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California is consistently touted as one of the best place in the world weather-wise. It is consistently sunny in much of the state. Additionally, there is no tax on groceries nor prescription medications – two of the largest expenditures seniors typically have. For this and other reasons, it’s no surprise that many seniors have this state at the top of their list of places for retirement and senior living. California’s elderly population is set to grow substantially, and many of these seniors lived on fixed, limited incomes and need advice in qualifying for and locating affordable housing.

Directory of Assisted Living Facilities in California

Choosing the right assisted living facility for yourself or a loved one is one of the most important decisions you will need to make as a senior, and so thorough and detailed research of potential facilities is critical. We have compiled a comprehensive directory of assisted living facilities in California, and reviewing this directory is a great way to jumpstart the research process. Use the tool below to review information about amenities, size of the facility, pricing, health insurance, and more.

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Paying For Assisted Living in California

The Cost of Assisted Living in California

The monthly median cost of assisted living in California is $4,500, which is above the national average of $4,000. According to Genworth’s 2018 Cost of Care Survey, assisted living in California is more expensive than two out of its three neighboring states:

 

California is the third largest state in the US and has a large number of different metropolitan areas. Average costs significantly across the different regions of the state. The average monthly cost in the Napa region, otherwise known as “Wine Country,” is on the high end, while Bakersfield averages the cheapest. Below is a breakdown of all the median costs in other areas of the state:

 

In California, the state median cost of assisted living is less expensive than most other types of long-term care except adult day health care and independent living. It’s considerably cheaper than nursing home care, in particular, and a few hundred dollars cheaper than in-home care:

Financial Assistance for Assisted Living in California

The Assisted Living Waiver

Medi-Cal is California’s combined federal and state program designed to help pay for medical care for public assistance recipients and other low-income persons. Medi-Cal does not cover the full cost of assisted living directly, but the program does offer a waiver to cover long-term care services for seniors who are nursing-home eligible, but could have their health and personal needs met in an assisted living facility. Seniors must also meet certain financial requirements in order to be eligible for the Assisted Living Waiver.

A Medi-Cal social worker can draft a personalized care plan for you or your loved one to outline the appropriate services your or they will need. Below is a list of all the available services and supports included in the scope of the waiver:

  • Assistance with activities of daily living, including bathing, grooming and toileting
  • Assistance with logistical activities of daily living, including medication administration and transportation
  • Health-related services, including skilled nursing care, if needed
  • Recreational and social activities
  • Prepared meals
  • Laundry and housekeeping
  • Nursing home transition care, if needed

Who is Eligible?

Seniors older than 65 years of age with an income 138% of the poverty level ($16,395 for an individual and $22,108 for a couple) can receive Medi-Cal benefits. To qualify for the Assisted Living Waiver under Medi-Cal, California residents must meet the following eligibility criteria:

  • Have Medi-Cal eligibility with zero share of cost;
  • Have health and personal care needs that are the equivalent of the needs of Medi-Cal-funded residents living and receiving care in nursing facilities;
  • Willing and able to safely live in an assisted living setting as an alternative to a nursing facility.

Share of cost is essentially an arrangement for seniors whose income is too high to qualify for Medi-Cal benefits, but too low to afford their health care expenses. Share of cost requires people to spend a certain amount of their income on health care before Medi-Cal provides coverage. As noted, Californians approved for Medi-Cal through the share of cost arrangement are not eligible for the Assisted Living Waiver.

Of note, not all counties in California have assisted living settings covered under the waiver. To receive covered services under the waiver, seniors must be willing to live in one of the following counties:

  • Alameda
  • Contra Costa
  • Fresno
  • Kern
  • Los Angeles
  • Orange
  • Riverside
  • Sacramento
  • San Bernardino
  • San Diego
  • San Francisco
  • San Joaquin
  • San Mateo
  • Santa Clara
  • Sonoma

How to Apply

To apply for Medi-Cal coverage and to discuss the Assisted Living Waiver, you will need to contact your local county office. Additionally, Area Agencies on Aging are a good place to start the application process. Your local Agency may be able to help you craft a more comprehensive and detailed picture of your retirement.

