Nursing Homes and Senior Care in Maryland

Nursing Homes by City in Maryland

The Maryland cities with the most CMS-certified nursing homes. All 93 cities are listed below the table. Homes in Maryland average 3.9 hours of nursing care per resident per day; the national median is 3.7 hours.

5-Star Nursing Homes in Maryland

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

Assisted Living in Maryland

Maryland Department of Health, Office of Health Care Quality (OHCQ) licenses assisted living in Maryland. License types: Assisted Living Program, Level 1: Low Level of Care, Level 2: Moderate Level of Care and Level 3: High Level of Care. Use the state's search to check a community's license and inspection history.

• Maryland assisted living facility search
• Maryland assisted living rules
• Maryland assisted living licensing (Maryland Department of Health, Office of Health Care Quality (OHCQ))

Memory Care Rules in Maryland

Maryland's term is "Alzheimer's Special Care Unit", a separate license or certification. Facilities must give families a written disclosure of their dementia care services.

• An assisted living program shall have written approval from the Department prior to operating an Alzheimer's Special Care Unit, and prior to advertising or marketing the unit (COMAR 10.07.14.32B).
• To request initial approval, the program submits a written description of the unit using a disclosure form developed by the Department, explaining how care is specifically designed for individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia and how it differs from care in the nonspecial care unit (COMAR 10.07.14.32A).
• The program shall disclose the written description of the unit to any person on request, to the resident as appropriate, and to the family or resident representative before admission to the unit (COMAR 10.07.14.32D).
• The description shall include a minimum of 6 hours of advanced cognitive impairment training for licensed, certified or registered staff and staff whose duties include personal care on the unit: 2 hours related to effective communication, 2 hours related to behavioral interventions, and 2 hours related to making activities meaningful (COMAR 10.07.14.32E(3)(a)).
• The description shall include the number of hours of dementia-specific training provided annually for all staff by job classification and a summary of training content.
• The description shall include staffing patterns: the ratio of direct care staff to residents for a 24-hour cycle, how staffing differs from the rest of the program, and use of awake overnight staff on the unit.
• The description shall also cover the statement of philosophy or mission, admission procedures and screening criteria, assessment and service planning protocol, physical environment and design features, activities (frequency and type), the fee or fee structure for the unit, and discharge criteria and procedures.
• Substantive changes to the unit require a revised written description submitted to the Department for review and approval (COMAR 10.07.14.32C).
• The Department shall restrict admission or close the operation of an Alzheimer's Special Care Unit if the program has not demonstrated compliance or the health or safety of residents is at risk (COMAR 10.07.14.32F).

• Maryland memory care rules

Medicaid Long-Term Care in Maryland

Maryland's Medicaid program is Maryland Medicaid (Maryland Medical Assistance Program). For nursing home Medicaid (2026), the state lists an asset limit of Medically Needy Resource Standard (Non-MAGI): $2,500 for 1 person; Categorically Needy Resource Standard (Non-MAGI): $2,000 individual, $3,000 couple. Residents keep a personal needs allowance of $106 (individual).

• Community Options Waiver (Home and Community-Based Options Waiver, HCBOW): assisted living and adult day. Need nursing facility level of care and be age 18 and older. Monthly income may not exceed 300% of SSI benefits; countable assets may not be more than $2,000 or $2,500, depending on eligibility category. There is a waitlist for this waiver: call Maryland Access Point at 844-627-5465 to get on the Community Options Waiver Registry. Nursing facility residents with at least 30 days of Medicaid-paid services may apply with no wait. Waiver services include assisted living services, medical day care and Senior Center Plus, and participants also get the Community First Choice Program.
• Medical Day Care Services Waiver (MDCSW): adult day. Need nursing facility level of care, be age 16 or older, have a medical order for medical day care, and already have full Medicaid. Medical day care at least four hours a day, up to seven days a week.
• Community First Choice Program: in-home care. A state plan home and community-based services benefit, not a waiver. Need institutional level of care, must live in a community setting and already have full Medicaid. Services include personal assistance, home-delivered meals, nurse monitoring and personal emergency response systems.

• Maryland Medicaid (Maryland Medical Assistance Program) nursing facility coverage
• Maryland Medicaid long-term care limits

Nursing Home Inspections and Complaints in Maryland

Maryland Department of Health, Office of Health Care Quality (OHCQ) inspects nursing homes in Maryland for CMS. To file a complaint, call (410) 402-8108; Toll-free 877-402-8219 or use the state's complaint page.

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

Maryland Long-Term Care Ombudsman

The Maryland Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program is a free, confidential advocate for residents of nursing homes and assisted living. Ombudsmen help with complaints, residents' rights and problems with care. Call 800-243-3425.

• Contact the Maryland Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program

Aging Services and Caregiver Support in Maryland

Maryland Department of Aging runs Maryland's aging services, delivered through local Area Agencies on Aging. Family caregivers can get help through Maryland Family Caregiver Support Program. Adult day services are licensed or certified by Maryland Department of Health, Office of Health Care Quality (Adult Medical Day Care Centers).

• Maryland aging services: Maryland Department of Aging
• Area Agencies on Aging in Maryland
• Caregiver support in Maryland: Maryland Family Caregiver Support Program
• Maryland 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