The 10 Best Assisted Living Facilities in Dunedin, FL for 2023

Located on Florida’s Gulf Coast, Dunedin offers its 36,000 residents award-winning beaches, numerous restaurants serving local and international dishes and a vibrant arts and culture scene. Its appeal to older citizens is apparent, as seniors comprise 36.3% of the population (the national average is 16.8%). Dunedin offers them below-average crime rates, excellent health care facilities and a senior-friendly climate.

There are many assisted living facilities in and around Dunedin, each providing seniors with nonmedical care services. These include assistance with daily living tasks, such as bathing, and managing their medications. Care extends to on-site programs designed to promote healthier living while being mentally and emotionally engaging. There’s typically a choice of private and semiprivate rooms cleaned regularly by housekeepers, and chefs prepare three nutritionally balanced meals daily. Dunedin’s typical monthly fee is $3,350, which is significantly lower than the state and national averages.

This guide contains an overview of the advantages and disadvantages of living in Dunedin, likely costs for assisted living and various financial assistance programs. It also lists some free resources and explains the rules and regulations governing assisted living in the city.

The Florida Agency for Health Care Administration’s Bureau of Health Facility Regulation is responsible for issuing licenses to assisted living facilities. Approved facilities must comply with strict regulations relating to resident care, staff training, building codes, fire safety and health and safety. A license lasts 2 years but can be revoked if the facility’s standards fall below minimum levels.

• According to Sperling’s BestPlaces, Dunedin has an average cost of living index of 106.4, which is above the state and national averages of 103.1 and 100, respectively. Before discounting Dunedin as a potential new home, seniors should know the primary driver is the city’s housing costs, which are unlikely to affect assisted living residents.
• Seniors looking for a city with below-average crime rates may wish to consider Dunedin. Violent crime is approximately 25% lower than the U.S. average (which is below Florida’s norm), and crimes involving property are around 15.5% lower.
• Florida’s famed climate attracts many seniors to Florida, and Dunedin’s is among the best in the state. Although precipitation in the summer months is responsible for some uncomfortably muggy days, temperatures hover around an agreeable 90 degrees F. Winter lows of 51 degrees F mean it rarely gets cold, and the city experiences almost 40 more days of sunshine than normal for the country.
• Dunedin has an above-average health cost index of 98.5/100, suggesting its environment is healthier than many in Florida. It’s a combination of reasonably good quality water and significantly better air coming in from the Gulf. The city is also successfully cleaning up contaminated land as part of the EPA’s Superfund project, and it averages over 60 more physicians per 100,000 people than the national average.
• Mease Dunedin Hospital is the primary medical care provider in the city. It’s a 120-bed facility that handles all common ailments affecting older adults, including cancer, heart conditions, diabetes, pulmonology and orthopedics. Surrounding cities house several more hospitals, and the many located in Tampa are only 40 minutes away.
• Dunedin’s commitment to being the best it can be for seniors is illustrated by the city joining the AARP’s Age-Friendly Network in 2018. Subsequently, it has developed an action plan to make the city even more senior-friendly by improving access to public spaces and making it easier to access suitable transportation, such as the PSTA bus and the DART curb-to-curb service.

The median fee for assisted living in Dunedin is $3,350 per month, but seniors comparing facilities are likely to find some are cheaper and others costlier.

When compared to the state and national averages, Dunedin’s typical senior can get a monthly savings of $650 and $1,150, respectively. The city also compares favorably with others nearby. It’s more affordable than Orlando by $650 per month, North Port by $795 and Homosassa Springs by $900. Seniors looking to remain in the region but in need of even lower costs may wish to consider Lakeland, where the mean monthly fee is below Dunedin’s by $50.

At $2,123 per month, adult day care is the only type of senior care that’s more affordable than assisted living in Dunedin. Nursing homes charge significantly more — typically $8,927 for the least costly option, a semiprivate room. Seniors thinking of remaining at home may save them money might be disappointed to discover in-home care costs $4,767 per month, and home health care adds another $95 to that fee.

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 Florida page.