10 Best Assisted Living Facilities in Pensacola, FL

How seniors and their families pay for assisted living depends on their financial situation. Most use a mix of personal savings and public assistance.

Assisted living facilities in Pensacola must be licensed and regulated by the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration’s Bureau of Health Facility Regulation. Facilities can be licensed as either standard or specialty, depending upon the services they offer to their residents.

According to federal and state regulations, all assisted living facilities must meet these standards:

• Preserve the personal dignity of all residents
• Allow residents or their power of attorney to make their own health care decisions
• Allow residents to make complaints without punishment
• Allow residents to move rooms at their request
• Meet staff-to-resident ratios
• Give residents a healthy and safe living environment
• Communicate with families of residents at least once every 30 days

The Bureau performs routine annual inspections, and you can find all inspection results on the facility finder site. The AHCA also provides a full list of any facilities that have been noted as deficient in some areas. After you, or your relative, move to an assisted living community, you can always make a report online to share any concerns or observations with the AHCA.

The most important thing to remember is that all licensed assisted living facilities must meet or exceed set standards. From staff training and nutritional programming to compliance with Escambia County zoning requirements, each facility is mandated to take residents’ care, comfort, and concerns seriously.

Florida Department of Health contact information

Florida Department of Health

4052 Bald Cypress Way
Tallahassee, FL 32399

Phone: 850-245-4444

Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

COVID-19 regulations for Pensacola assisted living facilities

Assisted living facilities in Pensacola don’t have to follow specific COVID-19 guidelines. Nevertheless, the facilities and their residents do follow CDC guidelines to slow the spread of infectious diseases.

Florida makes it easy for anyone healthy enough to receive a free COVID-19 vaccine to register for it online. If you’re homebound and unable to leave an assisted living facility to travel to get your COVID-19 vaccine or booster, contact HomeboundVaccine@em.myflorida.com, a program that will come to people’s homes to give COVID-19 shots.

Pensacola is the most Northwestern city in the Florida Panhandle, located right on the Gulf of Mexico. Residents enjoy temperate weather year round and withstand some exposure to hurricanes.

The majority of our partner assisted living facilities in Pensacola aren’t stand-alone, traditional assisted living facilities. Instead, they’re combined communities that include other types of living arrangements. For instance, an assisted living facility in Pensacola may be connected with a memory care unit or an independent living community.

Assisted living facilities in Pensacola offer personal care services, like help with grooming, bathing, eating, and mobility. Many assisted living facilities have memory care units, which offer health care services for residents with dementia. However, you and your loved one do have options. If you specifically want skilled nursing or memory care in one building, consider one of Pensacola’s excellent nursing homes or memory care facilities.

Apartments designed for autonomy and safety

Each assisted living facility in Pensacola will offer slightly different living arrangements. In general, you can expect to find studio or one-bedroom apartments. In Pensacola, these are often private, but shared rooms are sometimes available for a lower price.

Rooms typically include a bedroom, a bathroom, and a kitchenette. All have extra-wide doorways and safety features like handrails and emergency call buttons. You can expect a staff member to be awake on the premises at any time, day or night.

Activities and social lives

Besides the care services and daily help, residents enjoy a robust social life in assisted living facilities. In Pensacola, activities tend to center around devotional activities, beach-going, and game nights.^[01] As of 2024, all of our partner communities employ an activity director who takes resident interests into account when designing activity schedules.

Cuisine with a chef-inspired flair

Even if you have a kitchenette, you may want to taste some on-site meals prepared at your assisted living community. Since assisted living facilities offer residents at least three meals per day, they tend to rotate their menu with plenty of tempting choices. You can indulge in tasty dishes in multiple ways, such as ordering room service or eating in the dining room.

The majority of assisted living facilities we partner with are happy to design meals around residents’ preferred dietary needs. For example, you can ask for low-sodium, vegetarian, or vegan meals. Ultimately, the goal is for you or your relatives to be able to leave every breakfast, lunch, and dinner feeling satisfied.

Pensacola for seniors

Pensacola has a small-town feel compared to other Floridian cities like Tampa, Orlando, or Miami. Unlike other small beach-front towns, however, Pensacola is much more cost-effective, especially for senior living.

Compared to Sarasota, which has about the same population and is also near excellent beaches, assisted living in Pensacola is about $500 less a month.^[01] You’re also less likely to experience large crowds of spring breakers and snowbirds in Pensacola. The closest mid-sized city to Pensacola is Mobile, Alabama.

