How to find senior care near you

Updated October 18, 2026 · General information, not professional advice

Step 1: Figure out what kind of care is needed

• Help at home with bathing, meals, errands or companionship: in-home care agencies.
• Skilled care at home after a hospital stay, such as nursing or therapy: Medicare-certified home health agencies.
• Daytime supervision while you work: adult day programs.
• A place to live with daily help: assisted living, or memory care for dementia.
• 24-hour nursing care or rehab: skilled nursing facilities (nursing homes).
• Comfort care at the end of life: hospice.

A doctor, hospital discharge planner or care manager can help you judge the level of care. Write down your parent's diagnoses, medications, mobility and memory concerns before you start calling.

Step 2: Use the free official tools

• Eldercare Locator (eldercare.acl.gov or 1-800-677-1116, weekdays 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern) connects you to your parent's Area Agency on Aging, which knows local services, programs and waiting lists.
• Medicare Care Compare (medicare.gov/care-compare) lists Medicare-certified nursing homes, home health agencies, hospices and other providers, with ratings and inspection results.
• Your state's licensing agency licenses assisted living and, in many states, in-home care agencies. Most have an online lookup for license status and inspection reports. Care Compare doesn't cover assisted living.
• Your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) offers free counseling on what Medicare and Medicaid will pay.

Step 3: Narrow the list

1. Check that each provider is licensed or Medicare-certified and see recent inspection findings.
2. Call and ask about openings, costs, what's included and what costs extra.
3. Ask whether they accept your parent's coverage, such as Medicare for home health or hospice, Medicaid, long-term care insurance or VA benefits.
4. Ask how they handle your parent's specific needs, such as dementia, diabetes, falls or a feeding tube.

Step 4: Visit and ask questions

Visit at least two or three places, ideally once unannounced around a mealtime. Watch how staff talk to residents, whether call lights get answered and whether residents look engaged. For home care agencies, ask how caregivers are screened and trained, and what happens if a caregiver calls in sick.

Your state's Long-Term Care Ombudsman program, reachable through the Area Agency on Aging, can tell you about complaints and help if problems come up after a move.

Paying for care

Medicare covers short-term skilled care, home health and hospice when rules are met, but not long-term custodial care or assisted living rent. Medicaid can pay for nursing home care and, in many states, some home and assisted living services for people who qualify. Veterans may get VA help. Many families pay privately.

Enter your parent's ZIP code on seniorcare.si to see nursing homes, home health agencies, hospices and local help near them, then confirm details with each provider. This guide is general information, not medical, legal or financial advice.