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8 min read 6 stepsMay 8, 2026Verified May 2026

How to Find a VA-Approved Nursing Home

Step-by-step plain-English guide for senior veterans and families searching for a nursing home covered by VA long-term care benefits.

At a Glance

Confirm the Veteran's VA Long-Term Care Eligibility

~49s

Call the VA at 1-877-222-8387, which is the VA Health Benefits hotline, and ask whether the veteran is currently enrolled and eligible for long-term care. Have the veteran's full name, date of birth, and Social Security number ready. The agent will check the veteran's service-connection rating, current VA enrollment, and any prior long-term care authorizations. If the veteran is not yet enrolled in VA health care, you will need to enroll first using VA Form 10-10EZ, available at va.gov or by phone. You can also visit the closest VA Medical Center social work office in person. Social workers there assess long-term care needs and start the paperwork that the VA uses to approve nursing home placement. The clinical assessment is free.

Quick Tip

A VA social worker is often the fastest route to nursing home approval. Ask the veteran's primary care doctor to make a referral to the social work department at the nearest VA Medical Center.

Search the VA Community Living Center Directory

~54s

Open your web browser and type va.gov/health-care/about-va-health-benefits/long-term-care/ in the address bar at the top, then press Enter. Look for the link labeled "Find a VA location" and click it. Filter by "Community Living Center" to see all VA-run nursing homes within driving distance. Each listing shows the address, phone number, current bed availability if posted, and a link to the home's specific services. Call the social work office at any home that interests you to ask about wait times. Many Community Living Centers have specialized units for dementia care, hospice, or rehabilitation after surgery. Ask which units are open. The five-star rating system used for general nursing homes does not apply directly to VA Community Living Centers. Instead, the VA uses internal quality reports that you can request from the facility administrator.

Warning

Some Community Living Centers have wait lists that run six months or longer. Start the application even if you do not need a bed right away, because the wait list is the only way to get approved when a bed opens.

Look Up Your State Veterans Home

~50s

Every state operates at least one State Veterans Home that receives federal VA per-diem payments. To find yours, open va.gov in the browser and search for "state veterans homes" or go directly to nasvh.org, the website of the National Association of State Veterans Homes. The directory there lists every state home with current address, phone, and quality data. State homes vary in admission rules: some accept any honorably discharged veteran with enough service, while others require service-connected disability or state residency. Call the home directly and ask: what are the admission requirements, what is the wait time, what does VA per-diem cover, and what costs would the veteran owe out of pocket. State homes are usually less expensive than private nursing homes for veterans who do not have a 70 percent or higher service-connected rating.

Quick Tip

Some state homes have separate Alzheimer's wings, hospice care, or short-stay rehabilitation. Ask which services are offered and which require additional approvals.

Use the Medicare Care Compare Tool for Community Nursing Homes

~57s

If the veteran needs a placement outside a VA or state facility, use the federal Medicare Care Compare tool to find quality-rated nursing homes near you. Open your web browser and go to medicare.gov/care-compare. Enter your zip code and select "Nursing homes" as the provider type. The site shows a five-star overall rating, plus separate ratings for staffing, health inspections, and quality measures. Aim for homes rated four or five stars. Once you have a short list, call each home's admissions office and ask: do you contract with the VA, do you accept VA per-diem rates, what is your current bed availability, and what is your specialty. Note that not every high-quality home has a VA contract. The VA must approve and pay each placement under a community nursing home agreement, and this approval can take a few weeks.

Warning

A home that says it accepts VA payment is not the same as a home with an active VA contract. Always confirm with both the home's admissions office and your VA social worker before signing any admission paperwork.

Visit at Least Three Homes in Person

~53s

No website or rating system replaces an in-person visit. Schedule tours at three or more candidate homes. Bring a notebook with the following questions: how many residents per nurse aide during day and night shifts, what is the average length of stay, how do you handle behavioral issues for dementia residents, what activities are offered each day, and how do families participate in care planning. Visit at meal time if possible to see how dining is run. Check for signs of attentive care: are residents groomed and dressed, do staff greet residents by name, are call lights answered within a few minutes. Walk into a few resident rooms and the common areas. Ask to speak with a current family member if any are visiting. They often share the most honest opinions. Trust your gut as much as the formal ratings.

Quick Tip

Visit once during the week and once on a weekend or evening. Staffing and the feel of a home can differ sharply between weekdays and off-hours.

Coordinate Admission With the VA Social Worker

~55s

Once you have chosen a home, contact the VA social worker assigned to the veteran's case. The social worker handles the paperwork that authorizes VA payment, including the clinical justification, financial review, and contract with the chosen facility. If the placement is in a community nursing home, the social worker will arrange a VA contract or extend an existing one. If the placement is in a Community Living Center or State Home, the social worker confirms the transfer and shares medical records. The veteran may need to be assessed in person before admission. Expect the paperwork to take one to four weeks. Once approved, the home will give a move-in date. Pack labeled clothing, comfortable shoes, eyeglasses, hearing aids with extra batteries, family photos, and any small personal items that make the new room feel like home. Bring a current medication list to the admissions nurse on the first day.

Quick Tip

Ask the home for a list of personal items not allowed, such as certain electrical devices or fragile valuables. Each home has its own rules.

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When a senior veteran needs full-time care that families can no longer provide at home, the Department of Veterans Affairs offers three main paths to nursing home care: VA-owned Community Living Centers, state Veterans Homes run by individual states with VA funding, and community nursing homes that contract with the VA. As of May 2026, the VA pays for some or all nursing home care for veterans who meet specific eligibility rules, and more than 130,000 veterans are receiving paid long-term care under VA programs. Choosing the right nursing home is one of the biggest decisions a family can make, and the VA system has rules that differ from regular Medicare or Medicaid coverage.

First, eligibility. The VA pays for nursing home care if the veteran has a service-connected disability rated 70 percent or higher, or if the veteran requires care because of a service-connected condition regardless of rating, or if the veteran has been determined to need nursing home care based on a clinical assessment and meets financial rules. Surviving spouses are generally not eligible for VA nursing home payment unless the veteran already had a paid placement before death. Aid and Attendance pension, covered in our separate guide, can also help pay for private nursing home care for eligible veterans and surviving spouses.

The three VA paths each have strengths and weaknesses. Community Living Centers, run directly by the VA, offer the deepest integration with VA medical care but have limited beds and waiting lists in many states. State Veterans Homes, run by state governments with federal funding, often have more beds and may accept veterans whose service connection is lower than 70 percent. Quality varies widely by state and individual home. Community nursing homes give the most choice in location but require the VA to approve each individual placement and review it every six months. All three options must meet federal nursing home quality standards.

Before you begin, set aside a week or two for the search. Have ready the veteran's DD-214 discharge papers, current VA enrollment status, any recent medical records, and a list of family members willing to visit candidate homes in person. Plan to visit at least three facilities before making a decision. Bring a notebook to each visit. First impressions fade quickly. If the veteran has a VA case manager, primary care doctor, or social worker, contact them early in the process because their referral can speed approval. The whole process from first search to admission usually takes three to eight weeks for a community placement, longer for a VA Community Living Center.

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Official Resources

Medicare.gov MedlinePlus — Health Info AARP Health & Technology

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