Level of care quiz · 10 questions plus your ZIP · about 3 minutes

Which Level of Care Does Your Parent Need?

Answer ten questions about daily help, health, memory, safety, and family support to see whether home care, assisted living, memory care, or a nursing home fits, then find providers near you.

Question 1 of 11

Which everyday activities need hands-on help from another person?

Select all that apply. "Hands-on" means someone must physically assist, not just remind.

Your answers stay in this browser until you open the results. Nothing is saved unless you ask us to email them.

How the assessment works

Answer ten quick questions about daily help, health, memory, safety, and family support.
We weigh them the way discharge planners do: daily-living needs first, then medical and memory needs.
See the level of care that fits, why, what it typically costs, and who pays.
Browse matching providers near your ZIP code and take the tour checklist with you.

Educational only. The assessment does not diagnose, is not medical advice, and does not replace a physician’s or a state’s formal level-of-care assessment, which Medicaid programs require. Provider lists on the results page come from public CMS data and our directory; no provider pays to appear.

Level of care	Who it fits	Typical monthly cost	Who pays
Home care or home health at home	People who need help with a few daily tasks or intermittent nursing, live in a safe home, and have family nearby to fill the gaps.	$6,500 for 44 hours a week of aide care	Medicare: skilled nursing and therapy visits when homebound and ordered by a physician
Adult day program plus family care	People who are safe at night with family but need supervision, social contact, or a caregiver break during the day.	$2,200 for five days a week	Medicaid waivers: covered in most states for eligible adults
Independent living community	People who manage their own daily care but are isolated, or whose current home has become unsafe or too much to keep up.	$3,200	Private pay: monthly rent
Assisted living community	People who need help with several daily tasks or daytime supervision, but not daily nursing care.	$5,900	Private pay and long-term care insurance: most residents
Memory care community	People with Alzheimer’s or another dementia who wander, need constant cueing, or are no longer safe in a regular assisted living setting.	$7,500	Private pay and long-term care insurance: most residents
Skilled nursing facility (nursing home)	People recovering from a hospital stay who need daily therapy, or who need round-the-clock nursing, complex medical care, or full assistance with most daily activities.	$9,300 semi-private, $10,600 private	Medicare: up to 100 days of skilled care per benefit period after a 3-day hospital stay

How do I know if my parent needs assisted living or a nursing home?

Count the basic daily activities that need hands-on help: bathing, dressing, eating, toileting, and getting in and out of bed. Help with one to three usually fits assisted living or care at home. Four or more, two-person transfers, daily therapy after a hospital stay, or round-the-clock medical needs point to a nursing home, which is the only setting with licensed nurses on site 24 hours a day.

What is the difference between home care and home health?

Home care is non-medical help with bathing, meals, and companionship, paid privately or through Medicaid waivers. Home health is skilled nursing or therapy ordered by a doctor for someone who is homebound, delivered by a Medicare-certified agency and covered by Medicare for a limited period.

When is it time for memory care instead of assisted living?

When dementia causes wandering, exit-seeking, aggression, or the need for constant cueing, a regular assisted living community is no longer safe. Memory care adds a secured environment, higher staffing, and dementia-trained staff. Many communities offer both on one campus.

Does Medicare pay for assisted living?

No. Medicare does not pay for assisted living, memory care, or long-term custodial care in a nursing home. It covers short-term skilled nursing after a qualifying hospital stay and intermittent home health visits. Assisted living is paid privately, with long-term care insurance, VA benefits, or Medicaid waivers in some states.

Is this assessment a substitute for a professional evaluation?

No. It is an educational tool that mirrors how discharge planners think, so you can narrow the options and ask better questions. Medicaid programs require a formal level-of-care assessment, and a physician or geriatric care manager should confirm any medical needs.