Assisted Living in Louisiana: A Family Guide
What assisted living is called in Louisiana, what it costs, how Medicaid can help, how to check a community’s license and inspections, and who to call if something goes wrong. Every fact links to the official source.
- Licensed communities on Lilisity
- 163 assisted living
- Typical cost
- $5,163 a month (state median, CareScout 2025)
- Long-term care ombudsman
- (866) 632-0922 (State Office)2
- File a complaint
- 225-342-62983
What assisted living is called in Louisiana
- Adult Residential Care Provider (ARCP)Louisiana licenses these places as Adult Residential Care Providers (ARCPs). The license covers places that give housing, meals, medication help, personal care and, in some cases, intermittent nursing to two or more unrelated adults.1
- ARCP Level 1Two to eight residents in a home-like, single-family style setting.1
- ARCP Level 2Nine to 16 residents in a group setting without private apartments with kitchenettes.1
- ARCP Level 317 or more residents living in their own apartments with kitchenettes.1
- ARCP Level 4Like Level 3 (17 or more residents in apartments), but may also give intermittent nursing services.1
Memory care rules
An ARCP may run a Specialized Dementia Care Program. If it advertises one, it must have written policies, criteria for who can join the program, extra dementia training for staff, a secured outdoor area, and a written description of the program for anyone who asks about it.4
Questions to ask memory care about nights.
What assisted living costs in Louisiana
The median cost of assisted living in Louisiana is $5,163 a month, below the national median of $6,200 (CareScout Cost of Care Survey 2025, collected July to November 2025). Prices vary with the apartment, the level of care and the community, so ask each one for its current rate sheet, including care-level fees.
If more care is needed later: nursing home costs in Louisiana, with CareScout medians and the private-pay rates Louisiana nursing homes publish.
Plan with our free tools: how long will the money last? and home care or assisted living?
Paying for assisted living in Louisiana
Medicare does not pay for assisted living. Families pay from savings and income, long-term care insurance, or benefits such as VA Aid and Attendance (estimate it). Who actually pays for long-term care.
Medicaid. The Community Choices Waiver, a Louisiana Medicaid program for older adults and adults with disabilities, lists its services, and assisted living is not among them. Listed services include personal care, home-delivered meals, in-home monitoring, home changes for access, and caregiver respite. The Louisiana Department of Health can confirm whether Medicaid helps pay for assisted living.5 Medicaid does not pay rent or meals in assisted living in any state, and not every community accepts it, so ask each one.
How to check a community in Louisiana
Look up a license. LDH keeps an online directory of licensed adult residential care providers. A spreadsheet version is linked from the ARCP page. Search Louisiana’s records.6
Always visit in person, at a mealtime or in the evening if you can. Bring the tour scorecard and the 8 tour questions.
If something goes wrong
Complaints about care or conditions. The LDH Health Standards Section investigates complaints about licensed health care providers, including adult residential care providers. Use the complaint form, email HSSComplaints@la.gov, or call the Adult Residential Care Provider complaint line. It does not investigate billing complaints. Call 225-342-6298 or file online.3
Abuse, neglect or exploitation. Call 225-342-6298. How to report.3 If someone is in danger, call 911.
The long-term care ombudsman is a free advocate for residents of assisted living and nursing homes: they help resolve problems with a community, including move-out notices. Call (866) 632-0922 (State Office) or find your local ombudsman.2
Find assisted living in Louisiana
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Common questions
The Community Choices Waiver, a Louisiana Medicaid program for older adults and adults with disabilities, lists its services, and assisted living is not among them. Listed services include personal care, home-delivered meals, in-home monitoring, home changes for access, and caregiver respite. The Louisiana Department of Health can confirm whether Medicaid helps pay for assisted living. Medicaid does not pay rent or meals in assisted living.
The median is $5,163 a month (CareScout Cost of Care Survey 2025), compared with $6,200 nationally.
Louisiana Department of Health (LDH), Health Standards Section (HSS).
The LDH Health Standards Section investigates complaints about licensed health care providers, including adult residential care providers. Use the complaint form, email HSSComplaints@la.gov, or call the Adult Residential Care Provider complaint line. It does not investigate billing complaints. Phone: 225-342-6298.
LDH keeps an online directory of licensed adult residential care providers. A spreadsheet version is linked from the ARCP page.
Sources
- Licensing agency, license types (ldh.la.gov)
- Ombudsman (goea.louisiana.gov)
- Complaints, reporting abuse (ldh.la.gov)
- Memory care rules (ldh.la.gov)
- Medicaid (ldh.la.gov)
- License lookup (ldh.la.gov)
- CareScout Cost of Care Survey 2025 (state medians)
Facts checked against these official sources on September 28, 2026. Rules and programs change; confirm with the agency before making a decision. General information, not legal or financial advice.
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