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

Legal Definition of Assisted Living / Memory Care in Nevada

In Nevada, assisted living residences are called “residential facilities for groups”. They offer help with activities of daily living, supervision, meals, housekeeping and room and board.

In order to accept patients into memory care, a residential facility for groups must be inspected and approved by the state’s Division of Public and Behavioral Health. Additional training is required for staff in memory care as their services go beyond normal assisted living to address the needs of people with dementia.

An individualized care plan is provided for every resident in memory care in Nevada. It includes answers to the following: What is your loved one’s stage of dementia? Which activities of daily living (like bathing or eating) does the patient need help with? What programs or activities can encourage socialization and help manage symptoms? Is financial assistance needed? Residences use multiple assessments to make care decisions, while ensuring your loved ones comfort and safety.

There are approximately 54 memory care communities in Nevada. These range in size from large, apartment-complex-style residences to homes that are smaller, caring for up to 12 dementia patients. For free help finding memory care in Nevada to fit your family’s needs and budget, click here.

How Much Does Memory Care Cost in Nevada?

The average cost of memory care per month in Nevada is $4,889 in 2024. This makes Nevada fall below the national average for memory care, which runs $5,884 per month. The state’s most expensive city for memory care is Reno, located northeast of Lake Tahoe, where it costs $5,565 per month. The least expensive city is Las Vegas, costing $4,770 monthly.

It might be possible for people who live near the Nevada border to find more options for memory care outside the state. To the northeast, in Twin Falls, Idaho, which is close to their shared border, memory care costs $5,009 per month. If you live in the southeast, look at St. George, Utah, where memory care runs $4,572 per month. Utah has lower overall average monthly costs than Nevada running $4,572 per month, whereas its neighbors to the west (California and Oregon) are more expensive, with costs that average more than $6,599 monthly.

Nevada Assisted Living Laws & Regulations

Admissions Process & Requirements

Upon admission, new residents must be assessed for any contagious disease symptoms and their need for help with activities of daily living. This personal assessment combined with a financial assessment are completed for every new resident. These are used to formulate a service plan supporting individual and their healthcare needs. The financial assessment determines whether Medicaid assistance is necessary. The assessments are completed by a medical professional who works at the home, or by an outside party. This cost may be included in the basic rate, or may be part of a community fee that covers move-in and up-front costs. The fee covers things like the assessments, deep cleaning and painting a new resident’s room. Community fees are usually between $1,500 and $2,500.

Anyone considering a Nevada assisted living home can receive the following information in writing:

– Rates for services and schedule for payment
– All services included in the basic rate
– Any additional or optional services not included in the basic rate
– The policy on refunds

In Nevada, you may not be admitted into assisted living if:

– The patient is bedridden
– They requires physical or chemical restraints
– Skilled 24-hour nursing care is required
– Gastronomy care is needed
– The patient has a serious infection

The residence may evict someone who does not pay a bill within five days of the due date. Additionally, someone whose needs exceed the care provided in an assisted living home may also not live there.

It is possible to move into assisted living in Nevada 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

All living units must be at least 80 square feet for one patient and 60 square feet per person if there are multiple occupants. Three is the maximum number of roommates allowed. There must be one toilet for every four residents and a tub or shower per every six. Unlike many other states, Nevada does not have regulations requiring secure outdoor areas or dementia-friendly indoor design features in memory care residences. These should be considered when checking out communities for your loved one. Look for clear sightlines with an easily navigated layout, soft paint colors, and room to walk around without encountering a dead end, as these have been shown to benefit people with dementia.

Staff & Training

Nevada’s staffing ratios for memory care are six residents for every direct-care staff member during waking hours and at least one person awake throughout the night. Additionally they require:

– Upon being hired, memory care staff members must complete two hours of dementia training in providing care, including in the event of an emergency.

– Within three months of hiring, all staff must receive at least eight hours of ongoing education in caring for someone with dementia.

– At least eight hours of continuing education is required annually.

– Administrators in Nevada memory care homes must have at least three years of experience caring for patients with Alzheimer’s or a related dementia.

Evictions & Discharges

Each state has its own discharge process. In Nevada, there are no rules that require advanced notice before a resident can be evicted. Evictions are permitted when:

– Non-payment of a bill within five days of due date
– Not following rules of the residence
– The residence can no longer meet the person’s medical needs

Unfair evictions are a problem in assisted living nationally. It’s important to be very clear on a memory care home’s specific policies for how and why a person is evicted. Each home has their own guidelines and can provide them in writing. Getting this information is a vital step before signing a move-in contract. For advice on what to do next if you receive an eviction notice, click here.

