Nursing homes and assisted living in Rhode Island

Rhode Island is a small state, but it has many care options for older adults. This hogaresparamayores.com guide explains the official names, how Medicaid helps and who to call.

What care settings are called here

These places are licensed by the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH). The main types are:

• Nursing Facility: a nursing home, with nursing care 24 hours a day.
• Assisted Living Residence: assisted living. It combines housing, meals and personal care, with staff available day and night.
• Adult Day Care Program: adult day centers.
• Home Nursing Care Provider and Home Care Provider: home care agencies, with or without nursing services.

Good to know: in Rhode Island, each assisted living residence has a license level. The letters F1 or F2 show whether it can accept people who can't get out on their own in an emergency (F1) or only people who can (F2). The letters M1 or M2 show whether staff give the medicines (M1) or only help the person take them (M2). There is also a special license for dementia care. Always ask which levels the residence has.

How Medicaid helps in Rhode Island

In Rhode Island, Medicaid covers Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS), which means long-term care. It's coordinated by the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS), and applications are handled by the Department of Human Services (DHS).

What matters for your family:

• Medicaid LTSS can pay for care in a nursing home, in an assisted living residence or at home (personal care, home-delivered meals, equipment, case management).
• In assisted living, Medicaid pays for care services, but not room and board (rent and meals).
• The person must meet financial requirements and have an assessment of how much help they need.
• There is a specific form to apply for LTSS. For guidance, call The Point at 401-462-4444 and ask to speak with a counselor.

If the person is 65 or older and doesn't qualify for Medicaid, the Office of Healthy Aging's At Home Cost Share Program can help pay for services at home at a lower cost.

How much care costs in Rhode Island

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

• Assisted living (private room, one bedroom): $7,781 a month, above the national median of $6,200.
• Nursing home, semi-private room: $398 a day (about $12,106 a month).
• Nursing home, private room: $440 a day (about $13,383 a month).
• Non-medical in-home caregiver: $40 an hour.
• Adult day center: $65 a day, one of the lowest medians in the country.

Each place sets its own prices. Ask for the list of rates in writing.

Who to call

• The Point (the Office of Healthy Aging's resource center, also known as the ADRC): 401-462-4444.
• Long-Term Care Ombudsman (Alliance for Better Long Term Care): 401-785-3340. It defends the rights of nursing home and assisted living residents, free of charge.
• Eldercare Locator (national line): 1-800-677-1116.

Tips for your family

• Check the license with RIDOH and ask about the level (F1/F2, M1/M2, dementia). That way, you'll know whether the place can care for your loved one if their needs change.
• Compare nursing homes on Medicare Care Compare, with their star ratings and inspections. It's a standard tool that helps you choose calmly.
• Take advantage of adult day centers: in Rhode Island they are affordable, and they let your loved one keep living with the family.
• Ask about bilingual staff and activities in Spanish, especially if your mom or dad feels more comfortable in Spanish.
• Start early with Medicaid LTSS: gathering documents takes time, and The Point can guide you step by step.

This is general information, not medical or legal advice. Confirm the details with the agency in charge.