More Ways to Finance Assisted Living

Some additional ways to finance assisted living costs include:

  • Veterans Benefits: Veterans can take advantage of several different pension programs to help cover the cost of assisted living. For more information, see the article on benefits.va.gov.
  • Life Insurance Policies: Even if a spouse or loved one hasn’t died, certain types of life insurance policies can be used to pay for assisted living. More information is available at longtermcare.acl.gov
  • Long-Term Care Insurance: Long-term care insurance is a type of insurance policy that pays for long-term care when it becomes necessary, including the cost of assisted living. For more information on the benefits and drawbacks of this financing method, visit longtermcare.acl.gov.
  • Reverse Mortgages: Reverse mortgages allow seniors to access the equity from a home that they own, and these funds can be used to pay for assisted living. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development offers a federally insured reverse mortgage program.

Free Assisted Living Resources in California

Nonprofit and governmental organizations found across California may offer free assistance for the seniors and their loved ones in the process of seeking information about long-term care options. These organizations are a great place to start in understanding your rights and options.

Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program

As is the case in many states, California maintains a Long-Term Care Ombudsman program. The Ombudsman is tasked with:

  • Providing education for communities, residents and families on the rights of residence and issues of service and care
  • Investigating and following up on complaints made by community residents and ensuring all their rights are being upheld
  • Advocating for residents and their loved ones while also empowering them to advocate for themselves

Area Agencies on Aging

Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) is a network of hundreds of nonprofit organizations across California and all of America that provide federally funded services to adults over 60 in their respective local areas.

California has many Area Agencies on Aging that offer comprehensive information on various kinds of programs and community supports for seniors.

Area Agency on Aging Address Phone
Alameda County Area Agency on Aging 6955 Foothill Blvd Suite 100
Oakland, CA 94605
510-577-3530
Area 12 Agency on Aging

(Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, Mariposa and Tuolumne counties)

19074 Standard Road
Sonora, CA 95370
209-532-6272
Passages

(Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Plumas and Tehama counties)

25 Main Street
Chico, CA 95929
530-898-5923
Contra Costa County Employment & Human Services 500 Ellinwood Way
Pleasant Hill CA 94523
925-229-8434
Area 1 Agency on Aging

(Del Norte and Humboldt counties)

P.O. Box Drawer 1390
Window Rock, Arizona 86515-1390
707-442-3763
El Dorado County Agency on Aging 937 Spring Street Placerville, CA 95667 or

1360 Johnson Blvd., Suite 103
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150

530 621-6150 or

530 573-3490

Area Agency on Aging

(Fresno and Madera counties)

3837 N Clark Street
Fresno, CA 93726
559-600-4405
Area Agency on Aging

(Imperial county)

778 W. State St.
El Centro, CA 92243
442-265-7000
Eastern Sierra Area Agency on Aging

(Inyo and Mono counties)

163 May Street
Bishop, CA 93514
760-873-5240
Kern County Aging and Adult Services 5357 Truxton Avenue
Bakersfield, CA 93309
661-868-1000
Kings/Tulare Area Agency on Aging 5957 S Mooney Blvd
Visalia, CA 93277
559-624-8000
Area Agency on Aging

(Lake and Mendocino counties)

14092 Lakeshore Dr.
Clearlake, CA 95422
707-995-4680
PSA 2 Area Agency on Aging

(Lassen, Modoc, Shasta, Siskiyou and Trinity counties)

208 West Center Street
Yreka, CA 96097
530-842-1687
City of Los Angeles Department on Aging 221 N. Figueroa St., Ste. 500
Los Angeles, CA 90012
213-482-7252
Purposeful Aging Los Angeles 3175 W 6th St
Los Angeles, CA 90020
213-738-4004
Aging and Adult Services

(Marin County)

10 North San Pedro Rd #1002
San Rafael, CA 94903
415-499-7396
Area Agency on Aging

(Merced County)

2222 M Street
Merced, CA 95340
209-385-7559
Monterey County Area Agency on Aging 1000 S Main St # 211
Salinas, CA 93901
831-755-4466
Agency on Aging Area 4

(Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, Sierra, Sutter, Yolo and Yuba counties)

