In Michigan, the license families see for assisted living is "Home for the Aged (HFA) or Adult Foster Care (AFC) home", issued by the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), Bureau of Community and Health Systems. In a home for the aged, if a new resident is under a licensed health professional's care for ongoing treatments or prescription medications that need the home's help or oversight, the home must require that professional's written statement listing them, completed within 90 days before admission. A home for the aged must give 30 days' written notice before discharge for medical reasons, the welfare of the resident or other residents, or nonpayment, stating the reasons, the date and the right to complain to LARA.
Key facts
- The median monthly cost of assisted living in Michigan was $5,818 in CareScout's 2025 Cost of Care Survey, or $69,816 a year, $382 below the national median of $6,200 a month. (CareScout, 2026)
- The MI Choice Waiver pays for services for people 65 or older, or adults with disabilities, who meet Michigan's nursing facility level of care and Medicaid financial rules. (Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, 2026)
- A new resident of a home for the aged must have proof on file of a TB screening done within 12 months before admission. (Mich. Admin. Code R 325.1922, 2026)
- In a home for the aged, the service plan lists which prescribed medications the resident self-administers and which the home manages, and staff who supervise medications for residents who do not self-administer must be trained and keep a medication log. (Mich. Admin. Code R 325.1932, 2026)
- A home for the aged that advertises care for people with Alzheimer's disease or a related condition must include in its program statement the information required by state law (MCL 333.20178). (Mich. Admin. Code R 325.1901, 2026)
Michigan has no single license called assisted living. A community that calls itself assisted living may be licensed by LARA as a Home for the Aged (21 or more residents age 55 or older) or an Adult Foster Care home (up to 20 adults), or it may be exempt. The facts below are for homes for the aged.
Rules change and communities can set stricter policies. Before you sign, confirm the details with the community and the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), Bureau of Community and Health Systems. This page is general information, not legal advice.
The rules at a glance
| Medical assessment before move-in | In a home for the aged, if a new resident is under a licensed health professional's care for ongoing treatments or prescription medications that need the home's help or oversight, the home must require that professional's written statement listing them, completed within 90 days before admission. After an emergency admission, it is due within 30 days. [3] More on this |
|---|---|
| TB test | A new resident of a home for the aged must have proof on file of a TB screening done within 12 months before admission. The screening can be a skin test, a blood test, a chest x-ray, or another method the public health authority recommends. [3] More on this |
| Notice before a move-out | A home for the aged must give 30 days' written notice before discharge for medical reasons, the welfare of the resident or other residents, or nonpayment, stating the reasons, the date and the right to complain to LARA. If the home documents a substantial risk to the resident, others or property, it may discharge with at least 24 hours' notice. [3] More on this |
| Who may give medications | In a home for the aged, the service plan lists which prescribed medications the resident self-administers and which the home manages, and staff who supervise medications for residents who do not self-administer must be trained and keep a medication log. The home for the aged rules do not specifically address insulin injections. [4] More on this |
| Memory care and dementia | A home for the aged that advertises care for people with Alzheimer's disease or a related condition must include in its program statement the information required by state law (MCL 333.20178). [5] |
| Long-term care ombudsman | The Michigan Long Term Care Ombudsman Program gives free, confidential help to residents of homes for the aged and adult foster care homes, including when a resident is told to leave, and can be reached at 1-866-485-9393. [6] Official page More on this |
| Medicaid help | The MI Choice Waiver pays for services for people 65 or older, or adults with disabilities, who meet Michigan's nursing facility level of care and Medicaid financial rules. In assisted living, adult foster care or homes for the aged, its community living supports cover only help beyond what the home already provides, and not room and board. [7] Official page More on this |
What assisted living costs in Michigan
The median monthly cost of assisted living in Michigan was $5,818 in CareScout's 2025 Cost of Care Survey, or $69,816 a year, $382 below the national median of $6,200 a month. [11]
A median is the middle of the rates communities reported, so many charge more or less. Rates differ between regions and by the care a resident needs, so ask each community for its full fee list in writing. More: assisted living costs in every state, a monthly budget and the costs that aren't in the base rate.
