Talk to a local advisor, free
Complete guide

Senior Living Explained: Types of Housing and Care, and How to Choose

Find senior living near you, and learn how the main types of senior housing and care differ, how families pay and how to choose.

Not sure? Take the care quizTalk to an advisor

By WeFoundCare Editorial TeamUpdated Sources: public records and federal data

An older woman in a red scarf laughs on a garden swing while her husband in a cap pushes her, with autumn trees behind
Photo: Huskyherz / Pixabay
Senior living at a glance

Directory counts as of October 18, 2026

  • 81,7821senior living listings in our directory, across six types of housing and care
  • 501states plus D.C. covered, from public records
  • 33,8961of them are licensed assisted living communities
Overview

What is senior living?

Senior living is the umbrella term for housing and care designed for older adults. It covers a wide range, from apartments for active 55-year-olds to nursing homes that provide nursing care around the clock. What sets the options apart is how much help is included: some offer only a home and neighbors, others add meals and activities, and others provide daily personal care or medical care.

The main types are senior apartments, independent living, assisted living, memory care, care homes (small board and care homes) and nursing homes. Many people also get care at home first. Some campuses combine several types in one place, so residents can move to more care without leaving their community.

Choosing well starts with an honest look at today’s needs and what’s likely ahead: how much help with daily life is needed, any health or memory changes, budget, and what kind of life your loved one wants to lead.

Benefits of senior living

For your loved one

  • A home that fits their needs now
  • Less upkeep, and fewer worries about safety
  • Friends, activities and meals close at hand
  • Help or care available as needs change
  • More energy for the things they enjoy

For your family

  • Peace of mind that help is nearby
  • Less day-to-day caregiving
  • Clear options as needs grow
  • More time together that isn’t about care

Read on for the signs it may be time, how the types of senior living compare, how they are licensed, how families pay and how to choose.

Featured guides
All family guides
Two older adults sitting on a wooden bench under a tree in a parkComparing options

Types of Senior Care Compared

Independent living to nursing homes: what each type offers.

Read the guide
Signs it's time

Signs it may be time for senior living

The right time is often earlier than families expect. Moving while your loved one is still able to choose, rather than after a crisis, usually makes the change easier. If you notice several of these signs, it’s worth exploring options together.

  • A home that is hard to keep clean, safe or repaired
  • Falls, near-falls or trouble with stairs
  • Missed medications or appointments
  • Weight loss, an empty fridge or skipped meals
  • Unpaid bills or unopened mail
  • Loneliness, or rarely leaving the house
  • No longer driving safely
  • Memory changes that make living alone risky
  • A recent hospital stay or new diagnosis
  • A family caregiver who is exhausted

Keep reading

Free care assessment

Not sure which type of senior living fits?

Our free care quiz asks a few questions about your loved one's needs and suggests the types of care to consider next.

Take the free care quizOr talk to an advisor
Services

Types of senior living

Each type of senior living offers a different mix of housing, services and care. Select a type to see who it’s for and read its full guide.

01 of 07

Senior apartments

Rental apartments for people 55 or 62 and older who live independently. Many are affordable housing with rent tied to income. No care is included. Read the senior apartments guide.

Keep reading

Alternatives

Senior living options compared

The biggest difference between types of senior living is how much help is included. Here’s how the most common residential options compare, from the most independent to the most care.

Independent living compared with other care types
CompareIndependent livingAssisted livingMemory careNursing home
Best forActive older adults who don’t need daily careOlder adults who need help with some daily activitiesPeople living with dementia who need supervision and a secure settingPeople who need 24-hour nursing, or rehab after a hospital stay
SettingApartment, cottage or condo in a senior communityPrivate or shared apartment in a communitySecured community, wing or small care homeLicensed health care facility, often with shared rooms
Help with daily activitiesNot usually; residents can hire outside helpYes, based on a care planYes, with dementia-trained staffYes, full assistance
Medical careNone on siteLimited; coordinates with outside providersLimited; coordinates with outside providersSkilled nursing and therapy on site
Who licenses itUsually not licensed as careThe stateThe state; dementia care rules varyThe state, plus federal (CMS) standards
Does Medicare pay?NoNo, not for room, board or personal careNo, not for room, board or personal careShort-term skilled stays only, up to 100 days2 after a qualifying hospital stay
Can Medicaid help?NoIn many states, through waivers that cover services but not room and boardIn many states, through waivers that cover services but not room and boardYes, for people who qualify

Swipe the table to compare

Compare in depth

Licensing

How senior living is licensed

Senior living isn’t one license; each type has its own rules. States license assisted living, memory care, care homes and nursing homes, and inspect them on a schedule and after complaints. Nursing homes that take Medicare or Medicaid must also meet federal standards. Home health agencies are certified by Medicare, and some states license non-medical home care. Senior apartments and independent living are housing, not care, so they generally aren’t licensed as care settings.

