Assisted Living in San Diego

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Rating for Assisted Living in San Diego: 5 Stars ★★★★★

Discussed Topics:

• Types of Facilities
• Costs of Care
• Cost Factors
• Paying for Care
• Nearby Hospitals
• Local Transportation
• Senior Community Centers
• History & Population
• Local Safety
• City Weather
• Local Shopping & Dining
• Activities for Seniors
• Nearby Cities

Assisted Living Facilities in San Diego

Assisted Living Communities or Residential Care Homes are non-medical facilities for seniors who do not require 24 hours medical supervision as these type of facilities do not have nurses and doctors on staff. However, these facilities have caregivers on site 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and medical staff members on call to ensure that all residents receive the best care that they deserve.

Large communities such as Sunrise Assisted Living of La Jolla, Brookdale Carmel Valley, Belmont Village of Sabre Springs, Pacifica Senior Living of Rancho Penasquitos and Atria of Collwood are known for daily activities, frequent socialization and have locations in San Diego that provide secure memory care wings for Alzheimer’s residents that wander. 

If your loved one prefers a “home-like” setting, an Assisted Living residential care home might be a better fit. Some of these top facilities are Del Cerro Manor, Santa Martha Residential, Baron’s Residential Care, Ambassador Senior Retreat, Serra Mesa Guests Home and more. These types of care facilities typically have 1:3 “caregiver to resident ratio” and provide meals, activities, music and pet therapy and assist residents with transportation to and from the doctor.

With over 220 Assisted Living Facilities in San Diego, you should not have a problem finding great care for your loved one.

Assisted Living Costs in San Diego

Whether your budget is restricted or if you want high-end senior care, these facilities can meet your loved one’s needs. The monthly cost of Assisted Living in San Diego averages about $4,525 (Source: Genworth.com 2021 Survey). However, costs within the city can start as low as $3,500 per month and go as high as more than $8,250 per month.

Cost Factors

The monthly cost will vary depending on the senior’s care needs and the type of room. Care needs are determined upon the assessment done by the facility’s admissions staff. Other factors that determine the costs of the facility are the location of the facility, staff experience, type of room, programs and amenities offered. Usually, if the facility has been updated or newly renovated, the owners are able to charge more.

Paying for Care

Assisted Living is typically an out-of-pocket expense paid by the resident or their family members. Unfortunately, Medicare or Health Insurance companies do not cover the monthly cost. However, if the senior has a Long-Term Care Insurance, they can use it to pay for the monthly Assisted Living fees. For long-term care insurance, the coverage will depend on the plan that was purchased. Families should read the Long-Term Care Insurance Policy carefully to get a better understanding on the coverage and the terms of the Long-term Care Insurance Policy. 

The Veteran’s Administration has a special pension plan that can help pay for Assisted Living specifically for war veterans. This VA special pension is called Veteran’s Aid and Attendance program. If you think your elderly loved one was in active duty during one of the wars, be sure to contact the Veterans Administration to check eligibility and other VA benefits. The VA Aid and Attendance Pension can help families pay for care.

Making Care Affordable

For low-income seniors, they may qualify for Medicaid. The state of California has a state plan for long-term care that provides financial assistance to seniors with limited income and resources. If the senior qualifies medically and financially, Medicaid may pay for all the long-term care costs. If you think your elderly loved one qualifies for Medicaid, contact your local Medicaid office to ask about eligibility for Medicaid Waiver.

Medicaid

California’s Medicaid program helps pay for Assisted Living Facilities through the Assisted Living Waiver. In order for seniors to be eligible for this program, the elderly has to be a Medi-Cal beneficiary. To learn more about the Assisted Living Waiver Program, contact California Department of Home Care Services (DHCS) at (800) 281-9799 or visit DHCS.

Other Options

If the costs of Assisted Living in San Diego still seems a little out of reach for you and your loved one, you can also search for facilities in nearby cities. Sometimes residential care homes or large communities in Santee, Chula Vista, Escondido or Spring Valley, for example, may cost less in rent or care per month. If you need help finding these facilities, our care advisors can help at no charge. Just call them at 877.523.6523 or click here and they will get back to you as soon as possible.

If you still need care options under $3,000 per month, you can also get in touch with your state’s Department of Social Services. This government agency helps those with restricted budgets and low-income housing resources.

