Seniors who find everyday tasks challenging may want to consider the benefits of an assisted living community. Assisted living is a compromise, providing seniors with secure homes, meals prepared by chefs, and rooms cleaned by staff, all while not intruding on the independence of their residents. Costs tend to be around $6,100 per month, about 19.9% above the state average.
This guide covers senior living costs in Alameda and the surrounding areas in more detail. It also reviews the city’s pros and cons and lists some resources for its seniors.
54 Results
801 Island Drive, Alameda, CA, 94502
"The tour at Waters Edge Lodge was very thorough. The gentleman that gave the tour was very friendly and knowledgeable. It was very informative and pleasant. It went well. He showed me probably three or four different floor plans. They have a movie ro..."
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2400 Mariner Square Drive, Alameda, CA, 94501
"We went to Oakmont of Mariner Point. The tour was really good. It's a beautiful facility. The staff was very friendly and very knowledgeable. They're nice people. The floor plans were very nice. I saw probably three different floor plans and they all..."
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1721 Webster Street, Alameda, CA, 94501
4.3
(8 reviews)
"The activities at Elders Inn are nice. My friend is in a very nice one-bedroom apartment with a private bath. The staff is very friendly, and the residents feel so at home there. A guy was playing the guitar and encouraging the residents to participa..."
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2431 Mariner Square Dr., Alameda, CA, 94501
5.0
(8 reviews)
"It was one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen in my life. It was immaculate. The staff was pleasant and kind. I was there around Halloween time, so they were getting ready for a Halloween party. It was rich-looking. It was off the water, you..."
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510 Central Ave, Alameda, CA, 94501
3.0
(1 reviews)
"Everyone was in their room when I went to Bay Harbour Residential Care Home. I didn't see anyone except one man who always sits in the kitchen. The place seemed a little small and I didn't see the residents connecting. They didn't have their activiti..."
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218 Channing Way, Alameda, CA, 94502
"Golden Age Senior Living provides three categories of services: Assisted Living A solution for seniors who need help with daily activiti..."
READ MORECaring's Family Advisors are here to help you with questions about senior living and care options.
117 Nottingham Drive, Alameda, CA, 94502
"Golden Age Senior Living provides three categories of services: Assisted Living A solution for seniors who need help with daily activiti..."
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201 Sweet Road, Alameda, CA, 94502
"Golden Age Senior Living provides three categories of services: Assisted Living A solution for seniors who need help with daily activiti..."
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122 Sheffield Road, Alameda, CA, 94502
4.0
(1 reviews)
"My mother stayed at Harbor Bay Assisted Living, Inc. It was a home setting and it was very clean. The staff that my brother and I met when we first went for a visit was very helpful. We saw some other residents and they seemed to be doing fine. The r..."
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2361 E 29th St, Oakland, CA, 94606
4.3
(67 reviews)
"I toured Pacifica Senior Living Oakland Heights. The community was nice. The building was nice and everything. The person who gave the tour was really nice. She introduced me to another section of the building. They had some patios outside. The outdo..."
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1000 East 14th Street, San Leandro, CA, 94577
"My mom was at Carlton Senior Living San Leandro. The facility is beautiful. They have a restaurant on-site, so the food is very good. It's cooked daily. They have many activities, like movie nights, barbecues, and music. They have almost everything. ..."
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4500 Gilbert Street, Oakland, CA, 94611
4.4
(23 reviews)
"I met with a very nice woman at The Point at Rockridge and she gave me a lovely tour which started with lunch. She said, "Come on over for lunch." It's a delicious free lunch in this large, sunny restaurant for everybody. She's a director there. I as..."
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348 West Juana Ave, San Leandro, CA, 94577
4.5
(19 reviews)
"A friendly, warm tour with staff & residents. We like the open spaces with beautiful decor. We enjoyed the tour by Lisa L for her humor, information giving & joyful spirit. ..."
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345 Davis Street, San Leandro, CA, 94577
4.1
(19 reviews)
"I visited Marymount Villa, and they were excellent. They were very clean, well organized, and they seemed like to have quite a few activities for the seniors; like bingo and music. They had a list of activities. The rooms were pretty spacious, and we..."
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1001 Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, CA, 94109
5.0
(6 reviews)
"Coterie Cathedral Hill was a beautiful facility. The people were very nice. The food was excellent. Everything was nice there, but it was just too expensive. The lady who gave me the tour was very nice. The whole place was immaculate. It was a brand-..."
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11889 Skyline Boulevard, Oakland, CA, 94619
4.8
(9 reviews)
"I went to Ivy Park at Oakland Hills. The woman was great. We toured and we had been there before because I live nearby, but it was like five or six, seven years ago, and now it's been re-purchased or they've remodeled some of the rooms. The tour was ..."
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1850 ALICE, Oakland, CA, 95612
5.0
(3 reviews)
"My experience at Lake Park Senior Living was great. Everything was great. However, I was looking for a facility that was based on my grandmother's income. It's a beautiful facility. I wish we could afford it, but we can't. The lady that gave me the t..."
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9450 Mountain Blvd, Oakland, CA, 94605
5.0
(2 reviews)
"My mother is in Golden Living Guest Home, LLC. It's a board and care for six people. It's bright and cheerful, and they encourage the people to engage in activities. I haven't had that much contact with the staff, but they seem very nice. I'm very pl..."
