Home to the Gateway Arch, the tallest monument in the U.S., St. Louis is known as the Gateway to the West. Whether you want to take in the iconic Budweiser brewery or spend an afternoon at one of the city’s many parks and galleries, St. Louis is a vibrant and diverse city.
With 17 assisted living communities within a 10-mile radius of downtown partnered with A Place for Mom, assisted living in St. Louis is ideal for people who want to stay involved in vibrant community life. St. Louis assisted living facilities have no shortage of community enrichment opportunities including but not limited to picnics, BBQs, arts and crafts events, movie nights, and special outings.
In this guide, you will find information covering cost and payment for assisted living in St. Louis, veterans benefits, Medicare and Medicaid information, regulations for assisted living in St. Louis, as well as top-rated hospitals and things to do in the area.
The outreach fellow is great The flower arranging is fun The Bingo lady makes it exciting The outings on the van were fun The kitchen area on the floors could always use a good cleaning My auntie doesn't...
It's not infrequent that the main elevator has one side that is broken down; older furnishings; worn carpets; minor repairs in family member's room needing repair by family members. The cleaning staff work...
Very nice place to be. The staff is kind and helpful. The food is very good. The facility is clean and laundry is done nicely. My only complaint has been with urine catheter help. The staff empties the...
My mom was only there for 12 days before she passed away but everything that you have listed were excellent. I'll never say a great value for the money because $[removed] a month is a lot but it's ...
Perfect. My Mom was originally skeptical but came to feel safe and comfortable. Very homey. Well designed. Lots of light. Very efficient room layout.
Everything so far has been great. Great overall experience, perfect size place and not too fancy for mom's taste. Everything seems clean as far as I can tell. Staff is friendly to mom and the family. Mom...
Marvelous facility! My mom lived at Laclede Groves for the last 3 years of her life. From her 90th birthday party in the first month of her stay to her last week in Laclede’s hospice care, our family was...
My loved one has since passed on but what we like the most about Fairmont on Clayton was the staff. The staff was fantastic....very caring for both my husband and me and we would definitely recommend this...
We were impressed with everything. My mother in law felt the menu options were limited, but I think at the time, occupancy was low, so that may have affected it. I can't really say about activities, because...
The two areas where the Gables is lacking is the food and the social activities. When we put Mom into the Gables we pretty much needed somewhere to get her right away and the Gables did not have a "" move-in...
We're quite happy and satisfied with it. I would tell other families to come and visit. The cost was the number one factor for us. The staff are also very friendly. And the location was very good for my...
[Name Removed] goes well beyond serving as a director of memory care; she is an advisor and friend to my mom. Without her guidance and care we would be lost. Previous to her arrival our mom’s care was...
I cannot overstate how awful the food is. Worse, you MUST pay $[removed]/month for it. with no discount if you don't eat anything there. Those old people sit for an hour at mealtimes with out getting any...
I have no complaints about how things are going for my mother since she made the move into this community. I have to say my favorite thing about this place is how friendly the staff are and the positive...
We chose The Mary Culver Home because it is a home that specialized for residents who are visually impaired. It is a smaller facility with only 25 women, so she gets more personalized care. I don't just feel...
So far my experience has been great. It came just when the family needed it and it has been a godsend to me. The Head of Nurse is very informative and keeps communication open with the family. The staff...
My loved one is currently a resident at St Agnes Home and the overall experience has been great, so far. My loved one can be a bit of a challenge in some areas, but they treat him very well. We have no...
We developed a proprietary recommendation system that orders St Louis community options based on factors we know are important to seniors and their families:
We collect proprietary data from our network of 14,000+ senior living communities in the U.S., with regular refreshes of data and information
We have 387,000+ reviews from senior living residents and family members that provide first-hand accounts about senior living communities
According to our proprietary data, the average cost of assisted living at our partner facilities in St. Louis is $4,760 per month.[01] This includes associated fees and service fee add-ons. You can expect housekeeping, laundry, and personal care included in that price tag.
The following graphic represents the average baseline assisted living costs in St. Louis without additional fees.
There are several ways to pay for assisted living; seniors can use some income streams to pay for any part of assisted living, while others can only be used for some aspects of assisted living, like health care.
Seniors typically will use various modes of payment for assisted living, like retirement funds, social security benefits, and health insurance. In this section, you’ll learn how methods like private pay, Medicare, Medicaid, and VA benefits can be used for those paying for assisted living.
