Assisted Living in Anaheim, CA

Assisted Living Costs in Anaheim

Anaheim’s assisted living care, at $4,500 per month, is on par with the California average, according to Genworth’s 2018 Cost of Care study. However, it’s $500 more expensive per month than the national average. 

The cost of assisted living varies significantly throughout California. Seniors in Bakersfield pay the lowest prices in the state at just $3,150 per month. California’s most expensive assisted living care, which is found in the Santa Cruz area, costs $5,595 per month. Other cities, including Sacramento, cost about the same as Anaheim.

Note: Senior care cost data for Anaheim was not available, so data for the Los Angeles area, the closest major city, was used.

The Cost of Assisted Living in Surrounding Areas

Care Cost Comparison

While many factors influence the cost of senior care, the type of care a senior needs is the most significant. Seniors who require adult day health care can expect to pay $1,565 per month, which is approximately one-third the price of assisted living. Seniors with intensive healthcare needs pay $7,604 per month to live in nursing homes, over $4,000 more than their counterparts in assisted living.

At $4,767 per month, in-home senior care options cost slightly more than care in an assisted living facility. However, these in-home prices only include the cost of the care itself, not the other expenses involved with living at home, like rent, utilities or groceries. These types of expenses are generally included in assisted living facilities’ pricing.

Senior Care Cost Comparison Chart

Financial Assistance for Assisted Living in Anaheim

Medicaid in California

Medicaid is a government-sponsored program that provides health coverage to qualified Americans, such as children, pregnant women and seniors. The federal government and the states jointly fund the program. In California, Medicaid is known as Medi-Cal. Medi-Cal provides coverage for many essential medical services, including:

• Physician services
• Hospital services, including emergency room services
• Ambulance services
• Medical supplies and equipment
• Physical therapy
• Podiatry
• Skilled nursing facility services
• Home health services

In addition to these services, Medi-Cal may offer coverage for assisted living care through two waiver programs. These programs, the Multipurpose Senior Service Program and the Assisted Living Waiver, are explained in detail below.

Anaheim residents may qualify for Medi-Cal if they meet certain income and resource requirements. One-person households are limited to $16,146 in yearly income and $2,000 in countable resources. Two-person households may qualify if they earn less than $21,892 per year and have less than $3,000 in resources. Resources include bank balances and stocks and exclude the primary residence and one motor vehicle.

In addition, the program has citizenship requirements. Participants need to be either U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, legal aliens or permanent residents.

Seniors whose income is over the Medicaid limit may be eligible if they pay a Share of Cost. In this program, seniors pay their excess income toward their medical bills, and once they’ve spent enough, Medi-Cal kicks in. The share of cost resets every month.

To apply for Medi-Cal, fill out an online application or call (800) 300-1506. Seniors who get Supplemental Security Income usually get Medi-Cal automatically and don’t need to apply.

Multipurpose Senior Service Program

The Multipurpose Senior Service Program is offered to seniors who qualify for nursing home care but who would rather live at home or in an assisted living facility. The program provides a variety of services to help seniors safely live in the community. These include:

• Adult day health care
• Personal care assistance
• Protective supervision
• Transportation
• Meal services

Seniors who are aged 65 or older may qualify for this program if they’re eligible for Medi-Cal coverage and live within an MSSP site’s service area. When making eligibility determinations, MSSP sites also consider the cost of a senior’s care. MSSP services must be provided at a lower price than nursing home care, so seniors with very high health care needs may not be eligible.

The MSSP site for Anaheim and the rest of Orange County is CalOptima. Seniors who want to participate in the program can call CalOptima at (714) 246-8400 to apply or to learn more. It’s important to note that the MSSP program can only serve 11,789 seniors per month. Interested seniors should apply as soon as possible since there may be a waiting list.

Assisted Living Waiver Program

Like the MSSP, the Assisted Living Waiver program is for seniors who require a nursing home level of care but want to live somewhere else. Seniors who live in their own homes or in an assisted living facility have access to three benefits through this waiver:

• Assisted living services, which provides for personal care, skilled nursing, medication assistance, meals and housekeeping
• Care coordination, which includes identifying and coordinating services that seniors need
• Nursing facility transition care coordination, which helps nursing home residents move back into the community

Seniors may be eligible for the ALW program if they’re enrolled in Medi-Cal with full coverage. Medi-Cal participants who have a spend-down requirement (also called share of cost) aren’t eligible.

Seniors who already have Medi-Cal coverage can apply by contacting a Care Coordination Agency. Registered nurses at CCAs conduct assessments to determine seniors’ care needs. Orange County’s CCA is Access TLC Home Health Care, and it can be reached at (818) 551-1900.

Seniors who don’t have Medi-Cal coverage need to apply before they can receive ALW services. When applying, seniors should mention the need for long-term care.

Other Financial Assistance Programs for Assisted Living

Veterans Affairs Aid and Attendance

Veterans who live in assisted living facilities may be able to get help paying for care through the Veterans Affairs Aid and Attendance program. This program provides monthly top-up funding to seniors who already get a basic VA pension.

To be eligible for this program, seniors need to meet at least one of these criteria:

• Require another person’s help to complete daily tasks
• Be bedridden due to a disability
• Be a patient in a nursing home
• Be legally blind

Seniors who meet the program’s requirements can apply in person at their local regional benefit office. Seniors who can’t travel to this office can apply by sending a written request to their Pension Management Center.

For more information, call Veterans Affairs at (844) 698-2311.

Optional State Supplementation

Low-income seniors across the country may receive monthly payments from the Supplemental Security Income program. Some states, including California, provide additional monthly funding to seniors who live in assisted living facilities. This funding, which is called optional state supplementation, helps seniors pay for room and board.

Single seniors can receive a maximum of $262.65 in OSS funding, while couples can receive as much as $824.60. This benefit amount may be reduced if seniors earn other income.

Anaheim residents may be eligible for SSI and OSS if they’re 65 or older and have a low income. To apply, call the Social Security Administration at (800) 772-1213.

Assisted Living Resources in Anaheim

Senior Centers

Some of the city’s community centers offer recreational and social programming for seniors. Seniors can take foreign language classes, stay active in low-impact fitness classes and learn new arts and crafts skills.

Brookhurst Community Center 
2271 W Crescent Ave, Anaheim, CA 92801
(714) 765-3373

Downtown Community Center 
250 E Center St, Anaheim, CA 92805
(714) 765-4500 

East Anaheim Community Center 
8201 E Santa Ana Canyon Rd, Anaheim, CA 92808
(714) 765-3904

Resources for Veterans

Eligible seniors can visit the local VA clinic for their healthcare needs. More Veterans Affairs resources are available in nearby Los Angeles, including a VA hospital. LA’s regional benefit office helps senior veterans get the pensions and benefits they’ve earned through their military service.

Anaheim VA Clinic 
2569 W Woodland Dr, Anaheim, CA 92801
(714) 763-5300 

Los Angeles Regional Benefit Office 
11000 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90024
(800) 827-1000

West Los Angeles Medical Center 
11301 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90073
(310) 478-3711

Area Agency on Aging

The local AAA provides information about assisted living, senior centers, Medicaid waivers and other areas of interest to seniors. The office also connects seniors to services that can help them age with dignity.

Office on Aging 
1300 S Grand Ave, Bldg B, Santa Ana, CA 92705
(714) 480-6450