1401 El Camino Avenue, 4th Floor
Sacramento, CA 95815
916-486-1876
Office on Aging Orange County 333 W. Santa Ana Blvd.
Santa Ana, CA 92701
714-480-6450
Riverside County Office on Aging 6296 River Crest Drive, Suite K
Riverside, California
951-867-3800
Seniors Council

(San Benito and Santa Cruz counties)

234 Santa Cruz Ave.
Aptos, CA 95003
831-688-0400
San Bernardino County Department of aging and Adult Services 784 E. Hospitality Lane
San Bernardino, CA 92415
909-891-3900
Aging and Independence Services

(San Diego)

1600 Pacific Highway
San Diego, CA 92101
858-495-5885
Department of Aging and Adult Services

(San Francisco)

1650 Mission St # 5
San Francisco, CA 94103
415-355-3555
Aging and Community Services

(San Joaquin)

333 E. Washington Street
Stockton, CA 95202
209-468-2202
Central Coast Commission for Senior Citizens

(San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties)

528 S Broadway
Santa Maria, CA 93454
805-925-9554
Area Agency on Aging

(San Mateo county)

222 W. 39th Avenue
San Mateo, CA 94403
650-573-3527
SourceWise

(Santa Clara County)

2115 The Alameda
San Jose, CA 95126
408-350-3200
Area Agency on Aging

(Sonoma County)

3725 Westwind Boulevard First Floor
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
707-565-5950
Aging and Veterans Services

(Stanislaus county)

3500 Coffee Rd. Suite 19
Modesto, CA 95354
209-558-8698
Ventura County Area Agency on Aging 646 County Square Drive, Suite 100
Ventura, CA 93003
805-477-7300

Veterans Affairs

California, like the majority of states, has VA centers to help veterans and their spouses understand their financing options for various kinds of care. These offices can provide guidance on your eligibility and direct you to the best support options for you. Below is a list of the VA offices in California:

Bakersfield Vet Center

1110 Golden State Ave.
Bakersfield, CA 93301

661-323-8387 or
661-323-8387

Veterans Affairs Office Address Phone
Chula Vista Vet Center 180 Otay Lakes Road, Suite 108
Bonita, CA 91902-2439
877-618-6534 or
877-618-6534
Santa Cruz Vet Center 1350 41st Ave, Suite 104
Capitola, CA 95010
831-464-4575 or
877-927-8387
Chatsworth Vet Center 20946 Devonshire St, Suite 101
Chatsworth, CA 91311
818-576-0201
Chico Vet Center 250 Cohasset Road, Suite 40
Chico, CA 95926
530-899-6300 or
530-899-6300
Citrus Heights Vet Center River City Bank Building 5650 Sunrise Blvd., Suite 150