Private pay methods are individual income sources that seniors can use to pay for costs associated with assisted living. Standard private pay methods include investment returns, pensions, and Social Security benefits. They can also include:
Number of veterans who live in St. Louis
About 33% of St. Louis veterans are 75+
There are several resources available to veterans who need support paying for assisted living, primarily accessed through the VA and Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs).
The most popular benefit is the VA’s Aid and Attendance benefit, designed to support veterans who are bed-bound due to illness, have limited eyesight, or need someone to help with daily tasks like bathing and dressing.
Veterans with a service-related disability are also able to apply for the VA Disability Compensation. The monthly payment is determined by the severity of your disability. Check online or with your local veteran services officer to see if you are eligible and apply online. It’s worth exploring even if you’re not sure if your disability is connected to your time serving.
The process of identifying and applying for benefits can be time-consuming and complicated, so we always recommend working with a veterans service officer who can help ensure you take advantage of all benefits available to you. Veteran services officers are trained and vetted representatives who can help you identify benefits and support you through the claims process. We’ve listed local veterans service officers in the resources below.
For additional support, consider reaching out to one of the 17 American Legion locations or one of the 5 Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) posts in St. Louis. Here’s a complete directory of the area American Legion spots. We’ll also list some below.
The St. Louis County Veterans Program is also available for case assistance and advocacy during the claims process. Additionally, Operation Second Chance is a national program committed to providing support and assistance in the form of financial aid to those who are eligible. To see if you qualify, apply on their website.
Resources for St Louis veterans
St Louis County Veterans Program
St. Louis County Government Center NW
715 NW Plaza Drive
St. Ann, MO 63074
Phone: 314-615-7400
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
St. Louis Veterans Service Officers
Virgina Mack
Missouri Veterans Home
10600 Lewis & Clark Blvd., Rm # R1-109
St Louis, MO, 63136
Phone: 314-421-8637
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Christy Allison
Missouri Veterans Home
10600 Lewis & Clark Blvd.
St. Louis, MO, 63136
Phone: 314-421-8654
Hours: Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. – 4 p.m.; Thursday, 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Derrick Russell
9700 Page Ave.
St. Louis, MO, 63132
Phone: 314-421-8676
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Nathan Ruhnow
Prevedel Federal Building/Missouri Veterans Commission
9700 Page Ave., Rm # R1-109
St Louis, MO, 63132
Phone: 314-421-8673
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Malinda Graves-Sampson
Prevedel Federal Building/Missouri Veterans Commission
9700 Page Ave., Rm # R1-109
St Louis, MO 63132
Phone: 314-421-8674
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Veterans of Foreign Wars Posts
Post 3480 Capt. Horace G. Burke Post
5020 State St.
East St. Louis, IL 62205
Phone: 618-271-7004
Post 6137 Newport Heights Memorial Post
5468 Gravois Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63116
Phone: 314-352-6137
Post 8112 Gruhala-Gmeiner Memorial Post
4310 S. 38th St.
St. Louis, MO 63116
Phone: 314-351-8890
Quentin Roosevelt Post 1
St. Louis Altenheim
5408 S. Broadway Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63111
Griesedieck-Fournier Post 3
4617 Dahlia Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63116
Fred W. Stockham Post 4
405 Washington Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63102
Medicaid, called MO HealthNet in Missouri, is a health care program that pays for a portion of health care costs depending on an individual’s income level.
For people looking into assisted living, MO HealthNet won’t cover the cost to live in a facility. But it will cover the costs related to medically necessary care in licensed residential care facilities through the Aged and Disabled Waiver. This waiver is available through the Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) program. This program allows those eligible to receive a variety of services at their choice of residence even though they qualify for nursing home level care. It’s available for people who are at least 63.
To apply for Medicaid and the waivers listed above, there is one application through MO HealthNet that will assess your eligibility for all.
We recommend connecting with an advocacy group prior to applying for Medicaid benefits to help ease the process. For example, Aging Ahead, operated by St. Louis Area Agency on Aging (SLAAA), offers services like application assistance, while the St. Louis ombudsman supports those grievances or those in need of a representative to make a case on their behalf.
