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

Legal Definition of Assisted Living / Memory Care in Arkansas

As of 2024 in Arkansas, an assisted living home for people with dementia is an assisted living facility with an Alzheimer’s Special Care Unit. These residences offer room and board with special services specifically for people with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. There are approximately 25 of these residences in Arkansas that offer two levels of care.

Staff at these communities must be able to assist residents with:

• Activities of Daily Living (mobility, bathing, dressing, eating, toileting)
• Social and recreational activities
• Transportation to appointments
• Housekeeping services
• Three meals per day
• Assistance with medication

Arkansas has Level 2 Alzheimer’s Special Care Units which offer the same services but have registered nurses on staff to provide more specialized healthcare. Level 2 is generally a better choice for people in later stages of dementia or who have other medical issues.

Assisted living in Arkansas is regulated by the Department of Human Services, Office of Long-Term Care.

How Much Does Memory Care Cost in Arkansas?

The cost of assisted living and memory care can vary depending on where in Arkansas 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 $4,637/month in Arkansas in 2025.

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Arkansas Assisted Living Laws & Regulations

Admissions Requirements and Process

Assisted living communities must perform an initial evaluation of every resident before they move in. This means assessing personal and health requirements in order to make an individualized plan. The cost of this assessment should not be extra; it’s part of moving in. Your loved one should have a less-formal screening to begin this process. Normally this is done to get a general idea of whether the community is a good fit.

A person could move into memory care, also called Alzheimer’s care units, on somewhat short notice. A diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease or related illness is not necessarily required, as long as the evaluation has determined that your loved one has needs that can be met by the staff at the residence.

Assisted living with memory care residences may not admit someone with the following conditions:

• Needs 24-hour nursing services
• Is bedridden
• Needs help moving from room to room beyond what the residence can provide
• Is dangerous to self or others
• Requires help with medication administration (except in Level 2 residences)

Alzheimer’s Special Care Units must provide a prepared statement to anyone considering living there that explains the process for assessment, forms of care, treatments and related services that are suitable for people with dementia. Additionally, a written breakdown of all costs will be given. You’ll want to file this document in case there are disputes later over care or prices.

Facility / Residence

Every apartment or living unit must be at least 150 square feet for one person and 230 square feet for two people (excluding closets and bathrooms). The maximum number of people in a living unit is two, and they must consent to being roommates. Every living unit needs a toilet, sink, and shower or bathtub.

There are best practices about the physical design of Alzheimer’s care units (though not required). For people with dementia, a residence should be built with extra supervision and security to make sure wandering is not a problem. Also, hallways should run circular because dead ends can be upsetting for someone who has dementia. Outdoor spaces have also been shown to help with symptoms.

Staff & Training

All staff in an Alzheimer’s special care unit must receive eight hours of training per month in the first five months of hiring, on the following:

• Facility policies
• Causes, philosophy, and treatment of dementia
• Stages of Alzheimer’s disease
• Managing behavior
• Wandering control
• Medication management
• Communication techniques
• Prevention of staff burnout
• Activities programming
• Activities of daily living
• Individual-centered care
• Making assessments
• Creating individual support plans

Additionally, at least two hours of in-service training is required every three months.

There is no staff-to-resident ratio in Level 1 residences, except to say staff must be adequate to meet the needs of every resident at all times. Level 2 residences must have a staffing ratio of one person on-duty for every 15 residents during daytime hours (7 a.m. to 8 p.m.) and one staffer for every 25 residents during the nighttime hours. There may never be fewer than two people on duty at a time.

Evictions

Unlike other states, Arkansas does not have regulations saying a person needs 30 days notice to be evicted from assisted living. This means it’s possible your loved one could be evicted unexpectedly. You’ll want to take steps when moving in to make sure the eviction policy is understood clearly. It is not against regulations to evict someone for not paying bills on time, for instance. Click here for more.

Generally, it is considered that a person whose behavior becomes dangerous to themselves or others cannot continue living in assisted living. Someone may also be told to move out if they have personal or health needs that cannot be met there. Because dementia is progressive, it is possible that a home could be a good fit in the earlier stages of the disease and then no longer be appropriate in the middle and later stages.

Financial Assistance for Residential Alzheimer’s Memory Care

Living Choices Assisted Living Waiver

The Arkansas Medicaid Living Choices Assisted Living Waiver will pay for long-term care services and supports for qualified individuals, including dementia patients, who live in approved assisted living facilities. Benefits are based on the needs of the individual and are intended to delay nursing home placement. They can include around-the-clock response staff, limited nursing services, housekeeping, transportation assistance and personal care assistance with the Activities of Daily Living (mobility, bathing, dressing, eating, toileting). It’s important to note that the Assisted Living Waiver will not pay for room and board expenses in assisted living.

To qualify for the Assisted Living Waiver, applicants must meet two financial eligibility requirements – an asset limit ($2,000 for an individual in 2026) and an income limit ($2,982/month for an individual in 2026) – as well as the medical requirement of needing a Nursing Facility Level of Care (NFLOC). A dementia diagnosis does not guarantee a NFLOC designation, although many dementia patients do require a NFLOC. This program has a limited number of enrollment spots (1,725 per year as of 2026), and once those spots are full additional applicants will be placed on a waitlist.

Medicaid State Plan Personal Care

Offered through state or regular Medicaid for seniors, also known as Aged, Blind and Disabled (ABD) Medicaid, the Personal Care program will pay for long-term care support for qualified individuals, including dementia patients, who are in a level 1 assisted living facility. The personal care assistance benefits are based on the individual’s needs and can include help with mobility, bathing, dressing, eating, toileting, medication management, housekeeping and meal prep. The program will not pay for room and board in assisted living.

To qualify for the State Plan Personal Care program, applicants must meet two financial eligibility requirements – an asset limit ($9,950 for an individual in 2026) and an income limit ($1,043.33/month for an individual in 2026). They must also meet the medical requirement of needing the assistance provided by the program. This will be determined during an evaluation by the state. ABD Medicaid, which runs this program, is an entitlement, which means all qualified applicants are guaranteed coverage.

Veterans Affairs (VA)

Qualified Arkansas 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 two veterans’ homes in Arkansas. They are residential care facilities that provide long-term care for veterans. These are located in Fayetteville and North Little Rock. Arkansans who live in the northern part of the state might note that there are seven VA homes in Missouri. It might be a good idea to go out-of-state if you can’t find a space where you live. More information here.

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.