assisted living.
The short answers
No. Medicare doesn't pay for long-term assisted living, memory care or ongoing help with bathing, dressing and eating. It pays for short-term skilled rehab after a hospital stay (days 21 to 100 cost $217 a day in 2026), and for hospice and home health, including hospice in assisted living.
What Medicare coversIn many states, for the care but not the rent. We found public programs that help pay for care in assisted living in 38 of the 50 states and DC, and 2 where Medicaid generally doesn't pay for it. These programs almost never cover room and board, and many have waitlists. Medicaid pays for nursing home care in every state.
Check your stateThey're set by each state. The most common 2026 limits are $2,982 a month in income (300% of the SSI rate) and $2,000 in savings for a single person. People over the income limit can often still qualify through a Miller trust or a spend-down, depending on the state.
Medicaid, explainedMedicaid reviews gifts and transfers made in the 60 months before applying for long-term care (a shorter period applies in a few states and programs). Giving away money or property during that time can cause a penalty period with no coverage, so talk to an elder law attorney before moving assets.
The spouse who stays at home keeps the house and, in 2026, between $32,532 and $162,660 in savings depending on the state, plus a minimum monthly income of at least $2,705.
Spousal protectionsYes, for many wartime veterans and surviving spouses. A VA pension with Aid and Attendance pays up to $29,093 a year for a veteran with no dependents in 2026, and up to $18,697 for a surviving spouse. Net worth must be under $163,699, and ongoing care costs are subtracted from income. Help applying is free from accredited representatives.
Veterans benefitsMost policies do, once a doctor confirms your parent needs help with 2 of 6 daily activities or has a cognitive impairment such as dementia. Most policies have a waiting period, often 30 to 90 days, before they pay, and it doesn't start until a claim is open.
Using long-term care insuranceIt can be. When the resident is chronically ill and has a plan of care from a licensed health professional, assisted living and memory care costs count as medical expenses, deductible above 7.5% of adjusted gross income for people who itemize. Ask a tax professional.
Tax breaksOften, yes. Many families sell or rent the home to pay for the first years of care. A reverse mortgage generally doesn't fit when the owner moves out for good, because the loan comes due, but can make sense while a spouse still lives there. HUD requires counseling before any reverse mortgage.
Savings, insurance and home equity