Every state has a long-term care ombudsman, a free advocate for residents of nursing homes, assisted living and board and care homes.3 Your local Area Agency on Aging can also help you sort through options; find it through the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116.4

WeFoundCare lists 81,782 senior living options in 50 states, each from a public record: 33,896 assisted living communities, 27,625 care homes, 18,129 HUD and tax-credit senior apartment properties, 14,717 nursing homes, 14,188 memory care communities and 1,6121 life-plan campuses. Some listings appear under more than one type. Market-rate senior apartments and stand-alone independent living communities aren’t in public records, so they’re not included yet.

How to check a license and inspection report

Costs and payment

How families pay for senior living

What senior living costs depends most on how much care is included. Housing-only options usually cost the least, assisted living and care homes add the cost of daily care, memory care adds specialized staff and security, and nursing homes, with nursing around the clock, cost the most. Location matters too, sometimes as much as the type of care.

When comparing, look at the full monthly price, including care charges and extras, not just the base rent. Ask each community or provider for a written price list, how often prices have gone up, and which payment programs it accepts.

Usually included

  • Housing, from an apartment to a shared room
  • Maintenance and upkeep
  • Meals, in most settings beyond apartments
  • Activities and social programs
  • Staff on site, in care settings
  • Personal or nursing care, depending on the type

Often extra

  • Higher levels of care as needs grow
  • Medication management in some settings
  • Transportation outside a set schedule
  • Salon, barber and personal services
  • Pet fees
  • A one-time entrance or move-in fee

Ways families pay for senior living

  • Private funds

    Savings, pensions, Social Security, investments and the sale of a home are the most common ways to pay, especially for independent living and assisted living.

  • Medicare

    Medicare doesn’t pay for long-term custodial care or for room and board in senior living.5 It does cover short-term skilled nursing after a hospital stay, home health, hospice, doctor visits and prescriptions.

  • Medicaid

    Medicaid pays for nursing home care for people who qualify, and in many states it pays for care services, but not room and board, in assisted living, care homes and at home. When one spouse needs care, rules protect between $32,532 and $162,6606 in savings for the spouse at home in 2026, and Medicaid looks back 60 months at asset transfers.7

  • Veterans benefits

    VA long-term care covers home and community services and nursing care for enrolled veterans who meet clinical and eligibility rules.8 A VA pension with Aid and Attendance can also help: from December 1, 2025, the maximum annual rate is $29,0939 for a veteran with no dependents and $18,69710 for a surviving spouse.

  • PACE

    In areas that have it, PACE covers medical care, home care and day programs for people 5511 and older who need a nursing home level of care but can live safely in the community with support.

  • Insurance and tax deductions

    Long-term care insurance can pay for care at home, in assisted living, in care homes and in nursing homes. Care costs can count as medical expenses for someone who is chronically ill; only unreimbursed medical expenses above 7.5%12 of adjusted gross income are deductible, and only if you itemize.

Paying for senior living: your optionsMore guides on paying for care

Costs and payment guides

Communities

Explore senior living

A sample of senior living options from public records, picked from A to Z and listed alphabetically. This isn't a ranking, and we don't publish ratings.

See all 720 in Milwaukee
Choosing

How to choose senior living

Start with needs, not buildings. Write down what help your loved one needs today, what’s likely in the next few years, and what matters most to them: location near family, budget, privacy, activities, faith or culture. That list will point you to one or two types of senior living to focus on.

Then visit. Tour at least two or three places, stay for a meal if you can, and talk with residents and families. Ask for the most recent state inspection report for any licensed setting, and find out what would happen if your loved one’s needs change.

Questions to ask any community

  1. What is included in the monthly price, and what costs extra?
  2. How much have prices gone up in each of the last three years?
  3. What care is available, and how is it priced?
  4. How many staff are on duty during the day and overnight?
  5. What training do staff complete?
  6. What happens if my loved one needs more care later?
  7. What would require a move out?
  8. Which payment programs do you accept?
  9. Can I see the activity calendar and a menu?
  10. How do you communicate with families?
  11. Are pets allowed?
  12. May I see your most recent state inspection report?

