Nursing homes and assisted living in District of Columbia

Washington, D.C. is small, but it has care options for every stage: help at home, assisted living residences, and nursing homes. Here we explain which city agencies can help you.

What care settings are called here

In the District, care settings are licensed and overseen by DC Health (the city's Department of Health). These are the names you will hear:

• Assisted Living Residence (ALR): assisted living. It offers housing, meals, and daily help in a homelike setting, so the person can grow older there with peace of mind.
• Community Residence Facility (CRF): a community residence, another type of home licensed by DC Health.
• Nursing home or nursing facility: a care home with nursing care 24 hours a day, for people with greater medical needs or who are recovering after a hospital stay.

DC Health publishes a directory of assisted living residences and, for nursing homes, their inspection reports (called survey reports). Its contact line is (877) 672-2174.

How Medicaid helps in the District of Columbia

DC Medicaid is run by the Department of Health Care Finance (DHCF). There are two main paths for long-term care:

• Nursing home: Medicaid can pay for the stay if the person qualifies based on income and assets, lives in DC, and needs a nursing home level of care. Before the person moves in, DHCF does an assessment.
• EPD Waiver (Elderly and Persons with Physical Disabilities): a Medicaid waiver lets people use Medicaid outside a nursing home. This program helps people 65 or older (or 18 to 64 with a physical disability) get support at home or in an assisted living residence. It can include a case manager (a social worker who coordinates services), a personal care aide, an emergency alert button, and assisted living.

For the EPD Waiver, a Medicaid provider fills out a medical order, and then an in-person assessment is done. DACL's Medicaid Services Enrollment Unit helps you prepare and send the application: call 202-724-5626. To apply for Medicaid, call the DHS public benefits call center: (202) 727-5355, Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.

Income and asset limits change every year, so confirm them with the agency.

How much care costs in the District of Columbia

The CareScout Cost of Care 2025 survey (done from July to November 2025 and published in March 2026) included responses from DC, but its state-by-state table does not show a separate figure for the District. DC is included in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria metro area, which you can look up in CareScout's calculator.

For reference, the national medians in that survey were about $6,200 a month for assisted living and $315 a day for a semi-private room in a nursing home. Ask each place for its rates in writing and ask what they include.

Who to call

• DC Long-Term Care Ombudsman: 202-434-2190. A free advocate for residents of nursing homes, assisted living, and community residences, and also for people who get the EPD Waiver. It is run by AARP's Legal Counsel for the Elderly.
• DACL (Department of Aging and Community Living): 202-724-5626, Monday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. It is the front door for services, case management, and the EPD Waiver.
• DC Health, licensing and information: (877) 672-2174.
• Eldercare Locator: 1-800-677-1116, a free national helpline.

Tips for your family

• Ask for a free interpreter. Under the District's language access law, city agencies must offer you interpretation. If you have problems, the Office of Human Rights can help at 202-727-4559.
• Use the assisted living directory from DC Health: it shows which residences take part in the EPD Waiver, which is very helpful if your loved one will use Medicaid.
• Read the inspection reports for nursing homes on the DC Health website. They are a normal tool for comparing places and asking good questions during your visit.
• If you are also looking at options in Maryland or Virginia, remember that the EPD Waiver is only for District residents. Ask before moving.

On hogaresparamayores.com you can see licensed places in the District of Columbia. This guide is for general information and does not replace medical or legal advice.