Nursing Homes and Senior Care in Illinois

Nursing Homes by City in Illinois

The Illinois cities with the most CMS-certified nursing homes. All 328 cities are listed below the table. Homes in Illinois average 3.4 hours of nursing care per resident per day; the national median is 3.7 hours.

5-Star Nursing Homes in Illinois

Homes with CMS's top overall rating, ordered by inspection rating. See all highest-rated nursing homes in Illinois.

Assisted Living in Illinois

Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), Division of Assisted Living licenses assisted living in Illinois. License types: Assisted Living Establishment and Shared Housing Establishment. Use the state's search to check a community's license and inspection history.

• Illinois assisted living facility search
• Illinois assisted living rules
• Illinois assisted living licensing (Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), Division of Assisted Living)

Memory Care Rules in Illinois

Illinois's term is "Alzheimer's and Dementia Programs"; it isn't a separate license, but rules apply to facilities that offer dementia care. Facilities must give families a written disclosure of their dementia care services.

• An establishment that offers a special program for persons with Alzheimer's disease and related disorders must disclose to the Department and to potential or actual residents the information specified under the Alzheimer's Special Care Disclosure Act (77 Ill. Adm. Code 295.4060(h)(1); see also 295.1100).
• Residents are assessed before admission with functional, cognitive or global assessment tools; the assessment must be approved by the resident's physician and repeated annually and when the resident's condition changes.
• Policies and procedures to ensure the safety of all residents, including those who may wander and those who may need help evacuating in an emergency; if residents cannot evacuate safely on their own, enough staff must be present and awake 24 hours a day to assist.
• At least one staff member awake and on duty at all times, and at a minimum 1.4 hours of services per resident per day (assistance with daily activities, activities-based programming and dementia-specific services).
• Service plans must provide cognitive stimulation and activities with a comfortable, predictable structure and rhythm.
• All staff receive 4 hours of dementia-specific orientation before working without direct supervision in the Alzheimer's/dementia program.
• Direct care staff receive 16 hours of on-the-job supervision and training within the first 16 hours of employment after orientation, and complete 12 hours of in-service education on Alzheimer's disease and related dementias each year.
• The manager or program supervisor must have dementia-care education or experience and complete 6 hours of annual continuing education on dementia care.

• Illinois memory care rules

Medicaid Long-Term Care in Illinois

Illinois's Medicaid program is Illinois Medicaid (HFS Medicaid Long Term Care program). For nursing home Medicaid (2026), the state lists an asset limit of $17,500 (asset limit for Medical cases, effective 05/12/2023; applies whether one person or more is in a household).

• Community Care Program (CCP): Persons Who are Elderly Waiver: in-home care and adult day. For people 60 or older who would otherwise require care in a nursing facility; non-exempt assets of $17,500 or less; must apply for and, if eligible, enroll in Medicaid.
• Supportive Living Program (SLP): assisted living. An alternative to nursing home care for low-income people 65 and older and people with physical disabilities ages 22 to 64 who would otherwise need nursing home care; the waiver pays for services and the resident pays room and board.

• Illinois Medicaid (HFS Medicaid Long Term Care program) nursing facility coverage
• Illinois Medicaid long-term care limits

Nursing Home Inspections and Complaints in Illinois

Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), Bureau of Long-term Care inspects nursing homes in Illinois for CMS. To file a complaint, call 800-252-4343 or use the state's complaint page.

• Illinois nursing home inspection lookup
• File a nursing home complaint in Illinois

Illinois Long-Term Care Ombudsman

The Illinois Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program (LTCOP) is a free, confidential advocate for residents of nursing homes and assisted living. Ombudsmen help with complaints, residents' rights and problems with care. Call 1-800-252-8966 (Senior HelpLine).

• Contact the Illinois Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program (LTCOP)

Aging Services and Caregiver Support in Illinois

Illinois Department on Aging runs Illinois's aging services, delivered through local Area Agencies on Aging. Family caregivers can get help through Family and Caregiver Resource Centers. Adult day services are licensed or certified by Illinois Department on Aging (adult day service under the Community Care Program).

• Illinois aging services: Illinois Department on Aging
• Area Agencies on Aging in Illinois
• Caregiver support in Illinois: Family and Caregiver Resource Centers
• Illinois adult day services

Guides for Your Next Step

See how to choose a nursing home, what memory care is, how Medicaid pays for nursing home care and what Medicare covers. For local help, call the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116.

Frequently Asked Questions