Dementia care in Kansas falls largely to family, and you do not have to carry it alone or pay for all of it yourself. The Alzheimer's Association counts about 55,000 Kansans age 65 and older living with Alzheimer's as of 2020.

Dementia caregiving is its own kind of hard: the long arc, the behavioral changes, the safety worries, the grief that starts before any loss. This guide maps the Kansas-specific help available in 2026, from the free 24/7 helpline to the Medicaid Frail Elderly waiver and respite to the programs that can pay you for the care you already provide.

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

In This Guide

Kansas Dementia Caregiving, by the Numbers

The Alzheimer's Association counts about 55,000 Kansans age 65 and older living with Alzheimer's disease as of 2020. About 141,000 Kansas caregivers provide 172 million hours of unpaid care, valued at $3.4 billion.

If the work feels overwhelming, that is not a personal failing. It is the reality of a condition that asks a great deal of the people around it.

Where to Start With Dementia Care in Kansas

When a diagnosis lands, or when caregiving starts to outpace what you can manage alone, two contacts open most doors in Kansas:

  1. The Alzheimer's Association 24/7 Helpline: 1-800-272-3900. This free service is available around the clock, 365 days a year, to people living with dementia, caregivers, families, and the public. You can speak confidentially with master's-level care consultants for decision-making support, crisis assistance, and education on issues families face every day; find out about local programs and services; and get general information about legal, financial, and care decisions. Help is available in more than 200 languages through bilingual staff or an interpreter service. Two limits are worth knowing: care consultants are mandated reporters, so if abuse or neglect is reported to them they are required by law to report it to state authorities, and staff do not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
  2. The Kansas Aging and Disability Resource Center: 1-855-200-2372. The ADRC connects older adults and people with disabilities to information, referrals, and options counseling, and it is where you start an application for the Frail Elderly waiver. KDADS lists the Area Agency on Aging separately, at 1-866-457-2364, for in-home and other community services, including programs to assist caregivers of older adults. The federal Eldercare Locator (1-800-677-1116) also connects you to services for older adults and their families.

Who to Call in Kansas

The Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) publishes a list of numbers for dementia caregivers.

  • Alzheimer's Association 24/7 Helpline: 1-800-272-3900
  • Kansas Aging and Disability Resource Center: 1-855-200-2372, for information, referrals, and options counseling
  • Area Agency on Aging: 1-866-457-2364, for in-home and community services, including programs to assist caregivers of older adults
  • KU Alzheimer's Disease Research Center: 1-913-588-0555, for concerns about memory changes, a dementia diagnosis, or how best to care for a family member with Alzheimer's, as well as caregiver support
  • VA Caregiver Support Program: 1-855-260-3274
  • Adult Protective Services (elder abuse): 1-800-922-5330
  • Eldercare Locator: 1-800-677-1116

Kansas also has a state dementia plan: the 2020 KS Alzheimer's Disease Plan, produced by the Kansas Alzheimer's Disease Task Force that Governor Laura Kelly established by executive order in May 2019.

Keeping a Loved One With Dementia Safe

Some of the hardest moments in dementia care are the ones where you have to take something away (the car keys, the front-door latitude, the checkbook) while your loved one can still feel the loss. Wandering, driving, and legal and financial decisions are among those moments. The Alzheimer's Association 24/7 Helpline (1-800-272-3900) offers crisis assistance, education on issues families face every day, and general information about legal, financial, and care decisions. For locks, alarms, ID, and other home-safety steps, see Dementia, Wandering, and Home Safety.

Who Pays for Dementia Care in Kansas

No single payer covers everything dementia care demands. You may need to combine several sources, and which ones apply depends on income, assets, and whether the person you care for is a veteran.

Payer What it covers Who qualifies
Kansas Medicaid (Frail Elderly waiver) Personal care, household tasks, health services, as an alternative to nursing home care Kansans 65+ who meet the Medicaid nursing facility threshold score and are financially eligible for Medicaid
Getting paid to care Pays a family member for personal care Frail Elderly waiver: a family caregiver within what the MCO's needs assessment authorizes (KDADS's FE page bars paying a spouse, while the approved waiver allows it when the assessment finds extraordinary care is required); veterans' families: PCAFC's Primary Family Caregiver
VA (PCAFC & Aid and Attendance) Monthly caregiver stipend, which VA has described as nontaxable; an increased monthly pension (A&A) Veterans who meet all of PCAFC's conditions, not just one (PCAFC), or who get a VA pension and meet at least one of VA's listed needs (A&A)
Medicare A cognitive assessment and care plan visit; part-time skilled home health for a homebound patient; hospice for someone certified as terminally ill; GUIDE Model services where a participating provider operates People with Medicare (GUIDE has its own alignment and residence rules, below); not long-term custodial care

