Nursing homes and assisted living in Georgia

If your mom, your dad, or another older relative needs daily help, this page explains the names you'll hear, how Medicaid can help, and who you can call.

What care settings are called here

In Georgia, care settings are licensed by the Department of Community Health (DCH), through its Healthcare Facility Regulation Division (HFRD). These are the main names:

• Personal Care Home (PCH): a residence that provides housing, meals, and personal help (bathing, dressing, medication reminders) to two or more adults who are not related to the owner. Many are small homes with a family feel, similar to what other states call board and care homes. Others are larger.
• Assisted Living Community (ALC): a personal care home with 25 or more residents that has an extra license to provide assisted living care. It's what most people call assisted living, or a retirement home with care services.
• Nursing home: provides nursing care 24 hours a day.
• Adult day center: the person spends the day with others and goes home to sleep.

How Medicaid helps in Georgia

Georgia Medicaid pays for nursing home care for people who qualify based on income and care needs. For people who would rather stay in the community, there is the Elderly and Disabled Waiver. A waiver is a Medicaid program that pays for services outside a care home. This waiver has two programs:

• CCSP (Community Care Services Program).
• SOURCE, which coordinates care together with a primary care doctor.

Both are for older adults or people with disabilities who would otherwise need a nursing home level of care. They can include case management (a case manager who coordinates everything), adult day care, personal care at home, home-delivered meals, respite care for the caregiver, and alternative living services, which means care inside a licensed residence.

How to apply:

• For CCSP or SOURCE, the first step is to call the ADRC (Aging and Disability Resource Connection). Georgia has 12 ADRC offices, organized by county.
• The financial side of Medicaid is decided by DFCS (Division of Family and Children Services). You can apply online at Georgia Gateway, by phone at (877) 423-4746, or at your county DFCS office.

How much care costs in Georgia

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

• Home caregiver (non-medical): $32 an hour.
• Adult day care: $90 a day.
• Assisted living: $5,300 a month (private one-bedroom unit).
• Nursing home, semi-private room: $8,821 a month.
• Nursing home, private room: $9,429 a month.

These are statewide medians. Ask each place for its price list in writing.

Who to call

• Division of Aging Services: (866) 552-4464. Press option 2 to talk with an ADRC counselor about services in your area.
• Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program: (866) 552-4464, option 5. The ombudsman guides and stands up for residents of nursing homes, personal care homes, and assisted living. You can call with any question.
• DCH complaint line (Complaint Intake Unit): 1-800-878-6442.
• Eldercare Locator (national): 1-800-677-1116.

Tips for your family

• Check the license on GaMap2Care. It's the DCH's official search tool. There you can see licensed residences, verify a license, and read inspection reports. It's a normal tool to help you compare with peace of mind.
• Understand the size of the place. A small personal care home can feel like a family home. An assisted living community usually has more services and activities. Ask what help they can give if needs increase.
• Call the ADRC early. If you plan to use CCSP or SOURCE, start as soon as you can, because the assessment and the Medicaid application take time. Ask how long it may take in your county.
• Ask about language. When you visit, ask whether there are staff who speak Spanish and on which shifts.
• On hogaresparamayores.com, you can see licensed places in Georgia and compare them at your own pace.

This page is for information only and is not medical or legal advice. Medicaid rules change, so always confirm with DFCS, the ADRC, or a professional.