Nursing homes and assisted living in Virginia

Virginia offers many care options for older adults, in big cities and in rural areas. This hogaresparamayores.com guide explains the official names, how Medicaid and other programs help, and who to call.

What care settings are called here

In Virginia, two different agencies license care settings:

• The Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS), through its Division of Licensing Programs, licenses Assisted Living Facilities (ALF) and Adult Day Centers (ADC).
• The Virginia Department of Health (VDH), through its Office of Licensure and Certification, licenses nursing homes.

What each one means:

• Nursing home: provides ongoing nursing care.
• Assisted Living Facility (ALF): this is assisted living. It is a residence where four or more adults get personal help, health care, and 24-hour supervision. Some ALFs are licensed only for the residential living level, with less help, and others are also licensed for the assisted living level. Many have a special care unit for people with dementia.
• Adult Day Center: a day center for older adults or adults with disabilities who live at home.

How Medicaid helps in Virginia

In Virginia, Medicaid is called Cardinal Care, and it is run by the Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS). Besides paying for nursing home care for people who qualify, it has the CCC Plus Waiver (Commonwealth Coordinated Care Plus), which helps people stay at home instead of moving to a nursing home. It can include:

• Personal care at home, through an agency or directed by the family (consumer-directed).
• Adult day health care.
• Respite care for the caregiver, private duty nursing, and a personal emergency alarm.

Before services start, a local or hospital team does an assessment called a screening. Your local Department of Social Services can help you ask for it.

What about assisted living? The CCC Plus Waiver does not include assisted living in its services. To help with the cost of an ALF, there is the Auxiliary Grant (AG). It is a monthly payment for people with low income who are 65 or older or have a disability, and who live in a residence that accepts the AG. You apply at the Department of Social Services in the city or county where the person lived before moving.

For questions about Medicaid, call Cover Virginia at 1-855-242-8282.

How much care costs in Virginia

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

• Assisted living (private one-bedroom unit): $6,945 a month, a little more than the national median of $6,200.
• Nursing home, semi-private room: $337 a day (about $10,250 a month).
• Nursing home, private room: $384 a day (about $11,680 a month).
• Non-medical home caregiver: $35 an hour.
• Adult day care: $81 a day.

Prices change depending on the part of the state and the level of care. Always ask for the rates in writing.

Who to call

• Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman: 1-800-552-5019 (local 804-565-1600). It stands up for the rights of residents of nursing homes and assisted living, free of charge.
• Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS): 804-662-7000. On its website, you can look up your local Area Agency on Aging.
• Eldercare Locator (national line): 1-800-677-1116.

Tips for your family

• Check an ALF's license with the VDSS search tool. There you'll see the level of care and whether it has a special care unit.
• For nursing homes, check the VDH information portal and the star ratings on Medicare Care Compare. These are normal tools to help you choose with peace of mind.
• If you're thinking about the Auxiliary Grant, ask from the start whether the residence accepts it.
• Ask about Spanish-speaking staff, especially for talking about medications and the care plan.

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