More than 57,000 Granite State caregivers support loved ones with dementia, providing tens of millions of hours of unpaid care.

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

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

New Hampshire Dementia Caregiving, by the Numbers

Tens of thousands of New Hampshire residents are living with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. More than 57,000 Granite State family caregivers provided an estimated 66 million hours of unpaid care, often enabling their loved ones to remain in the community rather than move into more costly residential long-term care.

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.

Where to Start

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

1
Step 1

Call the Alzheimer's Association 24/7 Helpline at 1-800-272-3900

Staffed around the clock, it offers confidential emotional support, crisis assistance, dementia-specific guidance, and referrals to local New Hampshire programs in more than 200 languages. There is no cost and no eligibility test.

2
Step 2

Contact your local Area Agency on Aging

New Hampshire's Area Agencies on Aging help you understand what Medicare and Medicaid cover, connect you to respite, and provide caregiver counseling and training. Reach the statewide Aging and Disability Resource Center line at 1-866-634-9412.

New Hampshire's Dementia Support Infrastructure

New Hampshire's Aging and Disability Resource Centers, formerly known as ServiceLink, are reachable at 1-866-634-9412 for application assistance and connect families to the Family Caregiver Support Program for information, counseling, education, and respite. The Alzheimer's Association serves New Hampshire through its Massachusetts/New Hampshire chapter with support groups, education, and care consultations.

Who Pays for Dementia Care in New Hampshire

New Hampshire Medicaid (Choices for Independence Waiver)

For New Hampshire residents who qualify, the Medicaid Choices for Independence (CFI) waiver is a statewide nursing-home diversion program for seniors and adults with disabilities. Its services include adult day care, home and vehicle modifications, personal care, skilled nursing, personal emergency response systems, and respite care.

Qualifying for CFI has two tests, a functional one and a financial one. Functionally, your loved one must need a nursing-home level of care, which the state confirms through an assessment. Financially, New Hampshire Medicaid applies income and asset limits and a 60-month (five-year) look-back on asset transfers, so early planning matters if your loved one is over those limits.

Here is how to start a Choices for Independence application in New Hampshire:

1
Step 1

Call the Aging and Disability Resource Center at 1-866-634-9412

Ask for a Choices for Independence functional eligibility assessment and application help.

2
Step 2

Complete the functional assessment

A state assessor confirms whether your loved one needs a nursing-home level of care, which is the gate for CFI services.

3
Step 3

Meet the financial test

New Hampshire Medicaid reviews income and assets and applies a 60-month look-back on transfers; if your loved one is over the limit, ask about a spend-down and read Medicaid Planning Strategies.

4
Step 4

Enroll and choose services

Once eligible, you can build a care plan that includes personal care, adult day, and respite; because CFI has limited capacity, ask the ADRC whether a waitlist currently applies.

The New Hampshire Family Caregiver Support Program, run by the Bureau of Adult and Aging Services and coordinated through the Aging and Disability Resource Centers, provides information, counseling, education, and respite to family caregivers, including those caring for people diagnosed with Alzheimer's and dementia.

Getting Paid to Care for a Loved One With Dementia

Many New Hampshire dementia caregivers can be paid for the care they provide, through Medicaid self-direction or, for veterans' families, VA programs. The pathways, who can be hired, and the pay are covered in the New Hampshire paid family caregiver guide.

VA Benefits (for Veterans)

If the person you care for is a veteran, two VA programs can help pay for dementia care. The Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) pays a tax-free monthly stipend to a primary family caregiver, who can be the veteran's spouse, when the veteran is enrolled in VA health care and needs in-person personal care because of a serious service-connected condition. The VA pension benefit Aid and Attendance (A&A) adds a monthly amount to a wartime veteran's or surviving spouse's pension to help pay for care. In New Hampshire, VA caregiver programs are handled through the Manchester VA Medical Center; call the VA Caregiver Support Line at 1-855-260-3274 to start.

Medicare

Medicare covers dementia-related doctor visits, a cognitive assessment, and limited short-term skilled home health and hospice, but it does not pay for long-term custodial care or a family caregiver's time. The CMS GUIDE Model, where available, adds dementia care navigation and some caregiver respite for people with traditional Medicare. To find a participating provider, search the CMS GUIDE Model participant list or ask the Alzheimer's Association helpline whether a GUIDE provider operates near you.

Respite for Dementia Caregivers

Respite is what makes the long haul survivable. In New Hampshire, respite comes from Medicaid for eligible members, the National Family Caregiver Support Program through your Area Agency on Aging (free, with no income test for respite), and adult day programs. For the full picture, see Respite Care in New Hampshire.

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.

Safety, Behavior, and Planning

Dementia raises issues other caregiving does not: wandering, driving, sundowning, and the legal and financial planning that needs to happen while your loved one can still participate. The Alzheimer's Association 24/7 Helpline (1-800-272-3900) can walk you through behavioral strategies and connect you to local resources. Early legal planning, a durable power of attorney, advance directives, and a long-term-care plan, is far easier done sooner than later.

Where to Get Dementia Care Help in New Hampshire

Alzheimer's Association 24/7 Helpline Free, confidential dementia guidance, crisis support, and local New Hampshire referrals in more than 200 languages. 1-800-272-3900 www.alz.org
New Hampshire Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRC) Application help for New Hampshire Medicaid and the Choices for Independence waiver, plus caregiver counseling and respite. 1-866-634-9412 www.dhhs.nh.gov/programs-services/adult-aging-care/aging-and-disability-resource-centers
VA Caregiver Support Line Guidance on the PCAFC stipend and other VA benefits for family caregivers of veterans. 1-855-260-3274 www.caregiver.va.gov

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I start as a new dementia caregiver in New Hampshire?

Call the Alzheimer's Association 24/7 Helpline at 1-800-272-3900 for free confidential guidance and local referrals, and contact your local Area Agency on Aging to learn what Medicare and Medicaid cover and to access respite.

Does New Hampshire Medicaid pay for dementia care?

Yes, for those who qualify. The Choices for Independence waiver funds in-home dementia care, adult day, and respite, and the New Hampshire Family Caregiver Support Program adds counseling, education, and respite for dementia caregivers. Reach the Aging and Disability Resource Center at 1-866-634-9412 and ask for a Choices for Independence functional eligibility assessment.

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

Often, yes, through New Hampshire Medicaid self-direction or, for veterans' families, VA programs. The specifics are in the New Hampshire paid family caregiver guide.

Is there free help for dementia caregivers in New Hampshire?

Yes. The Alzheimer's Association 24/7 Helpline is free, and the National Family Caregiver Support Program provides free respite, counseling, and training through New Hampshire's Area Agencies on Aging, with no income test for respite.

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 New HampshireGet paid to care for a loved one in New Hampshire through Medicaid's Gateway self-directed option, VA PCAFC, or a personal services contract. CaregiverRespite Care in New HampshireWhere funded respite care in New Hampshire comes from in 2026: Choices for Independence waiver respite, free NFCSP grants, adult day cost, and VA options. CaregiverCaregiver Programs in New Hampshire: A Complete DirectoryEvery caregiver program in New Hampshire: Medicaid paid caregiver pathways, free NFCSP respite, VA benefits, and how caregiver pay is taxed in 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 New Hampshire 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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Expert eldercare guidance from Brevy's team of healthcare professionals and researchers.