Citrus Heights, CA 95610

916-535-0420 or
916-535-0420
San Bernardino Vet Center 1325 E. Cooley Drive, Suite 101
Colton, CA 92324
909-801-5762 or
877-927-8387
East Los Angeles Vet Center 5400 E. Olympic Blvd. Suite 140
Commerce, CA 90022
323-728-9966 or
323-728-9966
Concord Vet Center 1333 Willow Pass Road, Suite 106
Concord, CA 94520-7931
925-680-4526 or
925-680-4526
Corona Vet Center 800 Magnolia Avenue Suite 110
Corona, CA 92879
951-734-0525 or
951-734-0525
West Los Angeles Vet Center 5730 Uplander Way Suite 100
Culver City, CA 90230
310-641-0326 or
310-641-0326
Eureka Vet Center 2830 G Street, Suite A
Eureka, CA 95501
707-444-8271 or
707-444-8271
RCS Pacific District 5 Office 420 Executive Court North Suite A
Fairfield, CA 94534
707-646-2988 or
707-646-2988
Fresno Vet Center 1320 E. Shaw Ave, Suite 125
Fresno, CA 93710
559-487-5660 or
877-927-8387
North Orange County Vet Center 12453 Lewis St. Suite 101
Garden Grove, CA 92840
714-776-0161 or
877-927-8387
Los Angeles Vet Center 1045 W. Redondo Beach Blvd. Suite 150
Gardena, CA 90247
310-767-1221 or
877-927-8387
Peninsula Vet Center 345 Middlefield Road, Building 1
Menlo Park, CA 94025
650-617-4300
South Orange County Vet Center 26431 Crown Valley Parkway, Suite 100
Mission Viejo, CA 9269
949-348-6700 or
877-927-8387
Modesto Vet Center 1219 N. Carpenter Rd., Suite 11-12
Modesto, CA 95351
209-569-0713 or
877-927-8387
Oakland Vet Center 7700 Edgewater Drive, Suite 125
Oakland, CA 94621
510-562-7906 or
510-562-7906
Antelope Valley Vet Center 38925 Trade Center Drive, Suites I/J
Palmdale, CA 93551
661-267-1026 or
661-267-1026
North Bay Vet Center 6010 Commerce Blvd., Ste. 145
Rohnert Park, CA 94928
707-586-3295
Sacramento Vet Center 1111 Howe Avenue Suite #390
Sacramento, CA 95825
916-566-7430 or
877-927-8387
San Diego Vet Center 2790 Truxtun Road, Suite 130
San Diego, CA 92106
858-642-1500 or
858-642-1500
San Francisco Vet Center 505 Polk Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
415-441-5051 or
877-927-8387
San Jose Vet Center 5855 Silver Creek Valley Place
San Jose, CA 95138
408-574-9200
San Luis Obispo Vet Center 1070 Southwood Drive
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
805-782-9101 or
805-782-9101
San Marcos Vet Center One Civic Center Dr., Suite 150
San Marcos, CA 92069
855-898-6050 or
877-927-8387
Temecula Vet Center 40935 County Center Drive, Suite A/B
Temecula, CA 92591
951-302-4849 or
951-302-4849
Ventura Vet Center 790 E. Santa Clara St. Suite 100
Ventura, CA 93001
805-585-1860 or
805-585-1860
High Desert Vet Center 15095 Amargosa Rd, Suite 107
Victorville, CA 92394
760-261-5925 or
760-261-5925

Social Security Offices

California’s Social Security offices offer another great resource for seniors looking for assistance. In reaching out to or visiting a Social Security Office, you and your loved one can get a better picture of your social security benefits and what you may be able to put toward assisted living expenses. Of note, Social Security income is not taxable in this state. Below is a list of Social Security Offices in California.

Social Security Office Address Phone
Alhambra Social Security Office 900 S Garfield Ave
Alhambra, CA 91801
1-800-772-1213
Anaheim Social Security Office 900 S Harbor Blvd
Anaheim, CA 92805
1-800-772-1213
Antioch Social Security Office 2508 Verne Roberts Cir
Antioch, CA 94509
1-800-772-1213
Auburn Social Security Office 11855 Edgewood Rd
Auburn, CA 95603
1-866-931-6087
 

Bakersfield Social Security Offices

2575 Haley Street
Bakersfield, CA 93305
1-866-366-9558
5300 Office Park Drive
Bakersfield, CA 93309
1-866-476-1489
Berkeley Social Security Office 2045 Allston Way
Berkeley, CA 94704
1-800-772-1213
Blythe Social Security Office 1287 W Hobson Way
Blythe, CA 92225
1-800-772-1213
Brea Social Security Office 3230 E Imperial Hwy
Brea, CA 92821
1-800-772-1213
Burbank Social Security Office 1420 W Olive Ave
Burbank, CA 91506
1-800-772-1213
Campbell Social Security Office 770 W Hamilton Ave
Campbell, CA 95008
1-800-772-1213
Chatsworth Social Security Office 20439 Nordhoff St
Chatsworth, CA 91311
1-800-772-1213
Chico Social Security Office 1370 E. Lassen Ave
Chico, CA 95973
1-866-964-7585
Chula Vista Social Security Office 626 L Street
Chula Vista, CA 91911
1-800-772-1213
Compton Social Security Office 171 E Compton Blvd
Compton, CA 90220
1-800-772-1213
Crescent City Social Security Office 560 E Hoover Ave
Crescent City, CA 95531
1-855-727-3600
Daly City Social Security Office 355 Gellert Blvd
Daly City, CA 94015
1-800-772-1213
Delano Social Security Office 2234 Girard Street
Delano, CA 93215
1-866-635-0287
El Cajon Social Security Office 846 Arnele Ave
El Cajon, CA 92020
1-800-772-1213
El Centro Social Security Office 3007 N Imperial Ave
El Centro, CA 92243
1-800-772-1213
El Monte Social Security Office 9351 Telstar Ave.
El Monte, CA 91731
1-800-772-1213
Eureka Social Security Office 3144 Broadway
Eureka, CA 95501
1-866-828-1991
Fontana Social Security Offices 10668 Sierra Ave
Fontana, CA 92337
1-800-772-1213
Fountain Valley Social Security Office 17075 Newhope Street Suite B
Fountain Valley, California 92708
1-800-772-1213
Fremont Social Security Office 3100 Mowry Ave
Fremont, CA 94538
1-800-772-1213
 

