Assisted Living in Scottsdale

Our City Rating for Seniors = 5 Stars

Content:

• Introduction to Scottsdale, AZ
• City Weather
• Local Safety
• Types of Senior Living
• City Costs for Rent & Care
• Cost Factors
• Paying for Assisted Living
• Nearby Hospitals
• Transportation
• Senior Community Centers
• Local Shopping & Dining
• Activities for Seniors
• View Assisted Living Facilities

Introduction to Scottsdale, AZ

Scottsdale is a great city for seniors, retirement and assisted living and is on our list of “The Top 10 Best Cities for Seniors.” What makes this an ideal city for Seniors are the weather, safety, activities as well as the city with the highest population of seniors in the country. As the population continues to age, the seniors in the area will require assistance with their ADL’s (or Activities of Daily Living). 

Scottsdale boasts over 190 large and small licensed, assisted living facilities in the area that can cater to your loved one’s care needs, budget and living preferences. These care facilities are great for those residents that need assistance with bathing, dressing, walking, meal preparation, medication, transportation and other help.

Local Safety

Safety is always an important consideration when selecting care for your loved one. You want peace of mind that if they go for a short stroll for some exercise, that they will not be in harm’s way. Scottsdale is rated 31.9% safer than all cities across the United States. It is also safer than 41% of the cities in Phoenix, making it a top destination for seniors to retire (source: Area Vibes).

City Weather

Being located in the desert, Scottsdale goes through high climates in the summer months. However, the warm weather doesn’t stop seniors from making Scottsdale the top retirement city in the U.S. Summers average about 104 degrees during the day and 73 degrees at night. In the Winter, temperatures drop to a perfect 70 degrees during the day and 40 degrees at night (source: weather.com).

Types of Senior Housing

The area of Scottsdale offers two types of Assisted Living Facilities known as large, assisted living communities or small residential “board and care homes.” The large communities such as Emeritus, Brookdale, Atria and Sunrise Senior Living have daily socialization with residents, frequent activities throughout the day, assist with dressing, meds, bathing, meal preparation, pet and music therapy, and also have locations with secure memory wings for those Alzheimer’s residents that have tendencies to wander.

If a busy, active environment is a little too much for your loved one, then a small, residential care home might be ideal. These type of assisted living facilities offer the same services as the large communities, but have a 1:3 caregiver-to-resident ratio. They’re more intimate facilities with 6 residents and similar to what they are used to in their own home.

Local Assisted Living Costs

Monthly costs for Assisted Living in Scottsdale can range as low as $1,500 to $5,930. On the average, the costs are $3,250 a month and this will depend on various factors described below. Whether your loved one’s budget is restricted or they prefer high-end care, Scottsdale should be able to meet their needs (source: Genworth 2013).

Factors of Cost

Your loved one’s monthly cost of care will heavily depend on their condition and care needs. This assessment will be performed and determined by the facility’s admission staff.

 Other factors that influence cost will be the location of the facility, age of the building (or if recently renovated), number of years in business, experience of the staff, private room or shared room, amenities and services that are included.

Paying for Assisted Living

The resident or the family will pay for the care either through out of pocket (private pay) or assistance from Long Term Care Insurance or Veteran’s Aid and Attendance programs. The Veteran’s Aid and Attendance programs are for those veterans or their spouses that served in the war. An application will need to be approved and if eligible, the program will cover a portion of the assisted living costs.

Contrary to popular belief, Medicare or Medicaid does not cover the Assisted Living monthly cost in a care facility. Should your loved one still need assistance and more affordable senior housing, the Department of Social Services should be able to help.

Nearby Hospitals

Should your loved one need a local doctor or require emergency care, Scottsdale has plenty of hospitals in the area. For the Phoenix, Arizona metropolitan area that includes Scottsdale, Mesa and Glendale, 13 of the total 56 hospitals are top rated in the U.S. News & World Report “Best Regional Hospital Rankings.” The top rated, nearby hospitals include Scottsdale Healthcare Shea Medial Center, the Mayo Clinic and St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center.

Transportation

Most assisted living facilities will provide transportation for their residents for trips such as going to the doctor, hearing mass service, etc. Some facilities charge an additional fee for this service, so it is best to inquire when you are touring facilities with your loved one. 

As an alternative, getting around Scottsdale and the Phoenix metropolitan area is easy with public transportation. Valley Metro is the local bus line and their busses are equipped to assist those with disabilities. However, if your loved one prefers a direct, “door-to-door” service, East Valley Dial-A-Ride (EVDAR) provides transportation assistance to seniors and to those with disabilities.

Senior Community Center

If your loved one is still active and wants more social interaction from what they’re receiving at their care facility, Scottsdale has two senior centers. The Granite Reef Senior Center and Via Linda Senior Center are beautiful, recently built community centers that cater towards seniors. The centers offer services such as health and wellness programs, social interaction, activities, games, learning, music and more.

The Granite Reef Senior Center is located at 1700 North Granite Reef Rd. and is open from Monday to Friday, 8am to 9pm and on Saturday, 8am to 5pm. The Via Linda Senior Center is located on 10440 East Via Linda and is open Monday to Thursday, 7:30am to 9pm and on Friday and Saturday, 7:30am to 5pm.

Local Shopping & Dining 

There are plenty of things you can do with your loved one in the Scottsdale area. If you want to get them out for a little sun, shopping and exercise, Old Town Scottsdale, Scottsdale Fashion Square, Scottsdale Waterfront, Fifth Avenue Shopping District and the Scottsdale Quarter are great places to take them. You’ll find here a variety of things to do including over a hundred galleries in the art district, the performing arts center, and hundreds of boutiques. After you’re done with your shopping, you and your loved one can choose from a wide selection of Scottsdale’s top restaurants and satisfy your appetites.

Activities for Seniors 

Scottsdale has plenty of activities for your elderly loved one and the family. Here’s some of the most popular attractions in the area:

McDowel Sonoran Preserve and Pinnacle Peak Park – A beautiful wild life area to take the family on walks.

Butterfly Wonderland – Everything you can imagine about butterflies and the attraction includes an informative 3D short film.

McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park – A historic railroad museum.

Old Town Scottsdale – The place to shop and eat in Scottsdale.

Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts – With performances happening daily, this is a great cultural center which includes Broadway shows, the Opera and famous music artists.

Copyright © 2018 SeniorCareHomes.com. All Rights Reserved.

About the Author: Catharine D. Allado is a Senior Care Expert and the COO of SeniorCareHomes.com – An extensive online directory of Assisted Living, Memory Care and other types of Senior Housing across the U.S. 

Kate’s Grandmother was sadly a victim of Alzheimer’s Disease and Kate is determined to make a difference in the lives of other families.

Note: Ratings and Grades are based on our staffs’ personal opinions and experiences in the referenced City. SeniorCareHomes.Com has visited and inspected hundreds to thousands of assisted living facilities all across the U.S. While we make every effort to visit as many facilities as possible, we do not claim that we have visited and inspected every single licensed assisted living facility across the U.S.

Sources: AreaVibes, Weather.Com