Nursing homes and assisted living in Massachusetts

Massachusetts has a well-organized support network for older adults, with local offices across the state. Here we explain the types of care homes, how MassHealth (the state's Medicaid program) helps, and who to call.

What care settings are called here

• Nursing home: provides nursing care 24 hours a day. It is licensed by the Department of Public Health (DPH).
• Rest home: a residence with 24-hour supervision and support for people who don't need nursing care on a regular basis. It is also licensed by the DPH.
• Assisted Living Residence (ALR): this is assisted living. It provides housing, meals, and personal help for a monthly fee. It is not a medical care setting. Since a 2024 law, some residences can get permission to provide certain basic health services. Residences are certified by the Executive Office of Aging & Independence (AGE), and the certification is renewed every two years.

How Medicaid helps in Massachusetts

In Massachusetts, Medicaid is called MassHealth. These are the main ways it helps with long-term care:

• Nursing home: MassHealth can pay for the stay if the person meets the income and asset rules. The resident pays most of their monthly income to the nursing home (the Patient Paid Amount) and keeps a small amount for personal needs.
• Senior Care Options (SCO): voluntary plans for people 65 or older who have Medicare Parts A and B. They bring Medicare and MassHealth benefits together in one plan, including nursing home care.
• Frail Elder Waiver (FEW): a waiver for people who need a nursing home level of care but want to stay at home. In 2026, income can't be more than $2,982 a month, and countable assets can't be more than $2,000. This program can't be used to live in assisted living or a rest home.
• Group Adult Foster Care (GAFC): a MassHealth service that pays for daily help with personal care. Some people get it in an assisted living residence. Rent and meals are paid separately, and people who get SSI may receive an extra payment called SSI-G.

Where to apply: use the Application for Health Coverage for Seniors and People Needing Long-Term-Care Services (SACA-2) form, or apply online at MAhealthconnector.org. If you have questions, call MassHealth Customer Service: 1-800-841-2900 (TDD/TTY: 711). For the Frail Elder Waiver, your local Aging Services Access Point (ASAP) does the assessment.

How much care costs in Massachusetts

According to the CareScout Cost of Care 2025 survey (data from July to November 2025, published in March 2026), these are the median costs in Massachusetts:

• Home caregiver (non-medical): $40 an hour.
• Adult day care: $112 a day.
• Assisted living: $9,600 a month.
• Nursing home, semi-private room: $14,448 a month.
• Nursing home, private room: $15,817 a month.

Massachusetts is above the national average in all of these categories. Always ask for a written price quote.

Who to call

• Long-Term Care Ombudsman: 617-222-7495. This free program supports residents of nursing homes, rest homes, and assisted living, and their families. It can also put you in touch with the local program in your city.
• Aging services network (ASAPs and Councils on Aging): 1-800-243-4636. They can tell you which local office serves you.
• MassOptions: 1-800-243-4636 (the same line as above). Free information about services for older adults and people with disabilities, with chat in English and Spanish on its website.
• Eldercare Locator (national): 1-800-677-1116.

Tips for your family

• Call your ASAP first. They do in-home assessments, help with the care plan, and know the programs in your area.
• Take your time with inspections. The DPH publishes the Nursing Home Survey Performance Tool, which sums up the latest inspections of each nursing home. It is a normal tool for comparing options. On hogaresparamayores.com, you can also see licensed places in Massachusetts.
• Ask about language. When you call, ask whether there are staff who speak Spanish and on which shifts.
• Confirm what each option covers. The Frail Elder Waiver, GAFC, and SCO work differently. Before you decide, confirm the details with MassHealth or with a professional.