From the Golden Gate Bridge to the Hollywood sign, California is a state rich with culture and treasured by all who visit or live here. In California, assisted living communities are ensconced in the state’s diverse beauty, from sprawling greenery and redwood forests in the north to salty air and towering palm trees in the south.
Assisted living is best for seniors who are relatively independent, but would benefit from assistance with their activities of daily living (ADLs), like eating, dressing, grooming, and using the restroom. The cost of A Place for Mom’s partner assisted living communities in California comes in at a median monthly cost of roughly $5,100 or $61,200 annually.[01]
Friendly staff at ALL locations and functions! Excellent food and service. Superb entertainment always! Silvergate is by far the best in the business. We have enjoyed every function and activity we have...
I can't say enough good things about this facility. We were desperately in need of a safe, clean place for my 90 year old Mother. I had searched other places and they were either inconvenient, dirty, or...
I was always treated with respect when visiting my grandmother. The love, respect, and effort they pit into taking care of my grandmother was outstanding and very much appreciated. Highly recommend!
I think the staff is great very friendly. I see the same people all the time and I like them so that's great. The room size is good very good and the amenities I believe were good ones. Minor thought was...
Paradise Senior Living has been a safe haven for caring for my mother during a very difficult period. The house is very clean with a lovely backyard. The food is excellent and the level of care is above...
Our time with sunrise was wonderful... my father was well cared for and I would do it again ! The staff was kind respectful reliable and loving. I can't say entirely about our experience at sunrise . Clean...
Paradise Senior Living has been a safe haven for caring for my mother during a very difficult period. The house is very clean with a lovely backyard. The food is excellent and the level of care is above...
I think the staff is great very friendly. I see the same people all the time and I like them so that's great. The room size is good very good and the amenities I believe were good ones. Minor thought was...
Nikkei Senior Gardens is an absolutely lovely facility! My mother is so happy to be staying at such a nice, peaceful place where the entire staff is very friendly, enthusiastic and always eager to help. As a...
I came from my own home three years ago I didn't want to leave my home, but I wish I would have left sooner as Greenhaven Place has made a huge difference in my social life. I don't see Greenhaven Place as a...
5 stars for all of them! Regency Place Senior Living really was a top notch place. The staff were so friendly and really great to work with during our experience.
I would give them a 5 in all categories. They were wonderful, especially [name removed]. My mom passed away there and I have been struggling with that. No reflection on Siebenthals, my mom was put on...
Friendly staff at ALL locations and functions! Excellent food and service. Superb entertainment always! Silvergate is by far the best in the business. We have enjoyed every function and activity we have...
Our family is so happy we found this very special place for Mama in the heart of San Diego at Atria, Collwood. We would have to say the greatest treasure at Atria is their loving and supportive staff, from...
Hello, My name is [name removed] and I am a resident of Westmont of Escondido. I am writing to let you know that I am very pleased to have moved in here. Before I compliment the programs here, I would like...
According to A Place for Mom’s proprietary data, the cost of our partner assisted living communities in California ranges from about $3,000 to $8,600 per month. The median cost, where half the prices are higher and half are lower, is $5,100 per month. This is slightly higher than the national median cost, which is approximately $4,800 per month.[01] These figures account for all fees, including amenities and care costs, and reflect actual costs experienced by seniors referred to their community by A Place for Mom.
There’s a reason for the wide cost range for California’s assisted living, and it’s based on a few different elements. Individual assisted living communities set their own price points based on the following factors:
No matter what your monthly payment ends up being, there are several options that can help you or your family pay for assisted living. Read about California’s options below.
Average monthly costs
California
US National average
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Our free tool provides options, advice, and next steps based on your unique situation.
At least 20% of today’s 65-year-olds will need long-term care for at least five years.[03] This is why it’s so important to start planning ahead for assisted living costs. Many families are able to pay for long-term care using personal savings. However, most families use a combination of payment methods, including private funds, Medicare, Medicaid, and any applicable veterans benefits.
Whether you decide to leverage your health savings account (HSA) or put your Social Security benefits toward your long-term care costs, there’s a range of payment options to help you pay for assisted living in California.
In California, assisted living communities are considered Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly (RCFEs). The state defines an RCFE as a voluntary housing arrangement that:[09]
The California Department of Social Services’ Community Care Licensing Division is responsible for licensing RCFEs. Regulation responsibility is shared by the Continuing Care Contracts Section of the Community Care Licensing Division and the California Senior Care Licensing Program.
The Continuing Care Contracts Section assesses RCEFs’ financial standing to ensure they can fulfill their commitments to making care contracts to residents. In doing so, the Continuing Care Contracts Section’s responsibilities include the following:[10]
The Adult and Senior Care Program regulates elderly care facilities to ensure they’re properly licensed and are following proper health and safety measures. They perform regular RCFE inspections to ensure compliance to the Title 22 Regulations, which outline standards for the following:[10]
Specific examples of RCFE regulations in California include the following:[09]
To find the licensing status and regulatory information, including inspection reports, of a specific assisted living facility in California, you can search the facility using the California Department of Social Services’ elderly assisted living search tool.
Our free tool provides options, advice, and next steps based on your unique situation.
We developed a system to rate each state on how easy – or difficult – it is to find important assisted living records and reports, and compiled tips to help you in your search.
States with the most transparent records allow you to look up important information about each assisted living facility online, including inspections, complaints, survey results, violations, capacity, and whether the facility accepts Medicaid.
Public access to assisted living records and reports for the state of California is exceptional. Key findings that informed this rating include:
We developed acomprehensive guide to state regulations for assisted livingfor state data collection and evaluation, and based our rating primarily on the objective, state-specific accessibility criteria outlined in these questions:
A Place for Mom. (2023). A Place for Mom proprietary data.
Livingcost.org. Cost of living in California.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2020, February 18). How much care will you need? Administration for Community Living (ACL).
United States Census Bureau. (2021). American community survey: California, 75 years and over, veteran status (S2101).
Health for California Insurance Center. Medi-Cal.
Health for California Insurance Center. Medicaid eligibility and requirements in California.
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). State waivers list.
Department of Health Care Services (HCS). (2023, 3 March). Medicare Savings Programs in California.
National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL). (2022). Assisted living state regulatory review.
California Department of Social Services (CDSS). Laws and Regulations.
Overview of assisted living in CA
Find assisted living near you
The information contained on this page is for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute medical, legal or financial advice or create a professional relationship between A Place for Mom and the reader. Always seek the advice of your health care provider, attorney or financial advisor with respect to any particular matter, and do not act or refrain from acting on the basis of anything you have read on this site. Links to third-party websites are only for the convenience of the reader; A Place for Mom does not endorse the contents of the third-party sites.
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