Mississippi Residential Alzheimer’s Care (Memory Care): Laws, Costs & Financial Help

Legal Definition of Assisted Living / Memory Care in Mississippi

In Mississippi, communities that house people with dementia in memory care units are called “personal care homes.” They are divided into two categories of facilities:

• Residential living who may not house a patient that is non-ambulatory, meaning they cannot evacuate on their own in an emergency.
• Assisted living who may admit non-ambulatory residents who have advanced dementia as long as their medical evaluation supports that the home can care for them.

All assisted and residential living homes provide room and board, meals, laundry, housekeeping services and assistance with activities of daily living like eating and dressing.

Memory care in Mississippi is regulated by the state’s Department of Health.

How Much Does Memory Care Cost in Mississippi?

The cost of assisted living and memory care can vary depending on where in Mississippi the residence is located. The table below lists the median monthly cost of both assisted living and memory care facilities in different areas of the state as of 2025. Individuals who are in the early to mid stages of dementia may be best suited for assisted living facilities, which are less expensive than memory care, while those with more severe symptoms or who are in the late stages of dementia will likely need memory care.

For context, the median cost of assisted living across the country in 2025 was $6,200/month, while it was $4,369/month in Mississippi in 2025.

Mississippi Assisted Living Laws & Regulations

Admissions Process & Requirements

Before moving in, every resident in Mississippi memory care must be assessed medically to determine whether the fit is appropriate. Facilities may not admit someone whose needs cannot be met there. Medical evaluations must be updated annually.

These assessments are usually performed by a medical professional who works for the residence. The cost may be included in the base rate, or the residence may charge a community fee that covers the assessment and other up-front details like deep cleaning the new resident’s room. Community fees usually run between $1,500 and $2,500. When interviewing potential memory care homes to move into, ask exactly what the assessment process is.

Admissions agreements must be provided to every resident, and include the following information:

• A breakdown of all charges and the period they are covering
• Services that might result in additional costs
• Refund policy
• Promise to make timely notifications of any changes in status

Someone with the following issues may not be admitted to an assisted living home in Mississippi:

• Is non-ambulatory, or cannot move without assistance
• Requires physical restraints
• Threatens safety of themselves or others
• Requires feeding tubes or IV fluids

A person does not need to be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or dementia in order to be admitted into memory care in Mississippi. Dementia is difficult to diagnose, with symptoms that vary depending on the individual. It’s important to match your loved one with the home that best fits with their unique needs, not a specific disease.

It is possible to move into assisted living in Mississippi on short notice, but this is not a good idea. Finding the right memory care community for your loved one is important, you should investigate as many potential homes as possible before making a decision. Additionally, your loved one will have more input into the decision the earlier you start the process.

Facility / Residence

All living units must be at least 80 square feet. Every floor needs a bathroom for both genders, with a bathtub or shower for every 12 residents and a toilet and sink for every six residents. Any residence housing people with dementia must have security controls on all entrances and exits (in case of wandering) and a secure outdoor exercise pathway. Other design elements that are dementia-friendly but not required in Mississippi are soft paint colors on the walls, easily navigated areas, and hallways that run circular so your loved one can walk without encountering a dead end.

Staff & Training

Regulations say that two staff plus a nurse must be on duty at all times. Three hours of nursing care is required to be available to every resident per 24 hours. Also, a licensed social worker, professional counselor, or therapist must be available at least eight hours every month to provide services to residents with dementia and their families. Orientation for new employees must be dementia-specific. In-service training must be held at least quarterly. Staffing ratios are as follows:

• Between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., there must be one direct-care staffer for every 15 or fewer residents.
• Between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m., there must be one direct-care staffer for every 25 or fewer residents.

Evictions & Discharges

A resident in assisted living may be evicted if they develop any of the following issues:

• Become non-ambulatory
• Require physical restraints
• Become dangerous to themselves or others
• Need nasopharyngeal and/or tracheotomy suctioning
• Need intravenous fluids, medicine or feeding
• Need an indwelling urinary catheter
• Need sterile wound care
• Need treatment for a decubitus ulcer or exfoliative dermatitis

It is possible that the family, residence, and a licensed medical professional agree that the community is able to handle it, and an exception can be made.

Mississippi regulations do not specify how soon a person must leave after receiving an eviction notice. In other states, residents are typically given 30 days. For this reason, it’s important to be clear on what can get a person evicted. Knowing how that process works and getting it in writing before agreeing to move in is a vital step. Unfair evictions can be a problem in assisted living nationwide. By getting the residence’s policy in writing (with as many specific details as possible) is a good way of being prepared. If you’ve received an eviction notice, click here for guidance on next steps.

Financial Assistance for Residential Alzheimer’s Memory Care

Assisted Living Waiver

Mississippi Medicaid’s Assisted Living (AL) Waiver will pay for long-term care services and supports for qualified individuals, including dementia patients, who are in assisted living or memory care. Benefits are based on the needs of the individual and they can include activities (therapeutic, recreational, social), medication management, transportation, housekeeping services and personal care assistance with the Activities of Daily Living (mobility, bathing, dressing, eating, toileting). The AL Waiver will not pay for room and board expenses.