Fresno Social Security Offices

5140 E Olive Ave
Fresno, CA 93727
 

1-866-366-4918
1-866-931-9041
1-877-311-2640

640 W Locust Avenue
Fresno, CA 93650
865 Fulton Mall
Fresno, CA 93721
Garden Grove Social Security Office 11900 Gilbert St
Garden Grove, California 92841
1-877-452-4198
Gilroy Social Security Office 1059 First Street
Gilroy, California 95020
1-877-452-4198
Glendale Social Security Office 225 W Broadway Suite 600
Glendale, California 91204
1-800-772-1213
Glendora Social Security Office 1165 E Route 66
Glendora, California 91740
1-800-772-1213
Hanford Social Security Office 330 North Harris St Suite 101
Hanford, California 93230
1-855-207-4866
Hayward social Security Office 24301 Southland Dr Suite 500
Hayward, California 94545
1-800-772-1213
Hemet Social Security Office 3095 W Devonshire Ave
Hemet, California 92545
1-800-772-1213
Hollywood Social Security Office 1122 N Vine St
Hollywood, California 90038
1-800-772-1213
Huntington Park Social Security Office 6303 Rugby Avenue
Huntington Park, California 90255
1-800-772-1213
Indio Social Security Office 46845 Monroe Street
Indio, CA 92201
1-800-772-1213
Inglewood Social Security Office 230 East Spruce Avenue
Inglewood, CA 90301
1-800-772-1213
La Mesa Social Security Office 7961 University Ave
La Mesa, CA 91942
1-800-772-1213
Lakeport Social Security Office 991 Parallel Dr
Lakeport, CA 95453
1-800-772-1213
Lakewood Social Security Office 4957 Paramount Blvd
Lakewood, CA 90712
1-866-964-6484
Lancaster Social Security Office 44451 20th Street W
Lancaster, CA 93534
1-866-964-1725
Lodi Social Security Office 1110 W Kettleman Lane
Lodi, CA 95240
1-888-257-2641
Long Beach Social Security Office 2005 Long Beach Blvd
Long Beach, CA 90806
1-800-772-1213
 

Los Angeles Social Security Offices

12429 Avalon Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90061
1-866-366-4918;

1-866-931-9041;

1-877-311-2640

4000 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90010
611 W 6th Street
Los Angeles, CA 90017
1122 W Washington Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90015
3840 Crenshaw Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90008
215 N Soto Street
Los Angeles, CA 90033
11500 W Olympic Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90064
Madera Social Security Office 348 E Yosemite Ave
Madera, CA 93638
1-877-405-1453
Manteca Social Security Office 510 Commerce Ct
Manteca, CA 95336
1-866-320-2587
Merced Social Security Office 600 West Olive Ave
Merced, CA 95348
1-888-632-7069
Mission Viejo Social Security Office 26051 Acero Road
Mission Viejo, CA 92691
1-800-772-1213
Modesto Social Security Office 1521 N Carpenter Rd
Modesto, CA 95351
1-888-748-7698
Montebello Social Security Office 2216 W Beverly Blvd
Montebello, CA 90640
1-800-772-1213
Moreno Social Security Office De Los Lagos
Moreno Valley, CA 92553
1-800-772-1213
Mountain View Social Security Office 1st Floor
Mountain View, CA 94043
1-800-772-1213
Napa Social Security Office 1850 Soscol Ave
Napa, CA 94559
1-800-772-1213
National City Social Security Office 700 E 24th St, Ste A
National City, CA 91950
1-800-772-1213
Needles Social Security Office 1502 Bailey Avenue
Needles, CA 92363
1-800-772-1213
Norwalk Social Security Office 12440 E Imperial Hwy
Norwalk, CA 90650
1-800-772-1213
 

