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

Legal Definition of Assisted Living / Memory Care in Wisconsin

In Wisconsin as of 2024, there are three types of assisted living residences: community-based residential facilities, residential care apartment complexes and adult family homes. There are differences between them, but they all provide housing, supervision, and support services.

Two of these types of homes may house people with dementia. Community-based residential facilities and adult family homes can have residents with Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia (this type of housing is often called memory care). They must articulate to the state what further steps they offer to serve the specific needs of dementia patients. Community-based residential facilities, for instance, must have daily structured activities that are beneficial for people with memory loss and other symptoms including social withdrawal. Adult family homes must develop a program statement that describes how many people with dementia the home can take in, and how the residence will go beyond normal assisted living to serve their needs.

Residential care apartment complexes cannot admit someone who has difficulty recognizing danger or making care decisions, and this type of housing may only be good for someone in the early stages of Alzheimer’s. Because of this, they are not a good long-term housing solution and should not be considered as memory care. If someone with early-stage dementia does move into a residential care apartment complex, a move into memory care will eventually be necessary because dementia is a progressive disease.

Memory care in Wisconsin is regulated by the Division of Quality Assurance’s Bureau of Assisted Living. There are 60 memory care homes in Wisconsin. There are also more than 1,000 board and care homes, which offer the same services as assisted living (sometimes including memory care) in a smaller, more house-like environment for fewer than 12 residents. For free assistance finding memory care of any size to meet your family’s needs and budget, click here.

How Much Does Memory Care Cost in Wisconsin?

The cost of assisted living and memory care can vary depending on where in Wisconsin 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 $6,540/month in Wisconsin in 2025.

Wisconsin Assisted Living Laws & Regulations

Admissions Process & Requirements

Community-based residential facilities may only admit residents who have been assessed and found compatible with the services provided there. A diagnosis of Alzheimer’s is not necessary for a person to move into any memory care in Wisconsin. Assessments are made by a medical professional who works for the residence, usually a nurse, to determine someone’s personal preferences and medical needs so that staff can effectively help and communicate with the resident while also maintaining their health and safety. Specifically, a person’s ability to perform activities of daily living like bathing and eating would be assessed, as well as their stage of dementia.

The cost of the assessment may be included in the residence’s base rate, or there may be a community fee that covers move-in costs including the assessment and also preparing a new resident’s room. Community fees usually run between $1,500 and $3,500.

In adult family homes, new residents must have health assessments within 90 days prior to admittance or seven days after. The process is similar to entering into another facility, where someone working for the residence does the assessing and determines mental and physical abilities to create a detailed service agreement that specifies the following:

– Services that will be provided, with descriptions
– Charges for room and board, services, and any other fees
– Payment method
– Conditions for transfer or discharge

The service agreement must be completed within 30 days of admission to an adult family home.

Residents may not be admitted who are:

– Confined to bed
– Threatening or destructive to property or self
– Physically or mentally abusive (unless facility can ensure protection for others)
– In need of more than three hours of nursing care per week
– In need of restraints (unless a waiver is granted by state)

You can move into a memory care community on short notice, but this is not a good idea. Finding the right home takes multiple visits to different residences and asking lots of questions. You do not want to rush this process. Additionally, your loved one will have more say about where they end up if you begin searching for a home before the move is actually necessary.

Facility / Residence

Two residents are allowed in a single bedroom unit in either community-based residential facilities and adult family homes. The square footage requirements are slightly different. A community-based residential facilities bedroom must be between 60 and 100 square feet, depending on whether the resident is ambulatory, semi-ambulatory, or non-ambulatory (how well your loved one can move around). An adult family home bedroom must be 80 square feet for one person and 120 square feet for two. If an occupant is in a wheelchair, the unit must be at least 100 square feet. Every community-based residential facility must have a toilet, sink, and bathtub or shower for every 10 residents. In adult family homes it’s those same facilities for every eight residents. The doors of every adult family home bathroom must unlock from the outside in case of emergency. Grab bars must be around the toilets and baths in adult family homes. Smoke detectors must be in and around all rooms in assisted living residences in Wisconsin.