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2100 San Pablo Ave, Berkeley, CA, 94702
5.0
(1 reviews)
"We went to Elegance Berkeley. It was extremely modern. Everything was very clean. The people that we met were nice. The facility is fairly new, so everything looked very, very nice...."
READ MOREThe Community Care Licensing Division, part of the California Department of Social Services, is responsible for ensuring licensed assisted living facilities comply with the terms of their licenses. Its work includes investigating complaints about facilities, conducting unannounced inspections and training staff in facilities to ensure they are fully aware of licensing conditions. The division also revokes licenses from noncompliant owners.
Figures published in the 2020 Genworth Cost of Care Survey show that seniors in Alameda typically pay $6,100 per month to reside in their assisted living communities, a figure that’s $1,100 more than the California average and $1,800 above typical costs throughout the country.
Although Alameda’s average monthly costs are high, they’re not the most expensive in the area. Seniors pay an additional $150 per month for similar services in Napa and $700 in Santa Cruz. Approximately 45 minutes from Alameda, in San Jose, costs are $225 lower, and in Stockton, seniors can save an additional $2,600 per month.
Alameda
$6,100
California
$5,000
The United States
$4,300
Santa Cruz
$6,800
San Jose
$5,875
Stockton
$3,500
Napa
$6,250
The most affordable type of senior care is in adult day care centers, where fees average at $1,950 per month. Home care, home health care and assisted living have almost identical fees, despite offering different services. Home care costs average $6,101, as does home health care which includes medical support, while $6,100 pays for accommodation and care in an assisted living community. Nursing home care is the most costly, averaging $12,471 for a semiprivate room and $15,208 for a private room per month.
Home care
$6,101
Home health care
$6,101
Adult day health care
$1,950
Assisted living
$6,100
Nursing home (semiprivate room)
$12,471
Nursing home (private room)
$15,208
Note: Data for Alameda was unavailable, so data for the nearest city, San Franciso, was used instead.
Eligible seniors can find financial assistance services in Alameda through both the Medicaid 1915(c) Assisted Living Waiver Program, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and the optional state supplement (OSS).
Learn more about these programs, plus who’s eligible, on our Assisted Living in California page.
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:
For more information about different ways to finance assisted living, visit our Assisted Living in California page.
Alameda offers its seniors a wide range of free and subsidized resources, enabling them to live more fruitful lives in the city. Below are a few resources that can help with medical care, low-cost transportation, dealing with care quality issues and helping out in the community.
| Resource | Contact | Service |
|---|---|---|
| Long-Term Care Ombudsman | (510) 577-1900 | The Long-Term Care Ombudsman advocates for seniors residing in assisted living communities and other types of senior care. It’s a free service managed by the Alameda County Area Agency on Aging. Ombudsmen regularly visit assisted living facilities to conduct basic inspections and ensure seniors are aware of their rights. If a resident, their family or a third party makes a complaint, the ombudsman will investigate and pursue a resolution with the facility’s manager. Seniors comparing assisted living facilities as potential new homes can request information about them from the ombudsman, such as their inspection reports. |
| Alameda County Social Services Agency | (510) 271-9100 | Alameda County Social Services Agency is a multi-resource organization that focuses on enhancing the social and economic well-being of all age groups in the county. Seniors can call to get information about several resources, such as cooling centers set up during periods of extreme heat, the office of the Public Administrator to discuss wills and estates and multiple transportation options across the county. |
| San Francisco VA Medical Center | (415) 221-4810 | The VA Medical Center provides many services for veterans. These include dental care, geriatric teaching programs, rehab following cardiac arrest and mental health support. There are also numerous clinics near Alameda, such as the Oakland Outpatient Clinic and the Fremont VA Clinic. It’s strongly recommended that vets call before visiting clinics as walk-in appointments aren’t available. |
| ReCares Medical Equipment Reuse | (510) 251-2273 | ReCares is a nonprofit organization that accepts donations of usable medical equipment to pass on to low-income residents of Alameda, including seniors. Some items, such as commodes and front-wheel walkers, are always available. However, other items, such as wheelchairs and walkers with seats, can be more difficult to acquire, although they are provided when available. The organization operates from three sites based in Oakland, San Francisco and Marin County. |
Alameda-area assisted living communities must adhere to the comprehensive set of state laws and regulations that all assisted living communities in California are required to follow. Visit our Assisted Living in California page for more information about these laws.
Assisted Living
Suzanne
5
Review of Waters Edge Lodge
The tour at Waters Edge Lodge was very thorough. The gentleman that gave the tour was very friendly and knowledgeable. It was very informative and pleasant. It went well. He showed me probably...
Assisted Living
Suzanne
5
Review of Oakmont of Mariner Point
We went to Oakmont of Mariner Point. The tour was really good. It's a beautiful facility. The staff was very friendly and very knowledgeable. They're nice people. The floor plans were very nice. I...
Assisted Living
Rosalind
5
Review of Cardinal Point
It was one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen in my life. It was immaculate. The staff was pleasant and kind. I was there around Halloween time, so they were getting ready for a Halloween...
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