Oakland Social Security Offices

7200 Bancroft Avenue
Oakland, CA 94605
 

1-800-772-1213

360 22nd St
Oakland, CA 94612
Oceanside Social Security Office 2160 S El Camino Real
Oceanside, CA 92054
1-800-772-1213
Ontario Social Security Office 1100 E Holt Blvd
Ontario, CA 91761
1-800-772-1213
Oroville Social Security Office 115 Table Mountain Bl
Oroville, CA 95965
1-866-331-7130
Oxnard Social Security Office 2000 Outlet Center Dr
Oxnard, CA 93036
1-800-772-1213
Palm Springs Social Security Office 4201 E Ramon Rd
Palm Springs, CA 92264
1-800-772-1213
Panorama Social Security Office 14500 Roscoe Blvd
Panorama City, CA 91402
1-800-772-1213
Pasadena Social Security Office 104 N Mentor Avenue
Pasadena, CA 91106
1-800-772-1213
Placerville Social Security Office 3916 Missouri Flat Rd
Placerville, CA 95667
1-877-545-5497
Pomona Social Security Office 960 W Mission Blvd
Pomona, CA 91766
1-800-772-1213
Porterville Social Security Office 890 W Morton Avenue
Porterville, CA 93257
1-866-388-8903
Redding Social Security Office 2660 Park Marina Dr
Redding, CA 96001
1-866-964-1236
Redwood City Social Security Office 601 Allerton St
Redwood City, CA 94063
1-800-772-1213
Richmond Social Security Office 3164 Garrity Way
Richmond, CA 94806
1-800-772-1213
Riverside Social Security Office Parkway South
Riverside, CA 92508
1-800-772-1213
Roseville Social Security Office 910 Cirby Way
Roseville, CA 95661
1-866-348-7830
 

Sacramento Social Security Offices

2424 Arden Way
Sacramento, CA 95825
 

1-855-782-9153

40 Massie Circle
Sacramento, CA 95823
8581 Folsom Blvd
Sacramento, CA 95826
Salinas Social Security Offices 928 East Blanco Rd
Salinas, CA 93901
1-877-600-2857
San Rafael Social Security Office 1001 Lootens Place
San Rafael, CA 94901
1-800-772-1213
San Mateo Social Security Office 800 South Claremont St
San Mateo, CA 94402
1-800-772-1213
San Marcos Social Security Office 367 Via Vera Cruz
San Marcos, CA 92078
1-800-772-1213
San Bernardino Social Security Office 605 N Arrowhead Ave
San Bernardino, CA 92401
1-800-772-1213
 

