Senior Veteran Resource Center › Choosing Where to Live › Long-Term Care Options and Costs for Veterans
Planning for long-term care is one of the most important conversations a family can have, and one of the easiest to put off. Knowing your options and how to pay for them before you need care gives you more choices and less stress. Veterans have additional benefits that many families never hear about. Here's an overview for the Portland and Vancouver area.
8 Long-Term Care Options
Care ranges from a little help at home to full time nursing. Many people move through more than one over time.
In Home Care
Caregivers come to you for help with daily tasks, from a few hours a week to around the clock.
Adult Day Programs
Daytime care, activities, and meals, giving family caregivers a break.
Adult Foster and Family Homes
Care in a licensed private home with a small number of residents, common in Oregon and Washington.
Assisted Living
Private apartments with meals, help with daily activities, and staff on site.
Memory Care
Secure settings designed for people living with dementia or Alzheimer's disease.
Nursing Facilities
Round the clock skilled nursing for people with significant medical needs.
Continuing Care Communities
Independent living, assisted living, and nursing care on one campus, usually with an entry fee.
State Veterans Homes
Oregon operates veterans homes in The Dalles and Lebanon. Washington operates homes in Orting, Port Orchard, Spokane, and Walla Walla.
6 Ways to Pay for Long-Term Care
VA Health Care and Long-Term Care Programs
Veterans enrolled in VA health care may qualify for VA long-term care services, including in home care, adult day health care, respite care, and VA Community Living Centers. Eligibility depends on service connection, disability rating, income, and care needs.
VA Pension With Aid and Attendance
Wartime veterans and surviving spouses with limited income and assets who need help with daily activities may qualify for a VA pension with an Aid and Attendance or Housebound increase. It can help pay for in home care, assisted living, or nursing care.
State Veterans Homes
Oregon and Washington each operate veterans homes that provide skilled nursing and, in some locations, memory care. Costs are typically lower than private facilities, and VA per diem payments help.
Medicare and Medicaid
Medicare covers short term skilled nursing and rehab after a qualifying hospital stay, but not ongoing custodial care. Medicaid, through Oregon's long-term services program or Washington Apple Health, can pay for long-term care for people who meet income and asset limits.
Long-Term Care Insurance and WA Cares
Private long-term care insurance can help pay for care if purchased in advance. In Washington, the WA Cares Fund began paying benefits in July 2026 to eligible workers who contributed, with a lifetime benefit of up to $36,500, adjusted for inflation.
Using Your Home's Equity
Many families pay for care by selling the home, renting it out, or using a reverse mortgage to access equity while staying put. Each choice affects taxes, benefits, and what's left for heirs.
The bottom line: The best time to plan for long-term care is before you need it. Learn your options, look into VA benefits, check Medicare, Medicaid, and insurance, and think about how your home fits the plan. As a Seniors Real Estate Specialist and fellow veteran, I'm glad to help your family think through the real estate side.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the VA pay for long-term care?
It can. Depending on eligibility, the VA provides long-term care services including in home care, adult day health care, Community Living Centers, and support for State Veterans Homes. Wartime veterans with limited income may also qualify for a pension with Aid and Attendance.
What is VA Aid and Attendance?
It's an increase to the VA pension for wartime veterans and surviving spouses who need help with daily activities like bathing or dressing. It can help pay for in home care, assisted living, or nursing care.
Where are the state veterans homes near Portland?
Oregon operates veterans homes in The Dalles and Lebanon. Washington operates homes in Orting, Port Orchard, Spokane, and Walla Walla.
Does Medicare cover assisted living or long-term care?
Generally no. Medicare covers short term skilled nursing and rehab after a qualifying hospital stay, but not ongoing custodial care or assisted living.
What is the WA Cares Fund?
It's Washington's state long-term care program. Eligible workers who contributed can access a lifetime benefit of up to $36,500, adjusted for inflation, with benefits available starting July 2026.
Can I use my home to pay for long-term care?
Yes. Families often sell, rent, or use a reverse mortgage on the home to fund care. Each option has tax and benefit implications, so talk with a financial advisor or elder law attorney.
Search Homes in Portland and SW Washington
Start with single level homes, or browse condos and homes near family across the Portland metro, or across the river in Vancouver, Camas, and Battle Ground. Save your favorites and I'll help you narrow them down.
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Meet Your Veteran Realtor
Troy Doty, Principal Broker
Troy Doty is a Principal Broker with Northwest Realty Source in Portland, with 25 years in real estate and over 1,000 homes sold across the Portland metro and SW Washington. As a Marine Corps veteran, Troy has a true passion for helping Portland veterans and active duty military families buy and sell homes, whether you're PCSing in, transitioning out, buying your first home, investing in a duplex, triplex, or fourplex, or right sizing later in life.
Schedule a Call or Video Meeting ➜ More About Troy ➜ Free Veteran Buyer E-BookPrefer to call or email? 503.997.4169 · troy@nwrealtysource.com
Troy Doty, Principal Broker, Northwest Realty Source. Licensed in Oregon and Washington. ABR®, MRP, and SRES® are credentials of the National Association of REALTORS® and its affiliates. CIAS™ is a designation of U.S. Realty Training. Content adapted in part from SRES® consumer resources. This page is general information, not legal, tax, or lending advice.
