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

Legal Definition of Assisted Living / Memory Care in Kentucky

Assisted living communities in Kentucky provide a home for people who cannot live independently and need support services. They offer:

• Help with activities of daily living, like eating and bathing, and instrumental activities of daily living like money management and housekeeping
• Three meals and a snack daily
• Daily scheduled social activities
• Assistance with self-administering medication

Dementia-specific assisted living is often called memory care or Alzheimer’s care. These residences require additional training for staff and programs with different activities that are specifically for people with Alzheimer’s or another related disease like vascular, frontotemporal, or Lewy body dementia. A list of the features and resources that make the residence appropriate for people with dementia must be provided to anyone interested.

The Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Human Services, Department for Aging and Independent Living, oversees assisted living in the state.

How Much Does Memory Care Cost in Kentucky?

The cost of assisted living and memory care can vary depending on where in Kentucky 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 $5,528/month in Kentucky in 2025.

Kentucky Assisted Living Laws & Regulations

Admissions Requirements & Process

To be admitted to an assisted living residence in Kentucky as of 2024, patients must be ambulatory. This means that they must be able to get from room to room by themselves, unless they have some kind of temporary condition. A resident may not be admitted who poses a danger to themselves or others. A diagnosis of dementia is not required to move into Kentucky memory care. Dementias are difficult to diagnose, and symptoms vary widely.

An assessment is required for all memory care residents before they move in, and then needs to be updated yearly. The assessment determines the resident’s physical and mental abilities, and exactly which activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living they need help with. A personalized service plan that lists these details and medical needs must be created within 21 days of moving in. There is no standardized form for this assessment and formulation of a care plan, but it’s important that a facility be certain it can meet someone’s particular needs, especially in memory care where residents require more acute care. These assessments are conducted at the residence by a healthcare professional. The cost of being assessed may be included with the base rate agreed to in the contract, or it might be covered by a community fee that covers up-front expenses including other things like painting and deep-cleaning your loved one’s new living unit. Since there is not a standard statewide policy for this, be clear on what the procedure is and what the costs are before signing a contract. Unlike in many other states, Kentucky regulations do not require a disclosure of costs, including additional costs, to potential residents. Be sure you specifically ask for a full accounting of all possible charges to avoid surprises with billing.

It is possible to move into assisted living in Kentucky on short notice, but this is not a good idea. Finding the right memory care community for your loved one is so important that 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 looking.

Facility / Residence

Rooms for residents in assisted living must be at least 200 square feet for one or two people. The maximum number of people allowed in one room is two, if roommates have agreed to live together. Every bedroom has a private bathroom with a tub or shower. All building codes must be followed, with annual inspections by fire marshals and health inspectors.

Kentucky regulations do not expressly require building designs for memory care homes to be dementia-friendly. People with dementia have an easier time living in areas where the hallways run circular so there are no dead ends, and the spaces are easy to navigate. Secure outdoor areas have also been shown to be beneficial. Make sure you inspect any home you are considering, with an eye on whether or not your loved one will be comfortable in the space.

Staff & Training

There are no staffing ratios in Kentucky, except there must be adequate staff to meet the needs of every resident. There must be at least one awake staff person 24 hours per day. Managers must be at least 21 years old, have passed a background check, and be able to demonstrate managerial and administrative abilities. All employees, including managers, must complete orientation upon hiring, and continuing education annually. Memory care must provide all residents (or potential residents) with a specific list that details the kinds of training, the number of hours of training, the schedule for training, and which members of staff complete the training to care for people with problems particular to dementia.

Evictions & Discharges

Kentucky assisted living homes, including those with memory care, must assist someone who has been evicted with finding a new place to live. Regulations say that if your loved one receives a notice to move out, the residence must have a plan for finding a new facility before the move-out date. A 30-day notice is standard when receiving a discharge.

There is not a set list of reasons someone can be evicted from memory care in Kentucky, except “clients must not be a danger to themselves or others.” Every residence should have its own eviction policy, so be sure to ask for this in writing before agreeing to a move-in contract. Having the eviction policy in writing can work like protection against an unexpected or unfair eviction notice. For more on what to do if your loved one is asked to leave memory care, click here. There are several steps you can take, and moving out may not actually be required.

Financial Assistance for Residential Alzheimer’s Memory Care

Kentucky Medicaid

Kentucky is one of the only states that does not have a Medicaid program that will provide long-term care services and supports to anyone living in assisted living or memory care, whether they have dementia or not. However, Kentucky Medicaid will cover the full cost of nursing home care and it will pay for long-term care in a beneficiary’s home or the home of a loved one. To find out if you or your loved one with dementia is eligible for Kentucky Medicaid, click here to use a free online test. If you or your loved one have a complicated financial situation, don’t meet the eligibility criteria, or just want to talk to a professional, click here to contact a Certified Medicaid Planner.

Veterans Affairs (VA)

Qualified Kentucky 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 Kentucky, which are residential care facilities that provide long-term care for veterans. They are:

– Joseph Ballard Western Kentucky Veterans Center in Hanson, off I-69. They have a 30-bed memory care unit.

– Thomson Hood Veterans Center in Wilmore, 30 minutes south of Lexington. They have a 45-bed memory care unit.

– Eastern Kentucky Veterans Center in Hazard, by the Eastern coal fields. They have a 30-bed memory care unit.

– Carl M. Brashear Radcliff Veterans Center in Radcliff, south of Louisville and Fort Knox. They have a 30-bed memory care unit.

In addition to nursing home care, assisted living and memory care are also provided. Neighboring states have veterans’ homes, so a loved one might consider looking there for more options as there are no requirements that one must live in the state. For example, Tennessee has four veterans’ homes statewide and some are located relatively close to their shared border. Additionally, Ohio has three facilities statewide. 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.