To qualify for the AL Waiver, applicants must meet two financial requirements – an asset limit ($4,000 for an individual in 2026) and an income limit ($2,982/month for an individual in 2026) – and the medical requirement of needing a Nursing Facility Level of Care (NFLOC). It should be noted that a dementia diagnosis does not guarantee a NFLOC designation. This program has a limited number of enrollment spots (approximately 1,200 per year) and once those spots are full additional applicants will be placed on a waitlist.

Veterans Affairs (VA)

Qualified STATE veterans (or their surviving spouses) with dementia can also receive financial assistance through a Veterans Affairs (VA) Pension that they could use to pay for assisted living or memory care.

There are three levels of VA Pensions – Basic, Aid & Attendance (A&A) and Housebound. To qualify for any of them, veterans or their surviving spouses need to meet a net worth limit of $163,699 (effective Dec. 1, 2025 – Nov. 30, 2026), which is calculated by adding the total of their assets to their annual income. Some assets are exempt, like a primary home, primary vehicle and household furniture and appliances. VA Pension applicants also have to meet an income limit to be eligible – their income must be less than the VA Pension they are applying for in order for them to qualify. And veterans must meet a military service requirement, which includes not having received a dishonorable discharge.

To qualify for A&A, veterans or their surviving spouses must also meet a medical requirement, which is one of the following must be true:

• They need help to perform the Activities of Daily Living (mobility, bathing, dressing/grooming, eating, toileting) OR
• They have to stay in bed for at least a large portion of the day due to illness OR
• They are in a nursing home due to loss of mental or physical abilities OR
• Their eyesight is extremely limited (5/200 or less in both eyes even with glasses or contacts; or concentric contraction of the visual field to 5 degrees or fewer)

To qualify for Housebound, veterans must spend most of their time in their home due to a permanent disability.

There is no medical requirement for VA Basic Pensions.

Qualified veterans or their surviving spouses are entitled to their Maximum Annual Pension Rate (MAPR) minus their annual income. The following MAPRs are effective from Dec. 1, 2025 to Nov. 30, 2026:

VA Basic Pension MAPRs

• Veterans without spouses or children: $17,441
• Veterans with dependent spouses or children: $22,839
• Surviving spouses without dependent children: $11,699
• Surviving spouses with dependent children: $15,311
• Two veterans married to each other: $22,839

VA Aid & Attendance MAPRs

• Veterans without spouses or children: $29,093
• Veterans with dependent spouses or children: $34,488
• Surviving spouses without dependent children a maximum of $18,697
• Surviving spouses with dependent children: $22,304
• Two veterans married to each other and one qualifies for A&A: $33,548
• Two veterans married to each other and one qualifies for A&A and one for Housebound: $38,350
• Two veterans married to each other and both qualify for A&A: $46,143

VA Housebound MAPRs

• Veterans without spouses or children: $21,313
• Veterans with dependent spouses or children: $26,710
• Surviving spouses without dependent children: $14,298
• Surviving spouses with dependent children: $17,902
• Two veterans married to each other and one qualifies for Housebound: $26,710
• Two veterans married to each other and both qualify for Housebound: $30,580
• Two veterans married to each other and one qualifies Housebound and the other for A&A: $38,350

Veterans Homes

There are four veterans’ homes in Mississippi. They are residential care facilities that provide long-term care for veterans. They are located in Collins, in lower-central Mississippi; Jackson; Kosciusko, in the upper-central part of the state; and Oxford, in the northwest. In addition to nursing home care, assisted living and memory care may be provided. Neighboring states also have veterans’ homes. Your loved one might consider looking there for more options as there are no requirements that one must live in the state. For example, Louisiana has five veterans’ homes statewide. Additionally, Alabama and Tennessee both have four facilities. More info.

Supplemental Security Income

Dementia patients age 65 and over with limited income and assets may qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI). These funds can be used to pay for the cost of assisted living or memory care. As of 2026, the maximum SSI benefit for an individual is $994/month and for a married couple it’s $1,491/month.

To qualify for SSI, applicants must be age 65 and over or have a significant disability, and they must meet an income limit and an asset limit. As of 2026, individuals may meet the SSI income limit if they earn less than $2,073/month OR they get less than $1,014/month from non-work sources, like Social Security benefits or pension payments. They may meet the SSI asset limit if they have $2,000 or less in countable assets. For couples, the income limit is $3,067/month in work income or $1,511/month in non-work income, and the asset limit is $3,000.

Other Options

1) Elder care loans exist for families to cover the costs of moving into memory care while waiting for other financial resources to become available. For example, if one is waiting for a VA pension to be approved or waiting to sell a home. More on bridge loans for memory care.

2) Some tax credits and deductions can provide financial relief for seniors with dementia and their families. Seniors with limited financial resources can claim the Credit for the Elderly and/or the Disabled, as long as no one can claim them as a dependent. If someone (like an adult child) can claim the senior as a dependent, they can utilize the Child and Dependent Care Credit, and they can deduct any medical or dental expenses they paid for the senior.

3) A reverse mortgage loan can be a viable option for some senior homeowners who are in need of extra income to help pay dementia care. However, reverse mortgages are not recommended for every senior homeowner who needs extra income, so it’s important to consult with a professional before taking out one of these loans.