Nursing homes and assisted living in Ohio

Ohio has good care options and several kinds of help to pay for them. Here we tell you what places are called, what programs exist, and who you can call.

What care settings are called here

• Residential Care Facility: this is the license Ohio uses for assisted living. It offers housing, meals, help with daily tasks, and supervision.
• Nursing home: provides 24-hour nursing care for people who need constant medical care.
• Adult day services: day centers where your loved one spends the day with others.

Residential care facilities and nursing homes are licensed by the Ohio Department of Health (ODH). To receive payments from the assisted living waiver, a residence also needs certification from the Ohio Department of Aging (ODA).

How Medicaid helps in Ohio

Medicaid pays for nursing home care for people who meet the medical and financial requirements.

Ohio has an Assisted Living Waiver. A waiver is a Medicaid program that pays for services outside a nursing home. This one pays for care services inside a participating residential care facility: personal help, nursing, housekeeping and laundry, three meals a day, activities, and 24-hour staff response. According to the ODA, it is for people 21 or older who need hands-on help with activities like bathing or getting around, and who meet Medicaid requirements.

The waiver does not cover room and board. The resident pays a monthly fee set by the state. Your county Job and Family Services office reviews the financial side.

To stay at home, there is PASSPORT, a Medicaid program for people 60 or older who need a nursing home level of care and would rather get help at home.

To apply for either one, call 1-866-243-5678. They will connect you with your local Area Agency on Aging, which does the assessment and guides you.

How much care costs in Ohio

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

• Assisted living (private one-bedroom unit): $6,103 a month.
• Nursing home, semi-private room: $302 a day (about $9,186 a month).
• Nursing home, private room: $342 a day (about $10,389 a month).
• Home caregiver (non-medical): $34 an hour.
• Adult day care: $83 a day.

These are medians. Each residence sets its own price based on the room and the services.

Who to call

• Area Agency on Aging: 1-866-243-5678. This line connects you with the agency in your community.
• Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman: 1-800-282-1206. The ombudsman is a free advocate who helps answer questions about care and residents' rights.
• Ohio Department of Aging: 1-800-266-4346.
• Eldercare Locator (national): 1-800-677-1116.

Tips for your family

• Check the license in the ODH Health Care Provider Report, where you can search for residential care facilities and nursing homes.
• Ask whether the residence accepts the Assisted Living Waiver. Only those with an ODH license and ODA certification take part.
• Review nursing home inspections on Medicare's Care Compare. They are a normal tool to get to know a place and bring questions to your visit.
• Ask for a written quote of the monthly rent if your loved one moves in with the waiver.
• Don't hesitate to ask for an interpreter when you call the Area Agency on Aging, so you understand each step.

This page is for information only and does not replace medical or legal advice. Confirm the requirements with the right agency. Below, you'll find the hogaresparamayores.com directory for Ohio.