Nursing Homes and Senior Care in Ohio

Nursing Homes by City in Ohio

The Ohio cities with the most CMS-certified nursing homes. All 362 cities are listed below the table. Homes in Ohio average 3.7 hours of nursing care per resident per day; the national median is 3.7 hours.

5-Star Nursing Homes in Ohio

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

Assisted Living in Ohio

Ohio Department of Health, Bureau of Regulatory Operations licenses assisted living in Ohio. License types: Residential Care Facility. Use the state's search to check a community's license and inspection history.

• Ohio assisted living facility search
• Ohio assisted living rules
• Ohio assisted living licensing (Ohio Department of Health, Bureau of Regulatory Operations)

Memory Care Rules in Ohio

Ohio's term is "Special care unit"; 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.

• "Special care unit" means a residential care facility, or part thereof, that is dedicated to providing care to residents with diagnoses that include late-stage cognitive impairment with significant ongoing daily living assistance needs, cognitive impairments with increased emotional needs or presenting behaviors that cause problems for the resident or other residents, or serious mental illness (OAC 3701-16-01).
• Staff in a facility, or part of one, that admits or retains residents with late-stage cognitive impairment or cognitive impairments with increased emotional needs or presenting behaviors must have two hours of initial training in the care of such residents within fourteen days of the first day of work, and four hours of continuing education in the care of such residents annually (OAC 3701-16-06).
• Staff who plan activities for residents with late-stage cognitive impairment, cognitive impairments with increased emotional needs or presenting behaviors, or serious mental illness must have training in appropriate activities for such residents (OAC 3701-16-06).
• A facility that admits or retains residents with these cognitive impairment diagnoses must have a psychologist or physician with experience in diagnosing and treating the condition on staff or as a consultant, unless the resident's needs are met by a private psychologist or physician (OAC 3701-16-06).
• For individuals seeking residency on a special care unit, the facility must provide its policy on care in the unit, including a statement of mission or philosophy, admission and screening criteria, transfer and discharge criteria, a weekly staffing plan that states how it differs from the rest of the facility and the increased supervision needed, a description of activities and their frequency, a listing of costs, specialized staff training and continuing education practices, the assessment process, how behavioral healthcare needs are addressed, physical environment and design features, family involvement and support programs, and any services over and above those in the rest of the facility (OAC 3701-16-07).
• Before admitting or transferring a resident to a special care unit that restricts freedom of movement, a physician or other licensed healthcare professional must determine that the admission or transfer is needed; the resident must receive an updated resident agreement and the special care unit policy, and no resident may be admitted to a secured special care unit based solely on diagnosis (OAC 3701-16-08).
• Residency in a secured special care unit is allowed if care is provided according to each resident's needs and preferences and not for staff convenience, the need for continued residency is reviewed at each periodic assessment, the unit meets state building and fire code standards, and residency is not based solely on diagnosis (OAC 3701-16-09).

• Ohio memory care rules

Medicaid Long-Term Care in Ohio

Ohio's Medicaid program is Ohio Medicaid. For nursing home Medicaid, the state lists an income limit of The SIL is equal to three hundred per cent of the current supplemental security income (SSI) benefit payment rate for an individual and an asset limit of For an individual, the resource limit is two thousand dollars.. Residents keep a personal needs allowance of In the case of a resident of a nursing facility, the monthly personal needs allowance shall be not less than fifty dollars for an individual resident.

• PASSPORT: in-home care, adult day and respite. Helps Medicaid-eligible older Ohioans get long-term services and supports to stay in their homes or other community settings rather than enter nursing homes. Starts with a pre-admission screening by phone; contact your PASSPORT Administrative Agency.
• Assisted Living Waiver Program: assisted living and memory care. Eligible participants are age 21 or older, need hands-on assistance with dressing, bathing, toileting, grooming, eating and/or mobility, meet Medicaid financial criteria, and are able to pay the state established monthly room and board payment, which is the current SSI federal rate minus $50. Memory Care Service adds increased staffing to resident ratios, dementia care training for all staff, and at least three therapeutic, social, or recreational activities per day.

• Ohio Medicaid nursing facility coverage
• Ohio Medicaid long-term care limits

Nursing Home Inspections and Complaints in Ohio

Ohio Department of Health, Bureau of Survey and Certification inspects nursing homes in Ohio for CMS. To file a complaint, call 1-800-342-0553 or use the state's complaint page.

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

Ohio Long-Term Care Ombudsman

The Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman is a free, confidential advocate for residents of nursing homes and assisted living. Ombudsmen help with complaints, residents' rights and problems with care. Call 1-800-282-1206.

• Contact the Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman

Aging Services and Caregiver Support in Ohio

Ohio Department of Aging runs Ohio's aging services, delivered through local Area Agencies on Aging. Family caregivers can get help through National Family Caregiver Support Program. Adult day services are overseen by Ohio Department of Aging (provider certification for adult day service).

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