Nursing homes and assisted living in Arizona

Arizona offers many care options, from small homes to large communities. Its Medicaid program for long-term care can also help pay for assisted living. Here are the main things to know.

What care settings are called here

In Arizona, assisted living has several license types:

• Assisted Living Home: a residence for 10 people or fewer. These usually have a smaller, homier feel.
• Assisted Living Center: a residence for 11 people or more, with more shared spaces and activities.
• Adult Foster Care Home: a home where 1 to 4 adults live with the person in charge, who makes them part of family life. It is for people who are in the state's long-term care system or who have a contract with Veterans Affairs (VA).

Each residence also states which level of service it offers: supervisory care (general supervision and help with medications), personal care (help with daily tasks, like bathing or dressing), and directed care (for people who, for example because of dementia, can't recognize a danger or ask for help on their own).

A nursing home provides 24-hour nursing care. All of these places are licensed by the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS).

How Medicaid helps in Arizona

Arizona's Medicaid program is called AHCCCS. Its long-term care program is ALTCS (Arizona Long Term Care System).

• ALTCS is for people who need a nursing home level of care and who qualify based on income and assets.
• The person doesn't have to live in a nursing home. Many members get services in their own home or in an assisted living residence.
• In assisted living, ALTCS can cover care services, but not room and board, which the resident pays.
• It can also include attendant care at home and respite care for family caregivers.

To apply for ALTCS, you can submit an application online at Health-e-Arizona Plus or call the toll-free ALTCS line: 1-888-621-6880. There are ALTCS offices in Phoenix, Tucson, Yuma, Flagstaff, Kingman, and Chinle. The application is available in Spanish. The income and asset rules change every year, so confirm your situation with AHCCCS or with a professional.

How much care costs in Arizona

According to CareScout's Cost of Care Survey 2025 (data from July to November 2025, published in March 2026), the median costs in Arizona are:

• Home caregiver (non-medical): $38 an hour.
• Adult day care: $95 a day.
• Assisted living: $6,250 a month.
• Nursing home, semi-private room: $8,365 a month.
• Nursing home, private room: $11,437 a month.

These are reference amounts. The real price changes with the city and the level of care.

Who to call

• Arizona Long-Term Care Ombudsman: a free and confidential program of the Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES) that supports residents of nursing homes, assisted living, and adult foster care. State office: (602) 542-6454. There are also local ombudsmen in each region, through the Area Agencies on Aging.
• Area Agency on Aging: Arizona is divided into regions, each with its own agency. These agencies give guidance on in-home services, caregiver support, and benefits.
• Eldercare Locator (national line): 1-800-677-1116. It can tell you the agency for your area.

Tips for your family

• Check the license on AZ Care Check. On AZ Care Check, the ADHS search tool, you can confirm a residence's license and see its inspection history. It's a normal tool that helps you decide with peace of mind.
• Ask about the level of service. If your loved one has dementia, confirm that the residence is licensed for directed care.
• Ask if they accept ALTCS. Not every residence works with ALTCS. Ask on your very first call.
• Ask about language. In Arizona, many residences have staff who speak Spanish. Ask who will care for your loved one on each shift.

On hogaresparamayores.com, you can see licensed places in Arizona and compare them at your own pace.