This site is sponsored by Senior Care Options tm.   We draw on over 30 years experience in the senior living industry,  so we understand family issues and all of the living and care alternatives that are available.

Your Unique Situation
Obviously,  each individual senior and family represents a unique scenario that must be understood.   You have certain known and specific needs and desires but there may also be assessments made by health professionals in order to round out your complete story.  Location will be important.  Whether your family is researching Board and Care Homes in San Diego,  Assisted Living in Oceanside or Memory Care in Carlsbad,  you will need to consider the competing realities of physical and medical needs,  as well as,  desires,  preferences,  lifestyles and financial matters.

There will be lots of options,  but they will not all work.

After considering all of your own wants and needs,  as well as,  known licensing of individual facilities and residential homes in the local area,  it is finally possible to review realistic options.   In fact,  you will likely have a number of viable options that cover a wide range of services and styles.

Your Options
The matrix of senior care and senior facilities available in Southern California is vast and complex.   Many feasible senior living options are available in different settings,  i.e.  large communities or small residential homes.  Sometimes a typical home residence is a best fit.  But, in many other cases the amenities and activities of a larger community will be the obvious choice,  especially for active seniors.

While there are thousands of solutions,  realities of licensing,  cost,  and your needs will significantly narrow the search.

Your goal will be to find the best fit.
You've probably heard of assisted living, nursing facilities and memory care.  These are general classifications.   However,  individual business and organization models create an assortment of capabilities and styles that may or may not fall cleanly into these typical classifications.   A particular operation and home may cross several boundaries.

You will want to know the different types of facilities or homes in your target area.   You'll need to be familiar with the type of residents that are typically living at these homes and what type of care and resources are available.

Review the various classifications of senior living alternatives in San Diego area…⇓

Obviously,  many seniors are quite self sufficient.  An "Independent Living" property provides a level of security, and often healthy meals, but does not typically offer significant care offerings.  In fact,  they are not licensed to provide care.   Sometimes,  residents of these properties do have their own outside care givers who provide some assistance.

"IL" communities normally are home to age 55 and over populations.   Independent Living properties may be ideal for an active senior that would benefit from some activity structure and regular meals,  but who is not in need of medical supervision or care for serious memory issues.  IL communities generally offer several options for housekeeping,  dining,  transportation and activities.
Senior Living really can be "The Golden Years" and will, in any case, provide security,  social interaction and good nutrition.

Assisted Living properties offer a wide range of service and care. The Assisted Living option is frequently required when some level of care is needed.  In any case, amenities,  nutrition, activities and supervision round out a secure and active living plan in "AL" properties.


An Assisted Living community is licensed as an RCFE (Residential Care Facility for the Elderly) facility in California.  Assisted Living is one of the more common types of senior living solutions in the San Diego area and Southern California.   This type of senior living and care is well suited for a wide range of senior and family situations.  Assisted Living communities can provide limited medical supervision  (i.e.  assistance with medicines).  However,  they are considered non–medical facilities.  This means they are not licensed to provide more intense care requiring 24 hour nursing  (offered by skilled nursing facilities).

Many Assisted Living communities do offer programs that accommodate a variety of memory care options,  such as memory enhancement classes,  or a secure memory care⁄dementia wing.

Assisted Living communities are also very popular because of the range of care and living styles that are available for individual seniors.  In fact,  Assisted Living communities in the San Diego area enable some of the best alternatives for evolving senior physical requirements. This can help minimize the need for future moves caused by changing care needs.  These facilities are staffed with caregivers and housekeepers to provide assistance,  and may have limited nursing oversight for assessments and medication schedules.  AL communities normally offer nice dining alternatives and lots of activities.

Many seniors benefit from supervision,  stimulation and specialized care in a residence or community that offers memory care and dementia care programs.  Properties that offer these capabilities serve individuals with mild or more severe dementia.

While many Assisted Living communities and board and care homes are set up to offer care and residence for memory–challenged residents,  certain facilities are more focused on memory care programs.  These communities support the unique needs for memory care through special programs,  and they are also designed to be secure homes for seniors who need this level of attention. It's important to note that senior medical and memory assessments may evolve over time.   This may cause a change in required care,  more secure living environments and specific memory care capabilities.  A senior with severe memory issues might be well served by moving directly to a community that is focused on memory care or an Assisted Living community with known memory program capabilities.

Unfortunately,  some of us require medical care and supervision provided by properties offering 24 hour nursing.   Skilled Nursing Facilities may be used for a temporary stay,  but,  in any case,  are needed in certain cases that cannot be served by Assisted Living or Independent Living operations.

Certain seniors require more availability of nursing or medical care.  Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs) are licensed by the Dept.  of Health Services.  These facilities provide care and treatment of diagnosed conditions and wounds.  The diagnosis might be initiated by a doctor's assessment and might be based on needs for wound care or health conditions which are specifically prohibited in Assisted Living properties.  Skilled Nursing Facilities are licensed to provide this type of medical support.

A Residential or Board and Care home is a family–style home in a residential neighborhood setting.  A Board and Care is typically,  but not always,  licensed for 6 residents. There are Board and Care homes scattered throughout San Diego and Southern California.  Core strengths will differ from one home to the next,   but these are frequently good solutions for seniors with a range of capabilities and needs,   including memory care.

Like Assisted Living communities,   Board and Care homes are licensed as RCFE (Residential Care Facility for the Elderly) and offer "Assisted Living" .  As you might expect,   the residential setting is low key and home-like.  Individual homes may be high end and luxurious,   while others are more casual.  Available care depends on the home.  Usually they offer a wide range of care,  but are not skilled nursing facilities.

A Continuity of Care model is used by some companies and properties.  Some of these are classified as "Continuing Care Retirement Communities" or "CCRC".