Best hospitals for seniors in Pensacola

Transportation for seniors in Pensacola

Most residents get around the city or head to the waterfront by using their private vehicles, taking advantage of public transportation, or hiring rideshare companies. Since most of the assisted living facilities in Pensacola offer free or low-cost transportation, you or your loved one may be able to get automatic rides to the beach, shops, and interesting landmarks. In fact, transportation is free at 89% of our partner facilities, and 78% provide certain rides at cost.

Getting on the ECAT

Do you prefer to take advantage of public transportation whenever possible? The Escambia County Area Transit system offers the ECAT bus line. This line covers Pensacola and operates seven days a week, although not all buses run on the weekends. You’ll find that all ECAT buses are accessible. They also have bike racks. But if regular ECAT buses aren’t comfortable based on your needs, you may want to try the curb-to-curb ECAT ADA option available to those with disabilities living in the area.

Specialty Rides in Pensacola

Do you need to get to a medical appointment? Your physician may be able to give you a voucher so you can use the ECMS Foundation’s Go Seniors! Transportation Program. It’s meant only for health care visits and costs $20. You may also be able to get a ride through the free ECCT Paratransit Services program. Just be advised that you’ll need to call a day in advance to use ECCT services, and transportation availability isn’t guaranteed.

Freedom To Go is an additional private transportation service that seniors can use to get around Pensacola. Their drivers will escort you to doctor appointments, the grocery store, or even brunch with friends Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Prices often change due to gas price fluctuations.

Getting around on foot

There are some parts of Pensacola that are walkable. However, Pensacola only gets 36 out of 100 for its walkability score. The rating is based on Walk Score, which measures how walkable cities are in comparison with each other.^[06]

Things to do in Pensacola for seniors and their families

Because of its smaller-town feel and warm, clear northern shores on the Gulf of Mexico, Pensacola is an excellent place for seniors looking for their new home. Pensacola is set to become a retirement magnet because it’s also more cost-effective than other coastal cities.

It’s not surprising that you’ll find many of Pensacola’s top things to do have outdoor components. After all, the area offers a temperate climate year round. When it gets humid and hot, you can move your festivities and excursions indoors to explore the area’s museums, shops, and restaurants.

A city of surf, sand, and pristine beaches

If the idea of being close to countless white, sandy beaches appeals to you, Pensacola is your town. Some of the most popular public surfside spots are Langdon Beach, Dog Beach, Park West, Quietwater Beach, Opal Beach, and Casino Beach. However, you’ll want to make sure that you start your beach excursions at Pensacola Beach.

Pensacola Beach boasts a 1,500-foot pier. From dawn until dusk, you’ll find people fishing, strolling, and taking pictures of the scenic view. Pensacola Beach has about five Mobi-mats to make the area wheelchair accessible.

As long as you have transportation, you might want to set aside a day to head to the Gulf Island National Seashore. Both Perdido Key Beach and Johnson Beach attract visitors year round. However, only the latter has an on-duty lifeguard.

Museums, sightseeing, and attractions

One of the most well-known museums is the Pensacola Lighthouse and Maritime Museum. Situated on the Naval Air Station, the museum features exhibits about the Maritime traditions of the area. The first floor is wheelchair accessible.

Another nod to military members and operations is The National Naval Aviation Museum. With its free general admission, it’s always a big draw. Plus, you may be able to see the famous Blue Angels practice while you’re there.

The Historic Pensacola Village is designed to give you a taste of the bygone lifestyles of the people who built the region. Those ages 65 and older get discounted ticket rates.

For those new to Pensacola, taking a Pensacola Bay City Ferry ride can be an excellent way to get a fast overview of the city. Throughout the year, you can get on a regular or themed ferry cruise.

After cruising, you might want to do a little “landlubbing” touring courtesy of Go Retro. This tour involves being driven on an updated 1930s Ford transit bus throughout Pensacola. An expert tour guide will be sure you don’t miss any of the notable statues, buildings, or stories that make the city a one-of-a-kind site to live and visit.

Golfing, exercising, and staying healthy

Not surprisingly, Pensacola — with its large retirement population — is a great place to maintain your physical fitness level. Golfing is one pleasure that many seniors rarely pass up, especially because there’s an abundance of well-maintained greens across the city.

Those interested in pickleball can either bring a partner to play at one of the area parks or racket sports facilities. If you’re interested in finding a pickleball tournament or partner, head to the Pensacola Panhandle Pickleball Facebook group. Alternatively, you may want to become a member of the Bear Levin Studer Family YMCA. When you do, you’ll have access not just to pickleball courts but also to the YMCA’s other amenities, like cardio classes and aquatics programming.

After fueling your inner athlete, you can always support others at the Blue Wahoos Ballpark along Pensacola Bay. During baseball season, the park is home to the area’s minor-league baseball team.