45+ Nearby Hospitals

From check-ups to emergency care, San Diego has some of the top hospitals to meet the needs of your loved one. The hospitals in and surrounding the city are Sharp Grossmont Hospital, UCSD Health – Hillcrest Medical Center, Sharp Memorial Hospital, Scripps Mercy Hospital, and Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla.

Local Transportation

Getting around San Diego and other parts of the County is a snap. The FACT of SD (Facilitating Access to Coordinate Transportation) has a great program for Seniors and those who are disabled. San Diego’s “FACT” program is a shared-ride service provided for those who are unable to use the normal bus route. The RideFACT program is a door-to-door service for Seniors and those who are disabled and will take you where you need to go within the city and nearby areas. You can get more information on RideFACT from the RideFACT’s website.

If your loved one needs to go to a doctor’s appointment for their regular checkup or wants to attend mass, don’t worry. Please remember that any community or residential care home can usually accommodate your loved one with transportation in San Diego and the surrounding areas. Some facilities include transportation and some facilities require an additional fee. Just remember to ask the facility’s staff before you decide to move your loved one.

Senior Community Centers

The George L. Stevens Senior Center is located on 570 S 65th near Alta Vista and Paradise Valley and is open from 9am to 5pm, Monday through Friday. Some featured events include a Community Health Fair, acclaimed vocalist and orchestra concerts, and much more. Some other Senior Community centers are:

Seven Oaks Senior Center (16789 Bernardo Oaks)

Verne Goodwin Mira Mesa Senior Center: (8460 Mira Mesa)

History & Population

San Diego is located in most Southern area of California in the County. The city has the 8th highest US population, fair weather year round, birthplace of California in 1542, and home US Navy and Marine Corps.

Established 1769 and is home to over 14,150,000 residents. Incorporated in 1769, San Diego is just located 1 hour south of Irvine and 2 hours south of Los Angeles.

Safety

With safety always a concern when it comes to your loved one, San Diego is one of the safest cities across America. Compared to the rest of the U.S., the city’s crime rate is 12% below the national average. Livability is 71% higher than the national average, making it a very desirable place for Seniors to live (source: Area Vibes).

City Weather

Already being in one of the states in the U.S. with the best weather year round, San Diego is one of the best areas for weather in California. Temperatures average a cool 77 degrees in the winter (51 degrees at night) and a nice 77 degrees in the summer (68 degrees at night). You can’t ask for better weather anywhere in the U.S. (source: weather.com).

Local Shopping & Dining

San Diego has some of the best shopping and restaurants in the County. You can take your loved one walking in Seaport Village (on the water off the interstate 5 freeway), Fashion Valley Mall (with Nordstrom’s, Bloomingdale’s and Neiman Marcus), and University Town Center UCT (just off the interstate 5 and Miramar Road). 

Some local restaurants the family will surely enjoy are Ironside Fish & Oyster, The Fish Market, The Crack Shak – Little Italy, and more.

Popular Activities for Seniors

Some of San Diego’s great spots for Seniors and families are:

San Diego Zoo – One of the most famous Zoo’s in the world that’s home to more than 3,700 rare and endangered animals.

Balboa Park – 1200 acres of an urban cultural park w/ gardens, walking paths, museums, theaters and the Zoo.

SeaWorld – Over 100 acres including rides, animal shoes, exhibits right next to Mission Bay.

USS Midway Museum – The longest-serving aircraft carrier in the 20th century. It once had a service crew of 4,500 seamen and was commissioned in 1945.

Torrey Pines State Reserve – A 1750 acre reserve on coastal pacific. home to bobcats, foxes, coyotes, rabbits and views of humpback and gray whales during migration periods.

More Cities

Carlsbad (31)

Chula Vista (40)

Coronado (1)

Del Mar (4)

El Cajon (40)

Encinitas (13)

Escondido (84)

Imperial Beach (5)

La Mesa (24)

Lemon Grove (7)

National City (11)

Oceanside (32)

Poway (24)

San Marcos (25)

Santee (5)

Solana Beach (1)

Vista (40)

Copyright © 2023 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 Living 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 senior 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 senior living facility across the U.S.

Sources: AreaVibes, Weather.Com