Kansas Medicaid (Frail Elderly Waiver)

For Kansans 65 and older who qualify, the KanCare Frail Elderly (FE) waiver provides an alternative to nursing-home care, including personal care, household tasks, and health services. To be eligible, an applicant must meet three criteria: be 65 or older, meet the Medicaid nursing facility threshold score, and be financially eligible for Medicaid. To apply, contact your Aging and Disability Resource Center at 1-855-200-2372; the ADRC provides options counseling and refers you to the Assessing Entity for an FE Functional Eligibility Assessment, which determines functional eligibility. KDADS does not decide the money side: Medicaid financial eligibility, client obligation, and spend-down are handled by the KanCare Clearinghouse, under the rules in KEESM, the Medicaid eligibility manual published by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE). Qualifying also depends on services being available, and the manual provides for applicants placed on a waiting list for home and community-based services. A dementia diagnosis alone does not waive the financial test; for the current Kansas income and asset thresholds and how a spouse's income and assets are treated, see Kansas Medicaid income and asset limits and Kansas Medicaid and nursing home care. While an application is pending, the National Family Caregiver Support Program, provided through area agencies on aging, offers information, counseling, support groups, and caregiver training, and respite care if the person you care for meets the federal "frail" test described below.

Getting Paid to Care for a Loved One With Dementia

Kansas's Frail Elderly waiver can pay family caregivers for personal care services, limited to the scope, duration, and amount the managed care organization's needs assessment determines. Whether a spouse can be paid is where KDADS's FE program page and the approved waiver differ: the page says the paid family member cannot be a spouse, while the waiver allows paying a spouse when the needs assessment finds extraordinary care is required, so raise it with the MCO. The person-centered service plan must also state that the relative is the best available appropriate worker. Being the person's legal representative is its own limit: the FE page says the paid family member cannot be a guardian or conservator or someone acting under an activated durable power of attorney, while the waiver allows it only once the conflict of interest is mitigated (for a court-appointed guardian, a probate court finding under K.S.A. 59-3068; for an activated power of attorney, appointment of a Designated Representative to direct the person's care). For veterans' families, PCAFC (below) pays an approved Primary Family Caregiver. The pathways, who can be hired, and the pay are covered in the Kansas paid family caregiver guide.

VA Benefits (for Veterans)

If the person you care for is a veteran, two VA programs can help. The Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) pays an approved Primary Family Caregiver a monthly stipend, which VA has described as a nontaxable benefit, and a spouse can serve as that caregiver. The stipend is paid only once the caregiver signs up for direct deposit through the VA customer engagement portal. PCAFC also provides caregiver education and training, mental health counseling, and at least 30 days of respite care a year. The stipend is not a flat national figure: it starts from the federal Office of Personnel Management General Schedule (GS) grade 4, step 1, annual pay rate for the veteran's local area, divided by 12, and that monthly base is then multiplied by a factor set in 38 CFR 71.40(c)(4)(i). Which factor applies depends on how the veteran qualifies. Under the current program the factor is 0.625, or 1.00 if VA determines the veteran is unable to self-sustain in the community. For a legacy participant or legacy applicant, meaning a household already in PCAFC or already applied before the program's October 1, 2020 expansion, the factor comes instead from the sum of the veteran's 2019 clinical ratings: 1.00 if that sum is 21 or higher, 0.625 if it is 13 to 20, and 0.25 if it is 1 to 12, with no self-sustain determination required on that route. A veteran who meets both sets of criteria is paid at whichever factor is higher, and a legacy participant's stipend cannot fall below what the caregiver was eligible for the day before October 1, 2020, for as long as the veteran remains at the address VA has on record. The legacy schedule lapses October 1, 2028. Because the base rate is tied to the veteran's locality, the dollar amount varies by where the veteran lives; the Kansas paid family caregiver guide walks through the calculation. Separately, Aid and Attendance (A&A) is an increased monthly pension: VA says veterans and survivors may be eligible for these payments, added to a monthly VA pension, if they get a VA pension and meet at least one of VA's listed needs, such as needing another person's help with daily activities like bathing, feeding, and dressing. The Veterans Pension itself is for wartime veterans who meet age-or-disability requirements and have income and net worth within VA's limits. Call the VA Caregiver Support Program at 1-855-260-3274.

