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

Last Updated: May 14, 2026

Table of Contents

Legal Definition of Assisted Living / Memory Care in NebraskaNebraska Memory Care CostsLaws & RegulationsAdmissions Process & RequirementsFacility / ResidenceStaff & TrainingEvictions & DischargesFinancial AssistanceAged and Disabled WaiverVeterans Affairs (VA)SSIOther Options

Free Medicaid Eligibility Test

Financial Assistance for Dementia Care

All-Natural Dementia Treatment

Get Paid to Care for a Family Member

Find Assisted Living/Memory Care Near You

 

In Nebraska, assisted living facilities are defined as a residence where room, board and care are provided 24 hours per day for people who need support because of age, illness, or disability. Assistance with activities of daily living like eating and bathing must also be available. Other support services include:

Assisted living facilities in Nebraska are regulated by its Health and Human Services. Assisted living for people with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia is called memory care. These units must take extra measures, including making sure there is a physical environment appropriate for residents with Alzheimer’s and dementia-specific training for staff.

 Help is Here: Dementia patients in Nebraska and their families can use a free online test by clicking here to see if they qualify for Nebraska Medicaid, which covers long-term care services in memory care, assisted living, or at home, as well as the full cost of nursing home care. Nebraska seniors can also receive free assistance finding memory care residences that match their needs by clicking here.

 

How Much Does Memory Care Cost in Nebraska?

The cost of assisted living and memory care can vary depending on where in Nebraska 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 $6,350/month in Nebraska in 2025.

 

Nebraska Assisted Living and Memory Care Median Costs per Month in 2025
Region / City Assisted Living Monthly Cost Memory Care Monthly Cost
Grand Island $6,048 $7,559
Lincoln $7,650 $9,563
Omaha $7,000 $8,750
Non-metropolitan areas $4,682 $5,852

 

Nebraska Assisted Living Laws & Regulations

Admissions Process & Requirements

A written service plan must be negotiated with every resident before move-in. This details medical and personal needs plus the services that will be provided. This agreement must specify how these services will be administered. It must also include all fees, and any potential charges. This agreement must be reviewed and updated as the patient’s needs change.

The process for developing this plan must be explained in writing to anyone considering moving in. An assessment by a medical professional who works for the residence will be part of this. This is part of the move-in process, so there may be an additional fee to cover the cost of the assessment as well as other up-front expenses like deep cleaning and painting the new resident’s room. This fee is usually called a community fee and runs between $1,500 to $2,500.

A person does not need an official diagnosis of Alzheimer’s, or related dementia to move into memory care in Nebraska. Anyone considering moving into assisted living is entitled to the following information in writing:

In special care units for residents with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, services that are tailored to support patients with dementia must also be detailed.

While you may be able to move into assisted living in Nebraska on short notice, this is not a good idea. The process of finding the right community takes thorough investigation of many options, including asking questions of residents and staff at any home you’re considering. Your loved one will also be able to provide more input if you begin the search early, before a move is necessary.

 

Facility / Residence

In Nebraska, living units must be at least 80 square feet for one person, and 60 square feet per person if there are roommates. For new homes, the requirements are larger: 100 square feet for one person and 80 square feet per person for multiple occupants. New homes may not have more than two people in a single unit, but up to four roommates are allowed in older assisted living residences. One bath or shower must be provided for every 16 residents in older facilities, and for every eight residents in newer homes. These must all have grab bars or other assistive devices. A toilet and sink must be adjacent to every living unit, except in older residences where there must be at least one toilet for every six residents.

There are no specific requirements for outdoor spaces that are secure or other design features that benefit people with dementia. Look for these and be sure your loved one will be comfortable in the spaces before agreeing to move in. Also, a description of the physical layout and how it is appropriate must be provided to anyone considering moving in.

 

Staff & Training

There is no staff-to-resident ratio required in Nebraska. There must be sufficient staff to meet the needs of every person living there. Each residence must employ an administrator responsible for planning, organizing, and day-to-day operations. Administrators must be approved by the state. Administrators must undergo 30 hours of training that covers:

Residences must have a registered nurse on-call to review medication administration policies and to train anyone who helps residents with their medications. Staff must receive orientation upon hiring that includes overviews of residents’ rights, service plans, and emergency procedures. Additionally, 12 hours of continuing education are required annually. In memory care, staff must be trained specifically to help people with dementia, including four hours of additional annual training that includes:

 

Evictions & Discharges

A Nebraska memory care community is required to give 30 days’ notice to someone being evicted. The only exception is if a person needs to leave immediately for health and/or safety reasons.

The reasons a person can be evicted, transferred, or discharged are not defined in Nebraska’s regulations. This means every residence has its own rules about why a person can be asked to leave. One fairly common reason is that their health has deteriorated to a point where the services there aren’t enough. Other reasons might include aggressive behavior or non-payment of bills. Be sure to ask for the specific reasons a person can be evicted before agreeing to a move-in contract. Get the answer in writing and keep it on file, because unfair evictions can be a problem in assisted living. If you receive an eviction notice and need to know what to do next, click here.

 

Financial Assistance for Residential Alzheimer’s Memory Care

Aged and Disabled Waiver

The Nebraska Medical Assistance Program (NMAP), which is Nebraska Medicaid, will pay for long-term care services and supports for qualified individuals, including dementia patients, who are in assisted living or memory care through the Aged and Disabled Waiver. Benefits are based on the needs of the individual and they include adult day health care, meal delivery, Personal Emergency Response Systems, respite care, chore services, meal prep, laundry and personal care assistance with the Activities of Daily Living (mobility, bathing, dressing, eating, toileting). The Aged and Disabled Waiver will not pay for room and board.

To qualify for this program, applicants must meet two financial requirements – an asset limit ($4,000 for an individual in 2026) and an income limit ($1,330/month for an individual in 2026) – as well as the medical requirement of needing a Nursing Facility Level of Care (NFLOC), as determined by a state evaluation. It should be noted that a dementia diagnosis does not guarantee a NFLOC designation. The Aged and Disabled Waiver has a limited number of enrollment spots (approximately 10,000/year), and once those spots are full additional applicants will be placed on a waitlist.

 Eligible? To find out if you or your loved one with dementia is eligible for the Nebraska Medical Assistance Program (Nebraska Medicaid) and the Aged and Disabled Waiver, 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 Nebraska 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:

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

VA Aid & Attendance MAPRs

VA Housebound MAPRs

 More information on VA Pensions’ eligibility criteria, payment rates, and the application process is available here.

Veterans Homes

There are four veterans’ homes in Nebraska located in Kearney (in the central part of the state), Norfolk (northeast), Bellevue (outside Omaha) and Scottsbluff (western panhandle). These are facilities providing long-term residential care for veterans. In addition to nursing home care, assisted living and memory care are 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, Missouri has seven veterans’ homes statewide. Additionally, Colorado has five facilities and Kansas has two. 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.