Assisted Living in Elk Grove, CA

Assisted Living Costs in Elk Grove

According to Genworth’s 2018 Cost of Care study, assisted living in Elk Grove costs are comparable to the state average of $4,500 and higher than the national average of $4,000. Costs for assisted living care are significantly lower in nearby Stockton ($3,500) and Yuba City ($3,679), while along the coast in Napa ($5,425), San Francisco ($5,500) and Santa Cruz ($5,595), assisted care costs are much higher. 

Note: Senior care cost data wasn’t available for Elk Grove, so data for the closest city, Sacramento, was used. 

Cost of Assisted Living Comparison Chart

• Elk Grove/Sacramento area: $4,473
• National average: $4,000
• State average: $4,500
• Yuba City: $3,679
• Stockton: $3,500
• Napa: $5,425
• San Francisco: $5,500
• Santa Cruz: $5,595
• Modesto: $3,200

Care Cost Comparison

Senior care costs are based on the location, the level of care and the type of service needed. In Elk Grove, nursing home care costs are nearly double the cost of assisted living, while in-home care from a home health aide or homemaker service costs slightly more than assisted living. 

Seniors who want to compare the true costs of in-home care options with assisted living need to also consider the additional expenses involved with maintaining a home, such as rent, utility payments and property upkeep. Generally speaking, residential services for seniors include room and board, meals, personal assistance and recreational activities. 

• Assisted living: $4,473
• Homemaker services: $4,767
• Home health aide: $4,957
• Adult day health: $1,733
• Nursing home care (semiprivate room): $8,517

Financial Assistance for Assisted Living in Elk Grove

Medicaid in California

Medicaid is a national health insurance program designed to provide low-income, low-asset Americans with access to basic health care services. It’s jointly funded by federal and state governments. 

In California, Medicaid is known as Medi-Cal and is operated by the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS). Seniors who qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) automatically qualify for free Medi-Cal coverage, while seniors age 65 and older who have incomes and assets below the maximums set by Medi-Cal, may be eligible for full-scope coverage through the Aged and Disabled Federal Poverty Level Program (A&D FLP).

Individual senior Medi-Cal applicants may earn no more than $1,242 per month and own no more than $2,000 in countable assets, while couples applying together must earn less than $1,682 per month and own less than $3,000 in countable assets to qualify for free Medi-Cal coverage under the A&D FLP. 

Countable income includes money from all sources, such as pensions, wages and alimony, while countable assets are cash, bank account balances, stocks, bonds and all real estate, except for the applicant’s principle residence, regardless of the current market value of the home.

Personal belongings like clothing, jewelery, furniture and one vehicle are exempt, as are non-revocable burial trusts. 

There is also a 30-month look-back period that audits any assets that were given away or sold by the applicant in the 30 months immediately preceding the Medi-Cal application in the asset evaluation. This look-back period is designed to deter seniors from disposing of assets that could have been used to fund their health care coverage. 

Medi-Cal applicants who disposed of countable assets during the look-back period may be penalized with a period of ineligibility for Medi-Cal coverage as determined by a formula that divides the total value of the assets by the current monthly private-pay nursing home rate. 

Seniors with monthly income and/or countable assets which exceed the allowable limits under the A&D FLP may still qualify for Medi-Cal Share of Cost (SOC) coverage through the Aged, Blind and Disabled – Medically Needy Program (ABN-MN). 

The ABN-MN program requires that seniors contribute towards the monthly cost of their Medi-Cal coverage. The monthly SOC rates are based on the applicants’ income, and in many cases this can make the cost of Medi-Cal coverage prohibitively high. 

Seniors aged 65 and older who qualify for no-cost Medi-Cal coverage and require the level of senior care normally provided in a nursing home due to medical needs may be eligible for additional support services through the Assisted Living Waiver (ALW) program. 

The ALW program aims to reduce the number of California seniors placed in nursing homes by providing extra care services to seniors in an assisted living environment or public subsidized housing. Cost of Share Medi-cal members are not eligible for the ALW program. 