PCAFC eligibility: VA publishes four conditions, and they are the first screen rather than the decision. The veteran must meet all four:

  • A VA disability rating, individual or combined, of 70% or higher.
  • Discharge from the U.S. military, or a date of medical discharge.
  • A need for at least 6 months of continuous, in-person personal care services.
  • Enrollment in VA health care.

Meeting those four is necessary, not sufficient. The binding test is 38 CFR 71.20(a), which states seven requirements and requires every one of them. Four of the seven have no counterpart in the four above, and VA assesses them during the application process:

  • Participating in the program is in the veteran's best interest.
  • The personal care services the family caregiver would provide are not simultaneously and regularly provided by or through another individual or entity.
  • The veteran receives care at home, or will do so if VA designates a family caregiver.
  • The veteran receives ongoing care from a primary care team, or will do so if VA designates a family caregiver.

The no-other-provider condition is the one most likely to surprise a family, because a household already receiving regular personal care through another program or entity can fail PCAFC on that ground alone.

Medicare

Under Medicare Part B, if a routine or yearly "Wellness" visit turns up signs of cognitive impairment, Medicare covers a separate visit to fully assess cognitive function and build a written care plan, a service that can help diagnose dementia, including Alzheimer's disease. After the Part B deductible, you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount. Medicare also covers part-time or intermittent skilled home health care for a homebound patient, and hospice care when a hospice doctor and the person's regular doctor certify a terminal illness with a life expectancy of 6 months or less and the person accepts comfort care instead of care to cure the illness. But Medicare does not pay for long-term custodial care (ongoing, non-medical help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and using the bathroom, when that is the only care a person needs); families typically cover that out of pocket, through Medicaid if eligible, or with long-term-care insurance. Where it operates, the GUIDE Model, a voluntary nationwide CMS model that began July 1, 2024, provides care navigation, a 24/7 support line, caregiver training, and respite services. It serves only patients aligned to a participating provider: the person must have dementia confirmed by a participant's clinician, be enrolled in both Medicare Part A and Part B with Medicare as primary payer, not be in Medicare Advantage or another Medicare health plan, not be in hospice, and not be a long-term nursing home resident, and must live in a private residence or a residential care community CMS has approved as a partner (not a memory care unit). GUIDE respite is narrower still: up to $2,625 per eligible patient for the performance year that began July 1, 2026, paid by CMS to the participating provider rather than the family, and only for patients with moderate or severe dementia whose primary caregiver is a relative or an unpaid nonrelative and who do not live in assisted living or another residential care community. Not every provider participates, so the person needs a Medicare provider enrolled in the model. Ask your loved one's doctor whether they, or a provider nearby, take part in GUIDE.

Respite for Dementia Caregivers

Respite is what makes the long haul survivable. Kansas delivers caregiver support and respite through the federally funded National Family Caregiver Support Program, whose eligible caregivers include family members caring for someone 60 or older and those caring for a person of any age with Alzheimer's disease or a related disorder. Its services are provided by an area agency on aging or an entity the agency contracts with. Respite carries one condition the program's information, counseling, support-group, and training services do not: the person you care for must be an older individual who is "frail" under federal law, meaning unable to perform at least two activities of daily living without substantial human assistance, or, because of a cognitive or other mental impairment, in need of substantial supervision because their behavior poses a serious health or safety hazard. For the full picture, see Respite Care in Kansas.

To find respite and other caregiver programs near you, call the Area Agency on Aging at 1-866-457-2364.

Caring for a loved one with dementia in Kansas? Chat with Brevy's care navigator for a personalized plan covering respite, paid-caregiver options, and the Kansas programs that fit your situation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I start as a new dementia caregiver in Kansas?

Call the Alzheimer's Association 24/7 Helpline at 1-800-272-3900, a free service for crisis assistance, decision-making support, and information about local programs and services, and call the Kansas Aging and Disability Resource Center at 1-855-200-2372 for information, referrals, and options counseling.

Does Kansas Medicaid pay for dementia care?

Yes, for those who qualify. The Frail Elderly waiver offers personal care, household tasks, and health services as an alternative to nursing home care for Kansans 65 and older who meet the Medicaid nursing facility threshold score and are financially eligible for Medicaid. To apply, contact the Aging and Disability Resource Center at 1-855-200-2372. Coverage also depends on services being available, and Kansas's Medicaid eligibility manual provides for applicants placed on a waiting list.

What are the income and asset limits for long-term-care Medicaid in Kansas?

