Assisted Living in Maryland

Nestled along the Eastern Seaboard with nearly 4,000 miles of shoreline, the “Old Line State” of Maryland was first settled in 1634 by English colonists and became the seventh state to ratify the constitution in 1788.

Many seniors are attracted to assisted living in Maryland due to the area’s mild climate and varied geography. Nicknamed “America in Miniature,” Maryland boasts everything from sandy dunes to mountains to marshlands. 

With a rich history intimately connected to the founding of the nation, Maryland served as home to a number of famous historical figures including abolitionists Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman, authors Upton Sinclair and Edgar Allen Poe, Blues singer Billie Holiday and baseball player Babe Ruth.

Assisted Living in Maryland Defined

The State of Maryland defines assisted living as a residence that provides housing and supportive services, including supervision, personal assistance and healthcare, to adults who need help with the basic activities of daily living. Facilities of assisted living in Maryland are licensed to provide up to three levels of care: low, moderate and high.

The lowest level of assisted living care includes assistance with personal chores such as bathing and/or dressing for elder residents who are otherwise in good physical and mental health. The highest level of care provides full assistance with all activities of daily living, such as bathing, grooming and eating, memory care services for residents with dementia, and professional management of multiple medications.

Cost of Assisted Living in Maryland

The median cost of assisted living in Maryland is $3,300 per month or $39,600 a year and can vary from less than $1,000 per month to more than $5,000. Costs will depend on size and location of the assisted living facility and on how much care a resident requires.

Here is a list of the average monthly rates* broken down by city for a one-bedroom, single occupancy apartment in a Maryland assisted living facility:

*Genworth Financial 2011 Cost of Care Survey.

Most Maryland residents pay for assisted living using their own personal savings or those of a family member. Medicare, the government’s health plan for adults age 65 and older, does not cover the cost of assisted living care.

Some public assistance is available however, through Medicaid, the federal health plan for low-income citizens, and The Maryland Department of Aging’s Senior Assisted Living Group Home Subsidy Program, which offers financial assistance to senior residents with limited income and assets who reside in selected assisted living facilities housing between 4 and 16 residents.

Regulation of Assisted Living in Maryland

Communities of assisted living in Maryland must be licensed and regulated by the Maryland Department of Health & Mental Hygiene Office of Health Care Quality. The State requires that before beginning employment, all Assisted Living Managers must complete an 80-hour training program that covers topics such as:

• Resident assessment process
• Infection control
• Emergency disaster plans
• Basic CPR and first aid
• Dementia/Alzheimer’s training

All assisted living communities in the state of Maryland are inspected on a regular basis and inspection reports are kept on file to be made available to residents and their families upon request.

Find Assisted Living in Maryland

Browse our comprehensive directory to find assisted living in Silver Spring, Pikesville, Columbia, Baltimore, Towson and other parts of Maryland.

Written by senior housing writer Jacqui Tom.