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Guides and updates

Written for families in your metro, sourced against your state's and federal data.

Quick answer

This section publishes guides on senior care in your metro, covering state licensing, costs, Medicaid waivers, hospital discharge, and local resources.

HomeGuides and updates
Short answer

This section publishes 10 guides on senior care in your metro, covering state licensing, what care costs, Medicaid waivers, hospital discharge navigation, and local resources. New guides publish Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

July 2, 2026

911, Adult Protective Services, or the Ombudsman? Knowing Which One to Call

Three different systems handle three different kinds of concerns for Indianapolis-area seniors. Calling the wrong one wastes time a family may not have.

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June 29, 2026

Why Winter Is Often When Indianapolis Families Finally Make the Call

Central Indiana's ice, short daylight and holiday visits combine every year to turn a slow-building concern into an urgent one. Here is why, and how to use that moment productively instead of reactively.

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June 25, 2026

Six Questions That Actually Separate Two Communities in Greenwood

After a few tours in Johnson County, every community starts to blur together. These are the specific questions that reveal real differences, not marketing differences.

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June 22, 2026

The Real Math on In-Home Care in Marion County

At Indiana's 2025 median of $35 an hour, in-home care costs more than families expect, faster than they expect. Here is the actual crossover point where a licensed community becomes the cheaper option.

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June 18, 2026

Boone County Is Changing Fast. Its Senior Care Options Are Starting to Catch Up.

The LEAP Lebanon Innovation District is bringing large-scale manufacturing and data-center investment to Boone County. For senior care, that growth is arriving alongside the county's smallest current supply in the metro.

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June 15, 2026

A Practical Guide to Hospital Discharge Planning at Indianapolis's Major Health Systems

IU Health, Ascension St. Vincent, Community Health Network, Franciscan Health and Eskenazi Health each discharge thousands of patients a year into senior care. Here is what to expect and ask at each.

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June 11, 2026

Hamilton County's First Wave of Aging Homeowners Is Reshaping Senior Care in Carmel and Fishers

Carmel and Fishers built explosively in the 1990s and 2000s. Those original homeowners are now in their 60s and 70s, and the county's senior-care supply is only starting to catch up.

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June 8, 2026

The Document Indiana Law Requires Every Memory Care Unit to Show You

Indiana does not certify memory care the way some states do. Instead, it requires a specific written disclosure under state law -- and most families touring a community have never asked to see it.

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June 4, 2026

Why a Closed-Looking Avon Community Is Actually Open: A Lesson in Verifying Senior Care Listings

Search for senior living in Avon and you may find a listing marked permanently closed. It isn't. Here's what happened, and why every family should verify a facility the same way we did before trusting a name online.

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June 1, 2026

Indiana's PathWays Waiver Replaced the Aged & Disabled Waiver in 2024 -- Here's What Actually Changed

On July 1, 2024, Indiana split its long-standing Aged & Disabled Waiver into two new programs. For Indianapolis-area families already confused by Medicaid terminology, here is what actually changed and what didn't.

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Questions families ask

What license does Indiana require for assisted living?

Indiana licenses assisted-living-type communities as Residential Care Facilities (RCF) under 410 IAC 16.2-5 and Indiana Code 16-28-2, issued by the Indiana Department of Health. It is a single license type -- Indiana does not tier assisted living into Type A/Type B categories the way Texas does.

Does Indiana require every assisted living community to be licensed?

No. Under 410 IAC 16.2-5-0.5(c), a community that provides only room, board, housekeeping and activities -- without administering medication or providing nursing care -- is not required to hold a Residential Care Facility license at all. Some buildings marketed as assisted living in Indiana may carry no state license, so always confirm directly.

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.

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