Long-term-care Medicaid (including the Frail Elderly waiver) has both a financial test and a functional (nursing-home level of care) test; a dementia diagnosis by itself does not qualify a person financially. Under KEESM, the Kansas Medicaid eligibility manual, countable income must be at or below 300% of the SSI standard for one person. That works out to $2,982 a month in 2026 (three times the $994 SSI federal benefit rate); KDHE publishes the exact amount in its Kansas Medical Assistance Standards. Income above that line is not automatically disqualifying: the person's eligibility is decided under the Medically Needy program, and they can get home and community-based services only if their monthly client obligation (income paid toward the cost of care) does not exceed what those services cost. Nonexempt resources are limited to $2,000 for one person. The home is exempt regardless of value, but home equity above Kansas's Substantial Home Equity limit bars long-term-care coverage unless a spouse, a child under 21, or a blind or disabled child lives there. The KanCare Clearinghouse, not KDADS, handles financial eligibility, client obligation, and spend-down. Our Kansas Medicaid income and asset limits guide covers the current thresholds and how a married couple's income and assets are treated.

Can I get paid to care for a family member with dementia in Kansas?

Possibly. Kansas's Frail Elderly waiver can pay family caregivers for personal care services, within what the managed care organization's needs assessment authorizes. Paying a spouse is unsettled (KDADS's FE page says no, while the approved waiver allows it when the needs assessment finds extraordinary care is required), and a guardian or someone acting under an activated power of attorney faces the same split, with the waiver allowing pay only once the conflict of interest is mitigated. For a veteran who meets all of PCAFC's conditions, including a VA disability rating of 70% or higher, VA's PCAFC pays an approved Primary Family Caregiver a monthly stipend. The specifics are in the Kansas paid family caregiver guide.

Is there free help for dementia caregivers in Kansas?

Yes. The Alzheimer's Association 24/7 Helpline is a free service. The National Family Caregiver Support Program, provided through area agencies on aging, offers counseling, support groups, and caregiver training, plus respite care when the person you care for is an older adult who meets the federal "frail" test. Ask the Area Agency on Aging (1-866-457-2364) whether any cost applies.

Learn More

CaregiverDementia Care Resources by StateMedicaid waivers, respite, adult day, and Alzheimer's support for dementia caregivers vary by state. See how they differ and open a full guide for your state. CaregiverUnderstanding the Stages of Dementia: What to ExpectA caregiver's guide to the stages of dementia: mild, moderate, and severe, what changes at each stage, the signs of each transition, and how to plan ahead. CaregiverManaging Dementia Behaviors: Agitation, Aggression, and SundowningDementia behaviors like agitation, sundowning, and hallucinations happen for a reason. Learn to find the trigger, calm the moment, and when to call the doctor. CaregiverCommunicating With Someone Who Has DementiaHow to communicate with a loved one who has dementia: why it changes, what to say and what to avoid, how to adapt by stage, and how to connect when words fail. CaregiverDaily Care for Someone With Dementia: Bathing, Dressing, and EatingPractical daily dementia care: bathing, dressing, eating, swallowing, and incontinence, with NIA-backed tactics, adaptive equipment, and refusal tips. CaregiverDementia, Wandering, and Home SafetyDementia wandering safety for caregivers: why it happens, prevention at home, IDs and GPS, safe-return programs, and what to do if a loved one goes missing. CaregiverLate-Stage and End-of-Life Dementia CareLate-stage dementia care explained: comfort and pain, the Medicare hospice benefit, feeding decisions, advance directives, and the signs death is near. CaregiverHow to Get Paid as a Family Caregiver in KansasHow to get paid to care for a family member in Kansas in 2026: HCBS waiver self-direction, who can be hired, the spouse and co-resident rules, and VA options. CaregiverRespite Care in KansasRespite care in Kansas for 2026: NFCSP caregiver services through 11 Area Agencies on Aging, Medicaid waivers that can pay a family member, and VA options. CaregiverCaregiver Programs in Kansas: A Complete DirectoryEvery caregiver program in Kansas: HCBS waiver self-direction, who can be paid, respite, NFCSP grants, VA benefits, and taxes explained for 2026. CaregiverCaregiver Burnout: Signs, Stages, and How to Get SupportHow to recognize caregiver burnout, why it happens, and what actually helps, from respite care to evidence-based programs like REACH II and Powerful Tools. MedicaidMedicaid Planning StrategiesSee which assets you keep, how the 5-year look-back works, and the legal moves that qualify you for Medicaid long-term care without losing the house.

Find personalized help caring for a loved one with dementia in Kansas at brevy.com.

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.

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