This is a concept where, regardless of one's evolving health,  the management of these operations maintain care and facilities that can serve changing senior needs over time.  These kinds of properties vary widely in cost and scope.  Actually,  many Assisted Living and Residential homes offer on‐going and flexible support systems to some extent… although integrated skilled nursing capabilities are less common.

A number of large,  exclusive, senior living "buy–in" alternatives are available in the CCRC classification in San Diego County.   Typically, they accommodate seniors who have a vigorous lifestyle,  but also offer these same seniors the assurance that they will be taken care of as their needs change.

There is a variety of care available to seniors for care at home.  Some in–home providers are focused on non–medical services like meals and errands.  Other  "caregivers" provide some of the same type of care that is available in an Assisted Living community.  These in–home services will make sense in certain situations,  but may be costly if significant 24 hour assistance is needed.

Sometimes in–home care is used as an interim solution that satisfies a temporary need for convalescence or as a stop–gap until a commitment is finally made to move to a managed senior community.


An analysis of your specific senior situation will help to determine if in–home providers will be a good choice.  Seniors and families will need to ensure that in–home providers have liability insurance,  background clearances and training programs for the care staff.  In fact,  new California regulations are designed to help families and seniors using home care services.  So, families will want to determine that home care providers in San Diego are compliant with the most recent California and local regulations.

Hospice service is a very special type of in–home care for terminal individuals. Specially trained hospice care workers provide welcome sensitivity and advanced abilities to ensure comfort is emphasized for their clients.

Senior living alternatives and in–home senior care are well represented in San Diego County.   Virtually every class and type of senior living and care is available from north to south.  While there is a good assortment of facilities⁄communities⁄homes spread across the county,  relative costs and geographical convenience will frequently determine best fits for individual situations.

Larger Independent Living,  Assisted Living and Skilled Nursing Facilities are well dispersed throughout the county and all of the major corporate providers are well represented.  Memory Care is available in various types of properties,  so this is a bit more difficult to pin down.   More than half of the large and small facilities can accommodate memory care needs.



Once the desired type of senior care and living option is determined,  then choosing a neighborhood will narrow the focus.  Actually,  San Diego area and Southern California are considered hot spots for Assisted Living,  senior living and retirement,  so there are many alternatives to choose from.

Speaking of our local San Diego resources,  an encouraging aspect of senior memory and dementia care,  here,  is that some San Diego area universities and businesses are considered innovators in the fields of memory and dementia diagnosis, as well as,  state of the art memory care methods.  In fact,  some of the local senior living operations,  especially in La Jolla and North San Diego County areas,  partner with universities on research and discovery.

Residential senior living is also well represented in the San Diego area.  Board and Care senior homes can be found in nearly all neighborhoods.  Of course,  they range in cost accordingly.

Here is a very rough distribution of senior facilities,  by type. The numbers are only estimates:

San Diego Assisted Living Communities	22
San Diego Memory Care Communities	4
San Diego Board and Care Homes	20+
Chula Vista Assisted Living Communities	7
Chula Vista Memory Care Communities	2
Chula Vista Board and Care Homes	20+
Mid and East County Assisted Living Communities	10+
Mid and East County Memory Care Communities	4
Mid and East County Board and Care Homes	20+
Poway Assisted Living Communities	8
Poway Memory Care Communities	2
Poway Board and Care Homes	20+

North County is heavily populated with senior living options.  A breakdown by cities:

Carlsbad Assisted Living Communities	5
Carlsbad Memory Care Communities	1
Carlsbad Board and Care Homes	30+
Encinitas Assisted Living Communities	3
Encinitas Memory Care Communities	2
Encinitas Board and Care Homes	10+
Escondido Assisted Living Communities	14
Escondido Memory Care Communities	2
Escondido Board and Care Homes	30+
Oceanside Assisted Living Communities	4
Oceanside Memory Care Communities	0
Oceanside Board and Care Homes	20+
San Marcos Assisted Living Communities	3
San Marcos Memory Care Communities	0
San Marcos Board and Care Homes	20+
Vista Assisted Living Communities	3
Vista Memory Care Communities	1
Vista Board and Care Homes	20+

San Diego County Skilled Nursing Facilities	15+
San Diego County Senior Home Care Agencies	35+
San Diego County Hospice Agencies	15+

Medi-Cal Assistance
In some cases,  a "Medi–Cal" based "Assisted Living Waiver" program is available to provide some assistance with costs of senior living.  There are strict income qualification requirements and only a very select group of properties are certified to offer this option to residents.
See http://www.dhcs.ca.gov/services/ltc/Pages/AssistedLivingWaiver.aspx

Veteran’s Programs
The Veteran's Administration "Aid & Attendance" benefit is a valuable program for veterans,  their caregivers and their spouses.  Seniors and loved ones may be eligible to receive benefits that can help pay for care at home or in a facility.  There are strict qualification requirements.
See http://benefits.va.gov/pension/

Council on Aging Association SD County
Council on Aging San Diego promotes the independence,  health and dignity of older adults through compassion,  education and advocacy.
See http://sdccoa.com/index.html

Alzheimer's Association San Diego
The Alzheimer's Association San Diego develops methods,  training and benchmarks for diagnosis and assistance with dementia and memory care programs.
See http://www.alzsd.org/

Low Income Housing
Cities and county offer an assortment of programs to help locate and,  in some cases,  help pay for low income housing.  The availability is scattered and a fair amount of research is required to uncover assistance in different areas.

Thousands of families have gone before you,  dealing with the same age concerns as you are facing.  How?  They get help.

A family and senior placement consultant,  with senior living experience,  can provide invaluable assistance with your senior home and care questions,  challenges and options.   Your advisor wants to help and advise you with difficult senior living choices.

In this stressful time,  you are not alone!