VA Long-Term Care: Nursing Homes, Assisted Living, Adult Day and Home Care
Every setting VA can help with, so your family checks VA before spending savings.
What it is
VA offers a range of long-term care for Veterans who need ongoing help with daily life or medical care. Some of it is a place to live, and some of it comes to your home. Ask about all of them, because what is available depends on where you live.
Who qualifies
VA says you must meet all three:
- You are signed up for VA health care.
- VA determines you need the specific service for ongoing treatment and personal care.
- The service is available in your area.
Service-connected disability status and insurance coverage can affect eligibility. Nursing home eligibility depends on income and service-connected disability level. If you are not enrolled yet, start at How to apply for VA health care.
The settings VA lists
Nursing homes
- Community Living Centers: VA nursing centers with 24-hour nursing, medical care and help with daily tasks.
- Community nursing homes: non-VA nursing homes under contract, so you can be near family.
- State Veterans Homes: owned and run by the state; they sometimes also take non-Veteran spouses and Gold Star parents.
Live-in settings
- Medical foster homes: private homes for small groups with 24/7 trained support.
- Adult family homes: private homes renting rooms to 6 or fewer people.
- Assisted living: rented rooms or apartments with shared dining and living space.
Care at home or by day
- Home-Based Primary Care: a VA doctor-led team that brings nursing, physical therapy and help with daily tasks to your home.
- Homemaker and Home Health Aide: see Homemaker and Home Health Aide care.
- Adult Day Health Care: daytime program with activities, companionship and care.
- Respite care: a break for the family caregiver; see VA respite care.
- Skilled home health care, home telehealth, palliative care and hospice: hospice is comfort care for a terminal condition with a prognosis under 6 months.
- GeriPACT: a geriatric care team for Veterans with several chronic diseases, dementia or caregiver strain, at about two-thirds of VA medical centers.
What it costs
VA says some services are covered under standard VA health benefits and copays may apply. For extended care, VA says there is no copay for the first 21 days in a 12-month period. After day 21, VA lists copays of up to $97 a day for inpatient care (nursing home), up to $15 a day for outpatient care (adult day health, daily respite) and up to $5 a day for domiciliary care for homeless Veterans (2026). The amount is based on the care level and the financial information you give on VA Form 10-10EC. Services VA does not cover may be paid by Medicaid, Medicare or private insurance.
What it costs
How to get it, step by step
- Make sure you are enrolled in VA health care (How to apply for VA health care).
- Contact your VA social worker: Find the social work contact at your VA health care system, or call the hotline above.
- The social worker assesses your needs and completes VA Form 10-10EC, Application for Extended Care Services with you. That form sets your copay.
- Ask which settings are available near you and how long the wait is.
- Use VA's VA Geriatrics: making decisions about care (decision aids and caregiver self-assessment) with your family.
Traps to avoid
- VA says nursing home eligibility depends on income and service-connected disability level, so ask the social worker which rules apply to you.
- VA lists community nursing homes and State Veterans Homes as well as its own Community Living Centers. Ask about all three.
- A service being on the list does not mean it is offered in your town. Ask.
Where to call and where to go
Phone
- VA health benefits hotline: 877-222-8387 (877-222-VETS), Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET. Source: va.gov/health-care/how-to-apply
- VA main information line (MyVA411), open 24/7. VA prints the number on its contact page: va.gov/contact-us
- VA Caregiver Support Line: 1-855-260-3274, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET. Source: caregiver.va.gov
- Veterans Crisis Line, 24/7: 988, then press 1. Source: Helpful VA phone numbers
Official pages
- VA long-term care (official page)
- Find the social work contact at your VA health care system
- VA Form 10-10EC, Application for Extended Care Services
- VA home and community based services
- VA nursing home quality information by state
- How to apply for VA health care
- Find a VA health facility near you
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