Nursing homes and assisted living in Nebraska

Nebraska has assisted living residences in big cities and small towns, plus nursing homes and adult day centers. This guide explains the official names, how Medicaid can help, and who to call for free guidance.

What care settings are called here

In Nebraska, licenses are issued by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), through the licensing section of its Division of Public Health. The names you'll hear are:

• Assisted Living Facility: this is assisted living. The person usually has their own apartment and gets help with personal care and daily life, in a homelike setting.
• Nursing Facility or Long Term Care Facility: a nursing home, with nursing care for people who need constant attention.
• Adult Day Services: adult day centers for adults who still live at home.

Every month, the DHHS publishes rosters of the licensed places of each type.

How Medicaid helps in Nebraska

Nebraska Medicaid pays for nursing home care for people who meet the requirements. There is also the Aged and Disabled (AD) Waiver, a waiver that helps people live safely outside a nursing home. It is for people who are 65 or older or have a disability, have Medicaid, and need a nursing home level of care.

• The AD Waiver can include personal care, adult day care, home-delivered meals, help with household chores, transportation, home modifications, and respite care for the family.
• It does help with assisted living, through a service called Supported Residential Living. The person pays for room and board, plus the part of the cost that Medicaid sets for them (their share of cost).

How to apply:

• Medicaid: online at iServe Nebraska, or by phone with ACCESSNebraska: 1-855-632-7633 (in Lincoln, 402-473-7000; in Omaha, 402-595-1178).
• AD Waiver: also on iServe. To ask for a paper application, call 1-877-667-6266. The application is available in other languages besides English.

How much care costs in Nebraska

According to the CareScout Cost of Care Survey 2025 (tables published on March 2, 2026), the median costs in Nebraska are:

• Assisted living (private one-bedroom apartment): $6,350 a month.
• Nursing home, semi-private room: $275 a day (about $8,377 a month).
• Nursing home, private room: $303 a day (about $9,216 a month).
• Home caregiver (non-medical): $36 an hour.
• Adult day care: $163 a day.

These are median values. Prices change with the city and the level of care.

Who to call

• Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC): 1-844-843-6364. It offers information, guidance on care options, and help with benefits.
• Long-Term Care Ombudsman: 1-800-942-7830. The ombudsman is a free advocate for residents of nursing homes and assisted living who listens to their concerns and stands up for their rights.
• Eldercare Locator (national): 1-800-677-1116.

Tips for your family

• Check the license with the official DHHS rosters or its license lookup tool. It's a normal step to help you choose with peace of mind.
• Ask whether the assisted living residence accepts the AD Waiver and how much your family would pay for room and board.
• Ask for the application in your language if that's easier for you, and on each visit, ask whether anyone on staff speaks Spanish.
• Visit more than once, at different times of day, to get to know the atmosphere and the staff.
• Always confirm with the DHHS or the ADRC, because programs change. This page is for information only and does not replace a professional's advice.

On hogaresparamayores.com, you can see Nebraska's care settings below and compare options near you.