How to check a community in Michigan
LARA's MI-SLS Health Facility License Search lists homes for the aged, both licensed and exempt from licensure, with recent inspection and complaint investigation reports. Search Michigan's records. [2]
The licensing agency: Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), Bureau of Community and Health Systems. [1] Our guide on how to read an inspection report explains what to look for.
Put Michigan's paperwork on a date
Parent Move Plan counts every task back from the move-in day, including the medical assessment and TB screening the community will ask for, so nothing lands in the last week.
Get your first 3 days freeFrequently asked questions
How much does assisted living cost in Michigan?
The median monthly cost of assisted living in Michigan was $5,818 in CareScout's 2025 Cost of Care Survey, or $69,816 a year, $382 below the national median of $6,200 a month. A median is the middle of the rates communities reported, so many charge more or less, and rates differ between regions and by the care a resident needs.
What medical assessment does Michigan require before moving into assisted living?
In a home for the aged, if a new resident is under a licensed health professional's care for ongoing treatments or prescription medications that need the home's help or oversight, the home must require that professional's written statement listing them, completed within 90 days before admission. After an emergency admission, it is due within 30 days.
Does Michigan require a TB test for assisted living?
A new resident of a home for the aged must have proof on file of a TB screening done within 12 months before admission. The screening can be a skin test, a blood test, a chest x-ray, or another method the public health authority recommends.
How much notice must an assisted living community in Michigan give before a move-out?
A home for the aged must give 30 days' written notice before discharge for medical reasons, the welfare of the resident or other residents, or nonpayment, stating the reasons, the date and the right to complain to LARA. If the home documents a substantial risk to the resident, others or property, it may discharge with at least 24 hours' notice.
Who can give medications in assisted living in Michigan?
In a home for the aged, the service plan lists which prescribed medications the resident self-administers and which the home manages, and staff who supervise medications for residents who do not self-administer must be trained and keep a medication log. The home for the aged rules do not specifically address insulin injections.
Who can help with a complaint about assisted living in Michigan?
The Michigan Long Term Care Ombudsman Program gives free, confidential help to residents of homes for the aged and adult foster care homes, including when a resident is told to leave, and can be reached at 1-866-485-9393.
Does Medicaid pay for assisted living in Michigan?
The MI Choice Waiver pays for services for people 65 or older, or adults with disabilities, who meet Michigan's nursing facility level of care and Medicaid financial rules. In assisted living, adult foster care or homes for the aged, its community living supports cover only help beyond what the home already provides, and not room and board.
Sources
- Michigan LARA: Bureau of Community and Health Systems, About the Bureau (2026) (checked October 22, 2026)
- Michigan LARA, Bureau of Community and Health Systems: Long Term Care, State Licensing of Homes for the Aged, Nursing Homes, and Hospital Long Term Care Units (2026) (checked October 22, 2026)
- Mich. Admin. Code R 325.1922, Admission and retention of residents, Homes for the Aged rules (via Michigan Administrative Rules, eff. March 19, 2026) (checked October 22, 2026)
- Mich. Admin. Code R 325.1932, Resident's medications, Homes for the Aged rules (via Michigan Administrative Rules, eff. March 19, 2026) (checked October 22, 2026)
- Mich. Admin. Code R 325.1901(r), Definitions: program statement, Homes for the Aged rules (via Michigan Administrative Rules, eff. March 19, 2026) (checked October 22, 2026)
- Michigan Long Term Care Ombudsman Program: Program brochure, English (2023) (checked October 22, 2026)
- Michigan Department of Health and Human Services: Medicaid Provider Manual, MI Choice Waiver chapter, Sections 1 and 2 and Community Living Supports (October 1, 2026) (checked October 22, 2026)
- Michigan Department of Health and Human Services: MI Choice Waiver Program (2026) (checked October 22, 2026)
- Michigan Department of Health and Human Services: Adult Community Placement (2026) (checked October 22, 2026)
- Michigan LARA, Bureau of Community and Health Systems: Adult Foster Care (2026) (checked October 22, 2026)
- CareScout: Cost of Care Survey 2025, Ranked Median Costs by State (2026) (checked October 22, 2026)