The 10 Best Assisted Living Facilities in Laguna Niguel, CA for 2024

Laguna Niguel is a suburban city in the southeast corner of Orange County, only minutes from the Pacific coast. In this relatively laid-back city, 19.5% of the 64,000 residents are aged 65+, which is above the U.S. average. For its size, the city is awash with art galleries, museums, movie theaters and music venues and also hosts several art and culture festivals annually.  

Numerous assisted living communities in Laguna Niguel offer personal care services to seniors unable to perform daily living tasks without support. Staff is on hand round-the-clock to help with tasks, such as toileting, and to ensure the right dosage of medications are administered on time. They also prepare meals and ensure personal living spaces are clean and tidy. The median monthly fee for assisted living in Laguna Niguel is $5,250, which is above the national average but equal to California's norm.

This guide considers the benefits and drawbacks of living in Laguna Niguel and the costs of assisted living in relation to other forms of care. It looks at ways to pay for care and lists some free and low-cost resources for seniors and their families.

California's assisted living communities must be licensed by the Department of Social Services. To gain a license, the building must meet construction codes, the staff must be qualified to perform their roles and the facility must comply with fire safety and health and safety regulations. The department conducts surprise inspections and investigates complaints to ensure facilities are still license-worthy.

 

• There is no hospital within Laguna Niguel's city limits but several nearby medical facilities serve the city. They include Providence Mission Hospital Laguna Beach, where orthopedic treatments are ranked among the country's best, and Providence Mission Hospital Mission Viejo, which specializes in cardiovascular and neuroscience services.
• The average cost of living index for Laguna Niguel is very high, at 184 (California's average is 149.9). However, before seniors think the city is too costly, they should realize housing is expensive here, so it distorts the figure. Indices more applicable to seniors in assisted living communities include health care and transportation. In Laguna Niguel, the health care index of 93.4 is below the state's 98.3 and the transportation index of 116.6 is lower than California's 133.1. Therefore, the city may be more affordable than it initially appears.
• Seniors may like Laguna Niguel because of the city's low crime rates. The violent crime index of 9.1/100 is less than half the national average of 22.7 and the property crime index of 21/100 is significantly lower than the country's 35.4. Seniors in assisted living may also feel more secure because staff are on duty round the clock and facilities often install security systems and surveillance cameras.
• Laguna Niguel's climate can realistically be called senior-friendly for several reasons. The city only experiences about 14 inches of rainfall annually, so humidity levels are low, which seniors with respiratory issues may particularly appreciate. It enjoys an additional 68 sunny days above the national average of 205, and since there's no snow, residents needn't be concerned about slippery sidewalks. Winter temperatures rarely dip below 44 degrees, and in summer, highs of a pleasant 88 degrees are normal — so blazing hot days are rare.
• Laguna Niguel has an excellent health cost index of 89/100, which suggests the overall environment is healthier for residents than most locations in the country. The water quality scores 65/100, which is 10 points above the national average, and the air quality is seven points above the country's 58/100. Medical care may be easier to access as there are more physicians per capita.

 

 

The median cost for assisted living in Laguna Niguel is $5,250 per month, although many factors, such as location, can result in higher or lower fees.

Although Laguna Niguel's median cost is $750 per month more than the national average, it is normal for California. For example, seniors in Oxnard pay an additional $500 per month for similar services, while their peers in San Diego pay $225 more. Inland cities are typically more affordable than Laguna Niguel. In Riverside, seniors save $1,250 per month, and in Bakersfield, the saving is $1,500.

Except for adult day care, which has a median fee of $1,652, assisted living is the most affordable type of care in Laguna Niguel, at $5,250. In-home care and home health care agencies both average a monthly fee of $5,911, but this is for 44 hours of care, not including meals and accommodation. Nursing home facilities provide the same care found in assisted living, with the inclusion of medical services, for $9,125, making them the city's costliest option.

While many families use their own funds or personal assets to pay for assisted living, there are plenty of additional options to cover these costs. Some additional ways to finance assisted living costs include:

• Veterans Benefits
• Life Insurance Policy
• Long-Term Care Insurance
• Reverse Mortgage

For more information about different ways to finance assisted living, visit our Assisted Living in California page.