Keep reading

Moving tips

Tips for moving to senior living

Moving to senior living is a big step for the whole family. Including your loved one in every decision, and giving the change time, makes the transition smoother.

  1. Talk early and often

    Start the conversation before a crisis, and listen as much as you talk.

  2. Visit together

    Tour, share a meal and join an activity so the new place feels familiar.

  3. Downsize gradually

    Sort belongings room by room, starting weeks or months ahead.

  4. Make it home

    Bring favorite furniture, photos and keepsakes.

  5. Share the details

    Give staff medications, doctors, routines and preferences before move-in.

  6. Give it time

    Adjusting takes weeks to months. Visit often and stay patient.

Keep reading

FAQs

Senior living FAQs

Quick answers to the questions families ask us most.

  • Senior apartments, independent living, assisted living, memory care, care homes and nursing homes. Home care is another option for people who want to stay where they are. They differ mostly in how much help and care is included.

Free local advice

Have more questions?

Talk with a local WeFoundCare advisor. Tell us about your loved one and we'll help you sort through the options near you. WeFoundCare is free for families.

  • Compare senior living options near you
  • Understand costs and how to pay
  • Plan tours and next steps
Prefer to reach us another way? Contact us

Request a free call

A local advisor will follow up by phone or email.

Enter an email or phone number so we can reply. We use your details only to respond to this request.

Library

More senior living guides

Browse all family guides

Showing 6 of 14 guides

Browse

Find senior living by state

Browse 81,782 senior living listings in 50 states, from state licensing, CMS and HUD records. Counts show listings, not ratings.1

50 states, listed A to Z with the number of senior living listings in each.

References

Sources

  1. WeFoundCare directory build from state licensing, CMS and HUD public records (wefoundcare.db). wefoundcare.com/caregiver-resources/articles/our-data-sources/ Accessed October 17, 2026.
  2. CMS / Medicare.gov: Skilled nursing facility (SNF) care (2026 cost sharing). www.medicare.gov/coverage/skilled-nursing-facility-care Accessed October 17, 2026.
  3. Administration for Community Living: Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program. acl.gov/programs/Protecting-Rights-and-Preventing-Abuse/Long-term-Care-Ombudsman-Program Accessed October 18, 2026.
  4. Administration for Community Living: Eldercare Locator (1-800-677-1116). eldercare.acl.gov/ Accessed October 18, 2026.
  5. CMS / Medicare.gov: Long-term care coverage. www.medicare.gov/coverage/long-term-care Accessed October 17, 2026.
  6. CMS / Medicaid.gov: CMCS Informational Bulletin Apr 27, 2026: Updated 2026 SSI and Spousal Impoverishment Standards. www.medicaid.gov/federal-policy-guidance/downloads/cib04272026.pdf Accessed October 18, 2026.
  7. 42 U.S.C. §1396p (SSA §1917) via LII: Asset transfers: 60-month look-back. www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/1396p Accessed October 18, 2026.
  8. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: Long-term care (VA health benefits). www.va.gov/health-care/about-va-health-benefits/long-term-care/ Accessed October 18, 2026.
  9. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: Veterans Pension rates (COLA Dec 1, 2025, 2.8%). www.va.gov/pension/veterans-pension-rates/ Accessed October 17, 2026.
  10. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: Survivors Pension rates (Dec 1, 2025). www.va.gov/pension/survivors-pension-rates/ Accessed October 17, 2026.
  11. CMS / Medicare.gov: PACE (Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly). www.medicare.gov/health-drug-plans/health-plans/your-coverage-options/other-medicare-health-plans/PACE Accessed October 18, 2026.
  12. Internal Revenue Service: Publication 502 (2025), Medical and Dental Expenses. www.irs.gov/publications/p502 Accessed October 17, 2026.

How we put this guide together

Listing counts come from the WeFoundCare directory, built from state licensing records, CMS and HUD data, and were current on October 18, 2026. WeFoundCare is free for families. Listings come from public licensing records, and no community can pay for placement. We don’t publish ratings. Senior living counts combine our licensed and federally listed types; independent living (life-plan campuses only) and senior apartments (HUD and tax-credit properties only) are partial. Statistics are cited to their original source and edition. Hero photo by Huskyherz on Pixabay.

The information on this page is for general information only. It isn’t medical, legal or financial advice. Program rules, benefit amounts and costs change; check with the agency or provider before making decisions.