Wisconsin regulations do not specifically call for dementia-friendly architectural features in memory care communities. Examples of design elements that have been shown to benefit people with dementia include clear sightlines and layouts, a secure outdoor area, and bright lighting and paint colors. Watch for these while taking tours of potential memory care homes, keeping an eye on whether your loved one will feel comfortable within the spaces.

Staff & Training

There are no staff-to-resident ratios in Wisconsin assisted living; they must be adequately staffed to meet the needs of every person there. One employee must be awake at all times. In community-based residential facilities with memory care, staff must receive dementia-specific training within 90 days of hiring. The training must specifically address the needs of people with dementia and include the following:

– Residents’ physical, social, and mental health needs
– Medications or treatments
– Program services to help people with dementia
– Meeting needs of someone with dual diagnoses
– Maintaining or increasing social participation, self-direction, and self-care

That sounds somewhat general, but facilities must specifically identify the types of residents they can serve and create a on going educational plan to support their needs.

Administrators in either type of facility must be at least 21 years old. At a community-based residential facility, the administrators are required to have had relevant educational or professional experience. Administrators don’t need to meet the same experience benchmarks in adult family homes, but do need a clean criminal background check.

Evictions & Discharges

Someone being evicted from memory care in Wisconsin must be given 30 days notice before they need to leave. No one may continue living in any type of assisted living home if the staff cannot handle their medical condition. Someone who develops a need for 24-hour nursing care, for instance, cannot remain in memory care and would need to be transferred to a nursing home or hospital. Additionally, if a residence cannot admit people who are non-ambulatory and a resident loses the ability to walk would need to find a new home. Behavior that is dangerous to one’s self or others can also justify being discharged from memory care.

These are general regulations, however, and individual homes should have their own specific rules. It is very important that you fully understand the reasons a person can be evicted, and what the process is, before agreeing to a move-in contract. This is because unfair evictions can be a problem in assisted living. Ask all the questions you can and get answers in writing. If your loved one in Wisconsin memory care receives an eviction notice and you need to know next steps, click here.

Financial Assistance for Residential Alzheimer’s Memory Care

Family Care & Family Care Partnership Programs

These programs are designed to help people live more independently, outside of a hospital or nursing home. For people who live in their own homes, funds from the program may be spent on hiring a caregiver, but in assisted living (regardless of type) Family Care benefits can apply to costs that come up day-to-day, like medical equipment, occupational therapy, and personal care. To qualify for the Family Care program, applicants must meet two financial eligibility requirements – an asset limit ($2,000 for an individual in 2026) and an income limit ($2,982/month 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.

Medicaid Personal Care

Also called Medical Assistance Personal Care, Wisconsin Medicaid Personal Care is a program in which a person’s needs are assessed by a state agent who visits their home (which can include a bedroom unit in assisted living) and determines what costs the state can help cover to keep someone as independent as possible. The benefits are focused around personal care assistance with the Activities of Daily Living (mobility, bathing, dressing/grooming, eating, toileting) and the Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (laundry, cleaning, cooking, shopping, etc.). To qualify for Medicaid Personal Care, applicants must meet two financial eligibility requirements – an asset limit ($2,000 for an individual in 2026) and an income limit ($1,077.78/month 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.

Include, Respect, I Self-Direct Program (IRIS)

This Wisconsin Medicaid program is a home and community-based services waiver that helps someone remain in their home or assisted living residence for as long as possible. Benefits are given by a caregiver who works with a Medicaid representative to form a long-term service and support plan that outlines health goals for your loved one. A budget is then allocated, and the caregiver is responsible for putting funds toward fulfilling the plan. To qualify for IRIS, applicants must meet two financial eligibility requirements – an asset limit ($2,000 for an individual in 2026) and an income limit ($2,982/month 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.

Veterans Affairs (VA)

Qualified Wisconsin 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 three Veterans’ homes in Wisconsin, which are residential care facilities that provide long-term care for veterans. They are located in King (west of Oshkosh), Union Grove (south of Milwaukee), and Chippewa Falls (outside Eau Claire). In addition to nursing home care and assisted living, memory care is provided. Neighboring states have more 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, Minnesota has five Veterans homes statewide and several are located relatively close to their shared border. Additionally, Illinois has four facilities and Iowa has one facility 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.