San Diego Social Security Offices

8505 Aero Dr
San Diego, CA 92123
 

1-800-772-1213

1333 Front Street
San Diego, CA 92101
San Fernando Social Security Offices 456 S F Mission Blvd
San Fernando, CA 91340
1-800-772-1213
San Francisco Social Security Offices 90 7th St
San Francisco, CA 94103
1-800-772-1213
1098 Valencia St
San Francisco, CA 94110
560 Kearny Street
San Francisco, CA 94108
San Jose Social Security Offices 280 S First St
San Jose, CA 95113
1-800-772-1213
6140 Cottle Rd
San Jose, CA 95123
2500 Fontaine Rd
San Jose, CA 95121
San Leandro Social Security Offices 320 Davis Street
San Leandro, CA 94577
1-877-600-2857
San Luis Obispo Social Security Offices 3240 S Higuera St
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
1-855-207-4865
Santa Ana Social Security Office 1851 East First Street
Santa Ana, CA 92705
1-800-772-1213
Santa Barbara Social Security Office 355 Paseo Nuevo
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
1-866-695-6285
Santa Cruz Social Security Office 169 Walnut Avenue
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
1-800-593-8523
Santa Maria Social Security Office 2436 Professional Pkwy
Santa Maria, CA 93455
1-866-331-2316
Santa Rosa Social Security Office 2099 Range Avenue
Santa Rosa, CA 95401
1-877-870-6384
Sonora Social Security Office 745 Morning Star Drive
Sonora, CA 95370
1-888-397-4125
Stockton Social Security Office 4747 Feather River Dr
Stockton, CA 95219
1-877-803-6314
Suisun City Social Security Office 700 Main Street
Suisun City, CA 94585
1-800-772-1213
Susanville Social Security Office 2603 Riverside Dr
Susanville, CA 96130
1-855-420-8563
Thousand Oaks Social Security Office 322 E Thousand Oaks Bl
Thousand Oaks, CA 91360
1-800-772-1213
Torrance Social Security Office 22600 Crenshaw Blvd
Torrance, CA 90505
1-800-772-1213
Ukiah Social Security Office 521 S Orchard Ave
Ukiah, CA 95482
1-888-590-2706
Valencia social Security Office 27200 Tourney Rd
Valencia, CA 91355
1-800-772-1213
Vallejo Social Security Office 106 Plaza Dr
Vallejo, CA 94591
1-800-772-1213
Ventura Social Security Office 6477 Telephone Road
Ventura, CA 93003
1-800-772-1213
Victorville Social Security Office 13955 Park Ave
Victorville, CA 92392
1-800-772-1213
Visalia Social Security Office 1901 E Noble Avenue
Visalia, CA 93292
1-866-344-8475
Walnut Creek Social Security Office 1111 Civic Drive
Walnut Creek, CA 94596
1-800-772-1213
Watsonville Social Security Office 180 Westgate Drive
Watsonville, CA 95076
1-800-521-3385
West Covina Social Security Office 501 S Vincent Ave West
Covina, CA 91790
1-800-772-1213
West Sacramento Social Security Office 825 Riverside Parkway West
Sacramento, CA 95605
1-866-726-8136
Whittier Social Security Office 7200 Greenleaf
Whittier, CA 90602
1-800-772-1213
Yreka Social Security Office 1960 S. Oregon Street
Yreka, CA 96097
1-888-366-6145
Yuba City Social Security Office 355 Percy Avenue Yuba City, CA 95991 1-866-331-5449
Yucca Valley Social Security Office 56492 29 Palms Hwy
Yucca Valley, CA 92284
1-800-772-1213

Assisted Living Laws and Regulations in California

Assisted Living Service Plans

Before developing a service plan, assisted living facilities are required to complete a pre-admission appraisal of the prospective resident. The pre-admission appraisal reviews the following:

  • Functional capacity, which is measured by the ability to perform activities of daily living
  • Mental condition and social factors
  • A physician-conducted medical evaluation that documents medical diagnoses, current health status, any medication and treatments currently used by the resident and any prescribed diet

In California, a written service plan must be developed between the resident, the resident’s representative (if applicable) and the administrator or manager.

The plan must include:

  • a description of the resident’s medical conditions, including any physical, cognitive or behavioral impairments.
  • the level and scope of services the resident receives.
  • the type of services and how often the resident receives them.

Service plans must be updated whenever the resident experiences a significant change in health status to ensure services provided continue to meet his or her needs.

Assisted Living Admission Requirements

Assisted living communities in California cannot accept any resident who requires any of the following services:

  • Access to 24-hour skilled nursing care
  • Care for Stage III and IV dermal ulcers (open sores)
  • Care related to gastrostomies, nasogastric tubes or tracheostomies
  • Treatment for a staph infection or any other serious infection
  • Assistance with ALL activities of daily living
  • Assistance because they are bedridden
  • Ongoing care for a communicable disease
  • Care for mental disorder that causes ongoing behaviors that could be upsetting or disruptive for other residents

Residents must be able to direct their own care and may be admitted if they have a licensed third party help them with certain health conditions, such as administering oxygen, catheter care, diabetes complications, dementia or incontinence.

Assisted Living Scope of Care

Beyond room and board, there are two types of services provided at assisted living communities in California: basic services and care and supervision services. Basic services encompasses:

  • Personal assistance and care
  • Observation and supervision
  • Planned activities
  • Arrangement for obtaining incidental medical and dental care

Meanwhile, care and supervision encompasses the following services:

Assistance with activities of daily living, such as dressing, bathing, other personal hygiene needs, assistance with self-administering medications and monitoring food intake or adherence to a specialized diet.

