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Vermont Memory Care (Residential Alzheimer’s Care): Rules, Costs & Financial Help

Last Updated: June 22, 2026

Table of Contents

Legal Definition of Assisted Living / Memory Care in VermontVermont Memory Care CostsLaws & RegulationsAdmissions Process & RequirementsFacility / ResidenceStaff & TrainingEvictions & DischargesFinancial AssistanceChoice for Care (CFC)Assistive Community Care ServicesVeterans 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 Vermont, regulations say that an assisted living residence must provide housing, healthcare, and personal care services for older adults. Assisted living is meant to be home-like. The state requires a private bedroom and private bath for every resident, as well as a living space and kitchen. Regulations also say that an assisted living residence must promote self-direction and active participation in decision-making. Health monitoring and medication management assistance are also required.

Vermont has a relatively older population compared to other states, so the state offers more support to people in assisted living. For example, regulations require larger rooms in residences than in other states.

Special approval from the state’s Department of Disabilities, Aging, and Independent Living is required for a residence to admit people with dementia into memory care or Alzheimer’s special care units. The facility needs to show that it can handle the specialized needs of people with dementia. Requirements include a dementia-friendly physical layout, activities, and special training for staff on communicating with people who have Alzheimer’s or dementia.

 Help is Here: Dementia patients in Vermont and their families can use a free online test by clicking here to see if they qualify for Vermont 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. Vermont seniors can also receive free assistance finding memory care residences that match their needs by clicking here.

 

How Much Does Memory Care Cost in Vermont?

The median cost of assisted living in Vermont in 2025 was $8,597/month, while the median cost in the country as a whole was $6,200/month. The price can vary depending where in the state the facility is located. In the Burlington area in 2025, for example, the median cost of memory care was $12,409/month and the median cost of assisted living was $9,545/month. In non-metropolitan areas of Vermont, which is most of the state, the median cost of assisted living in 2025 was $6,900/month and memory care was $8,970/month.

 

Vermont Assisted Living Laws & Regulations

Admissions Process & Requirements

Within 14 days of moving into a Vermont assisted living community, every new resident must be evaluated using the Vermont Resident Assessment Form, which you can see here. This evaluation must be done by a registered nurse who works for the residence. Information including the ability to perform activities of daily living like eating and bathing is used to create a personalized service plan. This helps staff know how to best support and care for patients so they stay healthy and as active and engaged as possible. These service plans are then regularly updated.
The cost of evaluating might be included in the community’s base rate, or there may be a one-time community fee that covers move-in costs including the development of the service plan. This usually runs between $1,500 and $2,500.

Before moving in, any potential resident in Vermont assisted living must be provided a description of all rates and charges and an explanation of how those costs might change. There should never be surprises in billing. A disclosure form is available from any of these residences if asked for, which must include the following information:

For memory care, the residence must provide a written statement of its philosophy as well as details on how the special needs of people with Alzheimer’s are met there. An official diagnosis of dementia is not required in Vermont for someone to move into memory care.

An assisted living residence cannot admit someone who needs full-time nursing care, or who otherwise requires a level of care that the residence can’t provide. Residents who pose a threat to themselves or others may not be admitted or may be evicted if they already moved in.

While it is possible to move into memory care on short notice in Vermont, this is usually not a good idea. Finding the right residence is a process that should take weeks or months of investigating options, taking tours, and asking questions of residents and staff before making a final decision. The person with dementia will also be able to provide more input the sooner you begin looking. Ideally, you would start the search before a move becomes necessary.

 

Facility / Residence

In Vermont assisted living bedrooms and living units that are larger than in most other states. Units must be at least 225 square feet, with a bed, bathroom, living space, kitchen, storage, and lockable door. All units are for a single person unless a patient chooses to have a roommate.

Regulations do not require dementia-friendly design features in memory care. Studies have shown that people with dementia can benefit from easy-to-navigate layouts, secure outdoor areas, and bright lighting and paint colors. As you investigate options, keep an eye out for these design elements and think about whether your loved one with dementia will be comfortable within the spaces.

 

Staff & Training

There are no staff-to-resident ratios in Vermont assisted living. That means there must always be adequate staffing to meet the needs of every resident. All assisted living homes must have a state-certified director who is responsible for the day-to-day management of the residence. Directors must receive 20 hours of continuing education annually, in courses related to the care of residents. Anyone working directly with residents must receive at least 12 hours of training annually, covering:

Additionally, 24 hours of continuing education is required in:

 

Evictions & Discharges

Vermont regulations say someone can be evicted for two reasons:

These are pretty vague. Still, another stipulation in Vermont assisted living is that the process for evictions must be provided in writing to potential residents. Memory care homes can create their own rules for evictions, and you must be very clear on those rules before agreeing to a move-in contract. Can someone be evicted for non-payment of bills? Is verbal abuse or aggressive behavior considered threatening? What is the process for appeal?

Before agreeing to a move-in contract, you need to know the answers to these and any other questions related to evictions. Get the answers in writing, because unfair evictions are a major problem in assisted living nationwide. If your loved one has received an eviction notice and you need to know the next steps, click here.

 

Financial Assistance for Residential Alzheimer’s Memory Care

Choice for Care (CFC)

Vermont Medicaid’s Choices for Care (CFC) program  will pay for long-term care services and supports for qualified individuals, including dementia patients, who are in assisted living or memory care (or in their own home, the home of a loved one, adult foster care or a nursing home). Benefits are based on the needs of the individual and they can include adult day care, assistive devices, companion care (supervision, socialization, non-medical care), homemaker services (cooking, cleaning, shopping, etc.), Personal Emergency Response Systems and personal care assistance with the Activities of Daily Living (mobility, bathing, dressing/grooming, eating, toileting). CFC will cover room and board expenses.

To qualify for CFC, applicants must meet two financial 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). It should be noted that a dementia diagnosis does not guarantee a NFLOC designation.

 

Assistive Community Care Services

Vermont Medicaid’s Assistive Community Care Services (ACCS) program will pay for long-term care services and supports for qualified individuals, including those with dementia, who are in assisted living or memory care. Benefits are based on the needs of the individual and they can include nursing care, assistive on-site therapy, medication management and personal care assistance with the Activities of Daily Living (mobility, bathing, dressing/grooming, eating, toileting). ACCS will not pay for room and board.

To qualify for ACCS, applicants must meet two financial requirements – an asset limit ($2,000 for an individual in 2026) and an income limit ($1,375/month for individuals who live outside of Chittenden County, and $1,483/month for those who live in Chittenden County). They also must meet the medical requirement of needing some help with their Activities of Daily Living.

 Eligible? To find out if you or your loved one with dementia is eligible for Vermont Medicaid (also known as Green Mountain Care) and either of the programs mentioned above, 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 Vermont 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 are available here.

 

Veterans Homes

There is one veterans’ home in Vermont. The Vermont Veterans’ Home is located in Bennington, in the southwestern corner of the state. It is a facility that provides long-term residential care for veterans. In addition to nursing home care and assisted living, memory care is provided in a certified Alzheimer’s unit. 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, New York has five homes statewide. Additionally, Massachusetts has two facilities and New Hampshire has one. 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) Eldercare 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 for 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.