Omaha Senior AdvisorIs there a separate memory care license in Nebraska?
No. Memory care operates under an ALF or nursing home license, and the DHHS roster shows it as an Alzheimer's unit, a memory care endorsement or a nursing home special care unit.
Our memory care directory lists every designated building in the five counties.
What is the memory care endorsement?
It is a credential under Neb. Rev. Stat. 71-472 that DHHS awards to a licensed ALF that proves it meets qualifications for staffing enhancements, training, dedicated programming, cultural competencies, facility requirements and security.
The endorsement was created by LB698 in 2016.
What must a memory care unit tell families before move-in?
Its written criteria for admission, discharge, transfer and resident conduct (175 NAC 4-006.11E), plus the Alzheimer's special care disclosure covering philosophy, care planning, training, environment, activities, family involvement and costs.
Ask for both before touring.
How many staff must be on duty in a Nebraska memory care unit?
Nebraska sets no ratio; direct care staff must be sufficient, trained, and awake, fully dressed and available in the unit at all times.
Ask for the overnight staffing number specifically.
Can a memory care resident be asked to leave?
Yes, with 30 days' written notice, if the resident becomes a danger to self or others or needs complex nursing care that cannot be arranged under 175 NAC 4-006.07B, or for reasons in the facility's written discharge criteria.
The Long-Term Care Ombudsman at (800) 942-7830 can help a resident respond.
Do Omaha nursing homes have memory care?
Some do: the DHHS long-term care roster lists Alzheimer's or special care units at several Omaha-area nursing homes, which serve residents who need both dementia care and nursing care.
Many other homes admit residents with dementia on general units.
What does memory care cost in Omaha?
No published median exists; communities set their own prices, usually above the $6,350 monthly Nebraska assisted living median, and must disclose costs and extra fees in writing.
Ask how prices change as care needs rise.
Can the Medicaid AD Waiver pay for memory care?
Yes, in a waiver-certified ALF for an eligible resident, the waiver pays for Supported Residential Living services while the resident pays room and board; check the roster flag for each building.
Not every memory care community is waiver-certified.
Do small memory care homes in Elkhorn and west Omaha follow the same rules?
Yes. A residence of four or more residents providing assisted living needs the same ALF license, and if it specializes in dementia care it must meet the same dementia-unit rule as a large building.
The roster shows several Omaha-area memory care residences with 10 or fewer licensed beds.
Can a married couple live together if one spouse has dementia?
Sometimes. Residents have the right to share a room with a consenting person of their choice, but whether both spouses can live in a secured unit, or in adjoining assisted living and memory care apartments, depends on the building.
Ask early, because couple-friendly arrangements are limited.
