Free senior care guidance for Indianapolis-area families. No cost to you, ever.
Call (463) 208-0977
Indy Senior Advisor

How Families Pay for Senior Care

Private pay, Indiana's PathWays Waiver and RCAP, VA Aid and Attendance, and long-term care insurance.

Get matched freeCall (463) 208-0977
Home›Costs & Paying›How Families Pay for Senior Care
How families pay for care. Indiana's PathWays Waiver pays for care services, RCAP pays for room and board, and VA Aid and Attendance can help veterans and surviving spouses. Read the full explanation →

Questions families ask

Does Indiana require a separate license for memory care?

No. Indiana requires a written Alzheimer's and Dementia Special Care Disclosure under Indiana Code 12-10-5.5, not a separate state certification. Communities must file the disclosure and meet training requirements, but there is no distinct 'certified memory care' license to check for.

How do I check a facility's Indiana license and inspection history?

Use the Indiana Long Term Care Survey & Inspection Public Search at hoosierusa.isdh.in.gov, run by the Indiana Department of Health. Nursing homes also carry a federal CMS Care Compare star rating; assisted living (Residential Care Facilities) does not.

What's the difference between Indiana's Residential Care Facility and Comprehensive Care Facility licenses?

A Residential Care Facility (RCF) is Indiana's assisted-living-type license, covering personal care, medication administration and ADL help, not 24-hour skilled nursing. A Comprehensive Care Facility is Indiana's nursing-home license, for residents who need 24-hour licensed nursing care.

What Medicaid waiver pays for assisted living in Indiana?

Indiana's PathWays Waiver, part of the Indiana PathWays for Aging program launched July 1, 2024 for Hoosiers 60 and older, can pay for care services inside a licensed Residential Care Facility that holds a waiver provider agreement. It does not cover room and board -- that runs through a separate program, RCAP.

What is RCAP and how is it different from the PathWays Waiver?

The Residential Care Assistance Program (RCAP) is Indiana's Medicaid-funded room-and-board assistance for RCF residents. It pairs with, but is separate from, the PathWays Waiver, which pays for care services. A facility can hold a PathWays agreement, an RCAP agreement, both, or neither -- ask specifically which apply.

Not sure where to start?

Answer five questions and a local advisor will come back with senior care options in your area that actually fit your situation and budget. It is free, and there is no obligation.

Find care options
Find senior care — free