Financial Assistance for Residential Alzheimer’s Memory Care

Home and Community Based Waiver for the Frail Elderly

This Medicaid waiver is part of the Home and Community-Based Services program and is meant for extra support for non-medical care services. Designed to help qualified individuals avoid the need to move into a nursing home by providing extra long-term care benefits. That can include assistance with activities of daily living, case management, meal preparation, respite care, personal emergency response systems, and housekeeping for people who want to remain in their home, that of a loved one, or an assisted living residence. Eligibility requirements in 2024 include a monthly income of less than $2,829, countable assets of less than $2,000, and the need for a nursing home level of care. For more information, click here. To apply, contact your local office of the Nevada Aging and Disability Services Division. There is a cap on the number of enrollees that can be accepted annually causing waitlists to occur. Click here for more information regarding Nevada’s Medicaid eligibility guidelines or here to take a simple and fast non-binding Medicaid eligibility test.

Home and Community-Based Services Waiver for People with Disabilities

This waiver is similar to the one mentioned above but provides services for people of all ages. Its benefits help cover the cost of assistance with activities of daily living. For more information and to apply, contact the Division of Healthcare Financing and Policy.

Personal Care Services Program

This Medicaid program is meant to offer benefits in the form of additional support care services. Through the PCS program, individuals can receive benefits for assistance with activities of daily living, housekeeping, shopping, meal prep, and laundry. To qualify, one must earn less than $943 monthly in 2024, have countable assets less than $2,000, and need for extra long-term care to be “medically necessary”. Participants have the choice to self-direct their care, thus having the freedom to hire the caregiver of their choosing which can include friends and family members. For more information, click here to go to the program’s website or apply online here. Eligibility requirements for Medicaid in Nevada can be found here or for a fast and simple Medicaid eligibility test click here.

Adult Day Health Care

The Adult Day Health Care is a Medicaid program that aids in independent living by providing daytime care services. In adult day care benefits are personalized to an individual’s need and can include assistance with activities of daily living, meals, medication management, skilled nursing, and therapies. Adult day health care enrollees must live in their own home or that of a loved one and not in an assisted living or memory care facility. Participants can choose the adult day health care facility of their choosing. To qualify for this program, one must earn less than $1,882.50 monthly in 2024, have less than $2,000 in countable assets, and need help completing at least two activities of daily living. For more information, click here to go to the program’s website or apply via this link. More information is available here regarding Nevada’s Medicaid eligibility guidelines or here to take a simple non-binding Medicaid eligibility test.

Veterans Affairs (VA)

Veterans are statistically more likely to develop dementia. Among the reasons for this is that traumatic brain injuries and posttraumatic stress disorder lead to a higher probability of developing the condition. The VA offers many benefits for Alzheimer’s and dementia as well as different pension types.

VA Pensions

There are three types of VA Pensions available. The benefits change annually and are valid from December 2023 to December 2024. The benefits (and their maximum allowance) are as follows:

1) Basic Pension – This benefit is also known as a death pension. It is for veterans and surviving spouses who are aged or disabled. The qualifying disability does not need to be related to their military service. On an annual basis, the Basic Pension pays:

– Veterans without spouses or children up to $16,551

– Veterans with dependent spouses or children up to $21,674

– Surviving spouses without dependent children up to $11,102

2) Aid & Attendance – Abbreviated as A&A, this is an important program for veterans and their surviving spouses who require assistance with activities of daily living. This means they need assistance with activities like bathing, dressing, and eating. A&A is particularly helpful for people with dementia, especially in the middle and later stages of the disease, when the need for more assistance becomes necessary. A&A is intended to help with the long-term care costs of adult day care, in-home care, assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing. Based on an individual’s need and the progression of the disease, most of these additional services that support your loved one will become necessary. Annually, the A&A pays:

– Veterans without spouses or children a maximum of $27,609

– Veterans with dependent spouses or children a maximum of $32,729

– Surviving spouses without dependent children a maximum of $17,743

3) Housebound – For veterans and surviving spouses who are permanently disabled and unable to leave their homes, making them require additional assistance. The definition of “home” can include assisted living, memory care, and nursing home. The Housebound pension, like the A&A pension, is meant to help cover long-term care costs. Annually, the Housebound pays:

– Veterans without spouses or children a maximum of $20,226

– Veterans with dependent spouses or children a maximum of $25,348

– Surviving spouses without dependent children a maximum of $13,568

Veterans Homes

There are also two veterans’ homes in Nevada, which are residential care facilities that provide long-term care for veterans. They are the Southern Nevada State Veterans Home in Boulder City, 25 minutes south of Las Vegas, and the Northern Nevada State Veterans Home in Sparks, just east of Reno. In addition to nursing home care, assisted living and memory care are provided. Neighboring states also have veterans’ homes, so your loved one might consider looking there for more options as there are no requirements that one must live in the state. For example, California has eight veterans’ homes statewide. Additionally,  Idaho has three homes and Utah has four facilities. More info.

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) Tax credits and deductions like the Credit for the Elderly and the Disabled, or the Child and Dependent Care Credit (if you can claim your elderly loved one as a dependent). Remember also that medical and dental expenses can be deducted, and that can include assisted living costs.

3) A reverse mortgage can be an option for a married person moving into memory care, if their spouse continues to live in the home. However, if the spouse moves from their home, the reverse mortgage becomes due.