St. Louis resident Medicaid resources
Missouri Department of Social Services, MO HealthNet Division
615 Howerton Court
Jefferson City, MO 65102
Phone: 573-751-3425
St. Louis Area Agency on Aging (SLAAA)
1200 Market St.
St. Louis, MO 63103
Phone: 314-622-4800
St. Louis County Ombudsman
8050 Watson Road, Suite 155
St. Louis, MO 63119
Phone: 314-91-8222
While Medicare doesn’t cover the costs associated with room and board, it can be used to pay for some short-term health expenses while at an assisted living facility. For those with Medicare Part A or Part B, expect the following services to be covered:
For those who need help paying for Medicare costs, several local resources can support. Missouri CLAIM is a part of Missouri’s State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) and provides free financial counseling and Medicare education.
The St. Louis Area on Aging (SLAAA) provides funding for Part A and Part B deductibles, premiums, and copays through Medicare Savings Programs. The Missouri State Pharmacy Assistance Program, known as MORx, will help pay for prescription medication under Medicare Part D.
Any questions can be directed to the Social Security Administration, which runs Medicare. For those who want advocacy or have grievances or complaints, consider reaching out to one of the two long-term care ombudsman in St. Louis. To apply for Medicare, contact your local Social Security Administration office or apply online.
St. Louis resident Medicare resources
Social Security Administration Office
717 N. 16th St.
St. Louis, MO 63103
Phone: 800-772-1213
St. Louis Area Agency on Aging (SLAAA)
1520 Market Road
St. Louis, MO 63103
Phone: 314-612-5918
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
State Office of Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program
Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services
Phone: 800-309-3282
St. Louis Ombudsman
8050 Watson Road, Suite 155
St. Louis, MO 63119
Phone: 314-918-8222
SLAAA Medicare Savings Program
City Hall
1200 Market St.
St. Louis, MO 63103
Phone: 314-622-4800
MORx, Missouri State Pharmaceutical Assistance Program
Phone: 800-375-1406
CLAIM: State Health Insurance Assistance Program
Phone: 800-390-3330
Assisted living facilities in St. Louis are regulated by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. These facilities are defined as a place where 24-hour care, services, and supervision are provided for three or more residents. The definition specifies that assisted living facilities are not residential care, intermediate care, or skilled nursing facilities.
Assisted living facilities in St. Louis are also required to provide:
These guidelines also cover construction regulations, emergency and fire safety procedures, resident care requirements, and staffing qualifications and ratios for assisted living facilities in St. Louis. Inspections must be conducted annually for all assisted living facilities in St. Louis. You can search the latest inspection reports by looking up specific facilities.
St. Louis Department of Health
1520 Market St.
St. Louis, MO 63103
Phone: 314-657-1528
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
St. Louis doesn’t currently have state mandates in place, though the city does follow standards and guidelines set in place by the CDC.
Assisted living is ideal for seniors who want to continue living as independently as possible while being supported with daily living activities like bathing and dressing. Expect personalized care, nutritious meals, and daily activities that encourage a sense of community.
While three of the assisted living facilities we partner with are standalone communities, most are combined with other long-term care communities. Here’s the breakdown of those:
St. Louis assisted living focuses heavily on investing in activities and social events that unite community members. Almost all of our partner facilities offer off-site group trips to nearby shopping and dining spots. Some even venture out to St. Louis’ theaters and sporting events. Onsite, you can be sure the holidays and resident birthdays will be celebrated in style. Residents can find plenty of ways to stay busy with happy hours, arts and crafts centers, movie rooms, and even butterfly gardens in some locations.
Security is always a top priority in assisted living, especially for those with memory problems or early-stage dementia. We partner with 13 assisted living communities that also have areas designed specifically to accommodate memory loss, including enclosed courtyards and enclosed outdoor walking paths. Some communities also offer a wander management system for an extra layer of security for residents.
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Free, personalized guidance from our Senior Living Advisors can help you narrow your search.
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Our free touring checklist can help you choose the right community.
Number of seniors over the age of 65 currently living in St. Louis
Median annual income for St. Louis seniors 65 and older
Nationally ranked in 11 specialties by U.S. News and World Report, Barnes-Jewish Hospital is also ranked number 11 on the Best Hospitals Honor Roll.
Missouri Baptist Medical Center
This general medical and surgical facility ranks for high performance across 15 adult procedures and 3 specialties.
