Dementia Care in Delaware: A Caregiver's Guide (2026)

If you are caring for a parent or spouse with dementia in Delaware, two phone calls open almost every door. One is a free 24/7 helpline; the other is DSAAPD, the state agency that runs Delaware's caregiver respite and Medicaid home care. This guide gives you both numbers and the programs behind them.

Dementia care in Delaware is its own kind of hard: the long arc, the behavioral changes, the safety worries, the grief that starts before any loss. About 22,000 Delawareans age 65 and older are living with Alzheimer's, and family members provide most of their day-to-day care.1 Below is the Delaware-specific help available in 2026, from Medicaid in-home care to the programs that can pay you for the care you already give.

You do not have to navigate this alone, and you do not have to fund all of it from your savings.

Where to Start With Dementia Care in Delaware

When a diagnosis lands, or when caregiving starts to outpace what you can manage alone, these three contacts open most doors in Delaware. Make the calls first; everything else can wait until you have caught your breath.

Delaware Dementia Caregiving, by the Numbers

About 22,000 Delaware residents age 65 and older are living with Alzheimer's disease, cared for by about 37,000 family and other unpaid caregivers who provide most of their day-to-day care.1

If the work feels overwhelming, that is not a personal failing. It is the reality of a condition that demands more, for longer, than almost any other.

Who Pays for Dementia Care in Delaware

Delaware dementia families draw on four separate payers, each with its own rules: Delaware Medicaid, the VA (for veterans), Medicare, and out-of-pocket. The art is stacking them.

Delaware Medicaid (Diamond State Health Plan Plus)

For Delawareans who qualify, Diamond State Health Plan Plus (DSHP-Plus) is the state's managed-care Medicaid program for long-term care. It covers home and community-based services that delay nursing-home admission: adult day care, home-delivered meals, personal care, personal emergency response systems, and respite care. It is administered by the Division of Medicaid and Medical Assistance and the Division of Services for Aging and Adults with Physical Disabilities (DSAAPD). People with dementia may qualify if they meet a nursing-facility level of care.3

To start, call DSAAPD at 1-800-223-9074 and ask for a long-term-care level-of-care assessment; a case manager screens for both the clinical need and Delaware Medicaid's financial limits, then helps set up covered services.

Getting Paid to Care for a Loved One With Dementia

Many Delaware dementia caregivers can be paid for the care they provide, through Delaware Medicaid self-direction or, for veterans' families, VA programs. DSHP-Plus includes self-directed options that let an eligible member hire and pay a caregiver, sometimes a family member. The pathways, who can be hired, and the pay are covered in the Delaware paid family caregiver guide.

VA Benefits (for Veterans)

If the person you care for is a veteran enrolled in VA health care, two VA pathways can help pay for dementia care.

The Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) pays a tax-free monthly stipend to the veteran's approved Primary Family Caregiver, who can be a spouse, adult child, or other family member. PCAFC serves veterans with a VA disability rating of 70% or higher who need at least six months of continuous, in-person personal care. The stipend is not a flat national figure: it is calculated from the federal pay scale (OPM GS-4, step 1) for the area where the veteran lives, so the dollar amount varies by locality. PCAFC also provides caregiver training, counseling, and at least 30 days of respite care a year.4

Separately, VA Aid and Attendance adds money to a VA pension for wartime veterans and surviving spouses who need help with daily activities, a common need in dementia care. For 2026 (effective Dec 1, 2025 through Nov 30, 2026), the Maximum Annual Pension Rate with Aid and Attendance is $29,093/year ($2,424/month) for a single veteran, $34,488/year ($2,874/month) for a veteran with one dependent, and $18,697/year for a surviving spouse; the benefit is income- and net-worth-tested (2026 net-worth limit $163,699).5 Call the VA Caregiver Support Line at 1-855-260-3274 to start.

Medicare

Medicare covers dementia-related doctor visits and, when a patient shows signs of cognitive impairment, a separate cognitive assessment and care-plan visit (billed as CPT 99483); after the Part B deductible, the patient pays 20% of the approved amount. It also covers part-time skilled home health and hospice when a person qualifies. Medicare does not pay for long-term custodial care (ongoing non-medical help with bathing, dressing, and toileting) or for a family caregiver's time. The GUIDE Model, where a participating provider operates near you, adds dementia care navigation, a 24/7 support line, caregiver training, and up to $2,500 a year in respite for traditional-Medicare beneficiaries; ask your neurologist or the Alzheimer's Association helpline whether a GUIDE provider is available.6

Respite for Dementia Caregivers

Respite is what makes the long haul survivable. In Delaware, respite comes from three main channels: Delaware Medicaid (DSHP-Plus) for eligible members, DSAAPD's Family Caregiver Support Program, and the National Family Caregiver Support Program (free, no income test), reachable through the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116.2 For the full picture, see Respite Care in Delaware.

A few days a week at a dementia-capable adult day program often does double duty: it gives you reliable hours back, and the structure, activity, and social contact frequently improve sleep, mood, and behavior for the person with dementia.

Managing Safety, Behavior, and Legal Planning

Dementia raises issues other caregiving does not, and most of them are easier to handle before a crisis forces the question.

• Wandering. Roughly six in ten people with dementia will wander at some point. Keep a recent photo and a list of the places your loved one gravitates to, ask local first responders about any registry option, and consider door alarms or a GPS locator. The Alzheimer's Association 24/7 Helpline (1-800-272-3900) can walk you through a wandering-safety plan.2
• Driving. Deciding when to stop driving is one of the hardest conversations. Ask the diagnosing physician to make the recommendation in writing; it takes the decision off your shoulders and gives you something concrete to point to.
• Legal documents, signed early. A durable power of attorney, an advance directive (living will and healthcare proxy), and a long-term-care plan are far easier to put in place while your loved one can still participate. Once dementia advances, capacity to sign is contestable, and families can end up in a court-supervised guardianship instead. See Advance Directives: A Caregiver's Guide for the documents and how to get them.

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The information on Brevy.com is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional legal, financial, or medical advice. Rules vary by state and program and change frequently. Always verify with the relevant agency or a qualified professional. Brevy is not a law firm, financial advisor, or healthcare provider.