Assisted living communities in California are required to define the scope of services it provides to residents in writing. For any assisted living community your may be considering, it’s important for you to review the scope of care and services you or your loved one requires to make sure they are able to meet your needs.

Assisted Living Medicaid Policy

Residents may find help with cost coverage through an Assisted Living Waiver available California’s Medicaid program, known as Medi-Cal. The Medicaid waiver can cover medical and care related services for California seniors who live in an assisted living community, but it does not cover expenses for room & board.

Assisted Living Facility Requirements

Assisted living communities in California are not required to provide private apartments for seniors. Arizona may provide residences that are apartment-style or bedrooms which offer single- or double-occupancy. Every unit is required to have one toilet for every 6 residents with a shower or tub for every 10 residents. For seniors who have the Assisted Living Facility Waiver, requirements include private occupancy, with shared occupancy only by residents’ choice, and units must have a refrigerator and cooking appliance.

Medication Management Regulations

Residents may administer their own medication as long as a doctor deems them mentally and physically able to do so. Staff that assist with medication self-administration have to complete coursework, pass an examination and complete hours of training depending on how many residents live in the facility. A nurse, pharmacist or physician must oversee the training and examination.

Staffing Requirements

All assisted living facilities in California must have a licensed administrator and a designee to be available when the administrator is not present. Licensed nurses or appropriately skilled professionals can be hired to provide medication administration or incidental medical services.

With respect to ratios, staffing requirements vary based on how many resident reside in a given facility. For 16 residents or less, there must be staff available in the facility. For 16-100 residents, one staff member must be awake. For 101-200 residents, one staff member must be awake with another on call. An additional wake staff is needed for each additional 100 residents.

Staff Training Requirements

Administrators in assisted living facilities must complete 40 hours of continuing education every 2 years – with at least 8 of those hours being for Alzheimer’s and dementia care training. All personnel at the facility must be trained on the job or have experience in housekeeping and sanitation procedures or skills and knowledge needed to provide care and supervision for residents – which includes safely assisting with prescribed medications and recognizing the early signs of illness. All staff that assist residents directly with activities of daily living must receive at least 10 hours of initial training within the first month of employment and at least 4 additional hours each year.

Background Checks for Assisted Living

A criminal background check, including fingerprint clearance, must be performed on all administrative staff, direct care staff and employees that have frequent contact with the residents. This must be completed prior to the first day of work. Privately paid personal assistants hired by residents must also undergo this background check.

Requirements for Reporting Abuse

There is an online complaint form available through California’s Bureau of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse to conveniently and anonymously register concerns about a community.

California COVID-19 Rules for Assisted Living Facilities

Note: The following information was compiled and most recently updated on 2/22/22. Since COVID-19 is a rapidly evolving crisis, be sure to contact your assisted living facility or local Area Agency on Aging for the most up-to-date information.

COVID-19 Rules in California
Are loved ones allowed to visit residents in their assisted living community? Yes (Conditions Apply)
Are residents required to quarantine after their loved ones visit? No (Conditions Apply
Are loved ones required to wear masks when visiting residents? Yes
Are Hairdressers and other non-medical contractors allowed in assisted living communities? Yes (Conditions Apply
Are visitors screened for elevated temperatures before entering the assisted living community? Yes
Are residents allowed to leave the assisted living community for non-medical reasons? Yes
Are residents who leave required to quarantine when they get back to the assisted living community? No (Conditions Apply)
Are assisted living communities required to cancel all group outings? Not Available*
Are assisted living communities allowed to host group activities within the community? Yes (Conditions Apply)
Are staff members regularly checked for elevated temperatures? Yes
Are staff members regularly tested for COVID-19? Yes
Are residents regularly screened for COVID-19 symptoms? Yes
Are residents regularly checked for elevated temperatures? Yes
Are residents regularly tested for COVID-19? Yes (Conditions Apply)

 

Sources: www.cdph.ca.gov caassistedliving.org

*Note: This information was not available for this state, contact your local area agency on aging or senior living facility for more information.

Learn More About the Best Assisted Living Communities in California's Top Cities

We’ve compiled a list of the best assisted living facilities in each the cities featured below using our unique methodology. View images, base pricing, room types, and more information about these communities by clicking on the links below.