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

Legal Definition of Assisted Living / Memory Care in Kansas

Assisted living residences in Kansas are called Assisted Living Facilities, Residential Health Care Facilities, or Home Plus residences. These are all long-term care homes that provide room and board, meals, and support for patients who need full-time supervision, access to nursing care, and assistance with activities of daily living like eating and dressing. Medical care is always available in these facilities, but someone who requires 24-hour nursing care may not be admitted into assisted living.

Home Plus is different from other assisted living options because it offers smaller, more home-like residences that house up to 12 people. Home Plus residences are also called board and care homes.

All of these communities may house people with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, but they have additional requirements. This main requirement focuses on dementia-specific training for staff. Dementia units are often called memory care and may be a wing of a larger assisted living home or an entire residence.

All assisted living homes are inspected and regulated by the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services.

How Much Does Memory Care Cost in Kansas?

The cost of assisted living and memory care can vary depending on where in Kansas 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 $5,975/month in STATE in 2025.

Kansas Assisted Living Laws & Regulations

Admissions Process & Requirements

Every new resident is screened for functional capacity which assesses their abilities and healthcare needs. These assessments must be updated annually. Based on the screening’s results, an individualized service plan is created with the specific personal and healthcare needs of the resident and how they will be met by staff.

The assessments are usually performed by someone who works for the residence, and the cost can be included with the regular price of living there. If not, a residence will charge a community fee that covers costs like the assessment, deep cleaning and painting the living unit. Usually this fee ranges from $1,500 to $2,500.

An official diagnosis of dementia is not required to move into memory care in Kansas. Dementia is difficult to diagnose and homes accept new residents based on symptoms and needs, rather than a specific disease.

Anyone considering moving into assisted living in Kansas should receive a statement from the residence with the following information:

General services provided

• Daily or monthly charges for services
• List of state laws affecting care
• Residents’ rights
• Policies and procedures for medical care
• Policy for filing a grievance

People with the following conditions may not be admitted into Kansas assisted living:

• Unmanageable incontinence
• Inability to exit the building in an emergency
• Need for ongoing skilled nursing care 24 hours per day
• Dangerous to self or others
• Need for physical restraints

It is possible to move into assisted living in Kansas on short notice, but this is not a good idea. The process of finding a good fit for your loved one takes time. By beginning the process early, they can contribute and be more involved in checking out different living options before a decision is made.

Facility / Residence

Assisted living apartments must be at least 200 square feet, not including bathroom and closets. Residential health care facility rooms can be smaller, but still must be at least 100 square feet. There is no rule saying how many people can live in one apartment. Every apartment must have a bathroom with toilet, sink, and shower or bath accessible for people with disabilities.

Kansas regulations also do not include requirements for dementia-friendly design features. Some states require buildings to have circular hallways that don’t run into a dead end or secure outdoor spaces for activities. Because of this, make sure to inspect any residence you are considering for your loved one, with an eye on whether they can be safe and comfortable within the spaces.

Staff & Training

There is no employee-to-resident staffing ratio requirement in Kansas. There must always be sufficient staff on-hand to fulfill the medical needs of every resident. Administrators must be at least 21 years old and have completed a training course approved by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. All new employees must participate in an orientation. Regular in-service training on best practices in assisted living is also required. Training must also cover abuse, neglect, exploitation, and disaster and emergency preparedness. Staff members who provide direct care to residents must complete a 90-hour nurse aid course and pass a test. Staff members working with people who have dementia must be trained in behavioral symptoms and how to support residents’ needs best.

Evictions

Kansas regulations require assisted living homes, including those with memory care, to give a resident at least 30 days notice before a transfer or eviction. The reasons for eviction can are:

• Symptoms have gotten so bad that they cannot be managed at the residence
• Dangerous behavior to themselves or others
• Restraints have become necessary

Each facility has their own rules. Be sure to understand these and get them in writing because unfair evictions can be a problem nationwide. Unlike other states, there is not a rule in Kansas that says the residence must assist in finding a new home for your loved one if an eviction becomes necessary. Fortunately, there are resources to help. For information on what to do if you receive a discharge or eviction notice, click here.

Financial Assistance for Residential Alzheimer’s Memory Care

KanCare Frail Elderly Waiver

KanCare (Kansas Medicaid) will pay for long-term care services and supports for qualified individuals, including dementia patients, who reside in assisted living or memory care via the Frail Elderly Waiver (FE Waiver). Benefits are based on the needs of the individual and they can include adult day care, Personal Emergency Response Systems, specialized medical equipment, wellness monitoring and personal care assistance with the Activities of Daily Living (mobility, bathing, dressing, eating, toileting). The program will not cover room and board expenses in assisted living.

To qualify for the FE Waiver, applicants must meet an asset limit ($2,000 for an individual in 2026) and they must require a Nursing Facility Level of Care (NFLOC). It should be noted that a dementia diagnosis does not guarantee a NFLOC designation. The FE Waiver also has a Protected Income Level (PIL), which is $2,982/month for an individual in 2026. This means beneficiaries must give any monthly income over $2,982 to the state to help cover the cost of care.

Veterans Affairs (VA)

Qualified Kansas 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 also two veterans’ homes in Kansas, which are residential care facilities that provide long-term care for veterans. The Kansas Veterans’ Home is located in Winfield, about an hour from Wichita, and has 24 beds for veterans with Alzheimer’s or related dementia. The Kansas Soldiers’ Home is in Fort Dodge, outside Dodge City in the Southwestern part of the state, and has 26 beds for veterans with dementia. Nursing home care and regular assisted living are also provided in these veterans’ homes. 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, Oklahoma and Missouri both have seven veterans’ homes statewide. Additionally, Colorado has five facilities and Nebraska has 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.