Set across two campuses, Mercy Hospital St. Louis is rated as high performing in 3 adult specialties and 13 procedures.
St. Luke’s Hospital – Chesterfield
St. Luke’s Hospital – Chesterfield is rated as high performing in 13 procedures but is particularly well known for the treatment of heart conditions.
A regionally ranked surgical and medical facility, Christian Hospital is known for lung cancer care and COPD treatment.
The St. Louis VA Medical Center provides multiple primary and specialty care forms. It also offers mental health care, rehab, and recreation therapy to the city’s veterans.
St. Louis is a city where people primarily rely on cars to get around since the overall walk score is only 66 out of 100.[07] The Walk Score is based on factors like the availability of walking and bike tracks, public transportation, and public density. Luckily, most assisted living communities we partner with in St. Louis – 88% to be exact – offer complimentary transport.
For those looking for additional transportation options, there are a couple of options offered by the city for people who are unable to drive, both of which allow caregivers or family to ride along if additional assistance is needed. Metro’s Call-A-Ride Program is a curb-to-curb, wheelchair-accessible service for people unable to use Metro’s fixed bus and light rail services. It’s designed specifically for those with physical or cognitive disabilities. For non-emergency errands, The City of St. Louis provides free transportation and also offers rides to SLAAA- sponsored senior centers.
There’s no shortage of things to do for seniors and their families in St. Louis. Starting with, of course, the famous St. Louis Arch Grounds and Museum. Dominating the skyline at 630 feet, it’s the U.S.’s tallest monument (double the size of the Statue of Liberty!). For those not afraid of heights, take a tram to the very top of the arch for the best city views; otherwise, enjoy the arch and its museum on solid ground.
One of the most iconic breweries in the United States, Anheuser-Busch, is home to the oldest Budweiser brewery. Learn about the brewing traditions Budweiser uses and peek at the ancient caves where the beer was initially stored before modern refrigeration.
For those who want to spend time outside, consider visiting Tower Grove Park. Studded with vibrant flowers, the historic park is the most extensive and best-presented example of the 19th Century Gardenesque style in the entire country.[08] Beyond the 289-acre park, take a walk around the Tower Grove neighborhood, which is full of great food, cafes, and boutiques.
Lovers of art and the theater have several options, all of which are accessible for people with physical or cognitive disabilities. The Fabulous Fox and The Muny both offer the best of Broadway, with accessible seating and listening and communication aids.
The Missouri History Museum and Soldiers Memorial both provide some local flavor, with short- and long-term exhibitions focused on the history of St. Louis. Meanwhile, the St. Louis Art Museum provides a rich look into some of the world’s best art, from Picasso to Monet. All museums are wheelchair accessible, and the St. Louis Art Museum has free admission.
If you like sports, you’re in luck! Catch an NHL game and root on the St. Louis Blues. If you love America’s pastime, a St. Louis Cardinals baseball game might be for you. Soccer fans might be interested in checking out the St. Louis Ambush, a professional men’s soccer team.
Clarendale of St. Peters, Charter Senior Living of Shiloh and Allegro Richmond Heights are the top-rated Assisted Living facilities near St Louis, MO. These Assisted Living facilities received the highest rankings based on verified family reviews. See full list of communities.
The average cost of Assisted Living in St Louis is $4,663 per month. This cost may vary based on location, amenities, floorplan, level of care and other factors.
A Place for Mom. (2022). A Place for Mom proprietary data.
U.S News & World Report. (2023). Barnes-Jewish Hospital.
U.S News & World Report. (2023). Missouri Baptist Medical Center.
U.S News & World Report. (2023). Mercy Hospital St. Louis.
U.S News & World Report. (2023). St. Luke’s Hospital-Chesterfield.
U.S News & World Report. (2023). Christian Hospital.
Walk Score. (2023). Living in St. Louis.
Ask an A Place for Mom local advisor at no cost.
A Place for Mom. (2022). A Place for Mom proprietary data.
U.S News & World Report. (2023). Barnes-Jewish Hospital.
U.S News & World Report. (2023). Missouri Baptist Medical Center.
U.S News & World Report. (2023). Mercy Hospital St. Louis.
U.S News & World Report. (2023). St. Luke’s Hospital-Chesterfield.
U.S News & World Report. (2023). Christian Hospital.
Walk Score. (2023). Living in St. Louis.