Seniors who meet the ALW eligibility criteria and would prefer to reside in an assisted living environment rather than a nursing home can contact the local Care Coordination Agency (CCA), Norcal, and ask to be assessed by a registered nurse. 

ALW services vary based on each senior’s needs as outlined in an Individual Service Plan (ISP). Services may include: 

• Homemaker and/or home care aide services
• Skilled intermittent nursing 
• Medication management and/or administration by an RN or LVN
• Medical transportation and escorts to medical appointments
• An emergency call system that connects seniors with an on-site staff member
• Physical, speech, occupational and/or respiratory therapy

There are a limited number of ALW slots statewide. Seniors who are approved for the program may be on a wait-list. 

To learn more about the Assisted Living Waiver program for seniors living in Elk Grove and Sacramento County, contact Norcal at (916) 386-2784.

For Medi-Cal inquires and application assistance, call the Medi-CalFresh Service Center at (916) 874-3100.

Other Financial Assistance Programs for Assisted Living

Optional State Supplementation

California seniors aged 65 or older who qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) may be eligible for additional benefits for use towards the room-and-board portion of assisted living costs. 

The State of California supplements eligible seniors living in an assisted living facility who receive SSI. When combined with the federal SSI payment, the OSS can bring the total monthly income up to a maximum of $1,194.37 for a single senior and $2,388.74 for a senior couple. 

For more information about the Optional State Supplementation program, contact the Sacramento Social Security office at (866) 708-3208. 

Veterans Aid and Attendance Benefits

Veterans who receive a regular VA pension and also need assistance daily from a caregiver due to a disability may be eligible for pension top up funds under the Aid and Attendance program. 

To qualify, Veterans need to meet at least one of the following criteria: 

• Reside in a nursing home to receive care for a physical and or mental disability
• Have vision tested at 5/200 or worse when wearing glasses or have concentric contraction of the visual field measuring five or fewer degrees
• Need assistance from a caregiver daily to manage activities of daily living, such as dressing, grooming, bathroom help or installing a prosthesis
• Be bedridden 

Veterans Housebound Allowance

The Veterans Housebound Allowance is a pension top up allowance for Veterans who meet all of the following requirements: 

• Currently receiving or are eligible to receive a VA pension
• Have a disability rating of 100 percent
• Confined to their principle residence due to a disability 

Note that the disabilities do not need to be service related. 

For more information about the VA Aid and Attendance Benefits and the Veterans Housebound Allowance contact Sacramento County Veterans Services at (916) 874-6811 or call the Sacramento Vet Center at (916) 556-7430. 

Assisted Living Resources in Elk Grove

Elk Grove Senior Centers

Senior centers in Elk Grove and nearby Sacramento offer a wide range of low-cost social and recreational activities for older adults, including exercise classes, creative arts groups, book clubs and weekly bingo games. 

Senior Center of Elk Grove
8830 Sharkey Avenue, Elk Grove, CA 95624
(916) 685-3160

Ethel MacLeod Hart Senior Center
915 27th Street, Sacramento, CA 95816
(916) 808-5462

Community Assistance Agencies

Seniors in Elk Grove who need help navigating senior care services, accessing health care benefits and completing tax returns can contact the Senior Center of Elk Grove. The Senior Center also offers a number of health-related support services for seniors, including neuropathy and Alzheimer’s support groups. 

Senior Center of Elk Grove
8830 Sharkey Avenue, Elk Grove, CA 95624
(916) 685-3160

Social Security Office
40 Massie Circle, Sacramento, CA 95823
(866) 708-3208

Veteran Centers and Clinics

Veterans and their survivors can access information about veterans benefits, get help applying for VA programs and participate in specialized social groups and therapy at the Sacramento Vet Center and the Sacramento County Veterans Services. Veterans in Elk Grove can access VA inpatient and outpatient health services at the Sacramento VA Medical Center.

Sacramento VA Medical Center
10535 Hospital Way, Mather, CA 95665-4200
(916) 843-7000

Sacramento Vet Center
1111 Howe Avenue, Suite #390, Sacramento CA 95825
(916) 566-7430

Sacramento County Veterans Services
2007 19th Street, Sacramento CA 95818
(916) 874-6811