The 3 Best Memory Care Facilities in San Luis Obispo, CA for 2024

 

San Luis Obispo is a small city in California’s Central Coast region that's home to around 48,300 people. More than 13% of the population is aged 65 and over, a group that's at greater risk of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. Although the number of Americans with Alzheimer's disease continues to rise, the CDC reports that Alzheimer’s-related deaths in San Luis Obispo decreased by 28% from 2016 to 2022. While these deaths made up 11.54% of total deaths in 2016, they only accounted for 7.88% in 2020. 

High-quality dementia care can help improve outcomes for people with memory-related disorders. This type of care, provided in memory care facilities, takes place within a secure, structured environment specifically designed to ease residents' stress. Specially-trained team members check in with residents regularly and organize activities and programs to support brain health.

This guide has information to help older adults with dementia, and their families, make decisions about future care. It includes details covering benefits and drawbacks of the area, the cost of memory in care and financial assistance that may be available. 

In San Luis Obispo, and the rest of California, the Senior Care Licensing Program is responsible for licensing memory care facilities. The program — part of the Department of Social Services — also monitors communities to ensure they comply with state regulations governing senior care facilities.

 

• The number of physicians per 100,000 people is 19% higher than the national average, giving seniors a wide choice of healthcare providers. What's more, there are several hospitals in the area providing emergency care, including Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center, which also has neurology specialists on staff.
•  San Luis Obispo’s cost of living is 46% higher than the national average. However, seniors can find help to manage their daily expenses. The California Department of Aging has a number of programs to assist older adults with stretching their budget. 
• The crime rate in San Luis Obispo is 45 crimes per 1,000 residents, which is high compared to the state and national averages. However, memory care facilities typically have a high level of security, giving residents and families peace of mind. 
• San Luis Obispo has a temperate climate that offers seniors comfortable weather throughout the year. The city has 287 sunny days each year and mostly experiences no snow, giving seniors the opportunity to enjoy year-round comfort in the California sunshine. 
• The air quality in San Luis Obispo is generally poor, with the State of the Air Report 2023 giving the county a failing grade for both ozone and 24-hour particle pollution. However, the area received a passing grade for annual particle pollution. Concerned seniors and their families can ask facilities about steps they take to improve air quality within the building. 

Note: Residential memory care is usually offered in assisted living facilities, and in general, memory care rates tend to be 20-30% higher than assisted living rates. No national database currently tracks memory care costs in the United States, so we've estimated the monthly memory care costs listed below by adding 25% to the rates listed in Genworth's 2021 Cost of Care Survey.

In San Luis Obispo, memory care costs an average of $6,625 per month. 

Costs in San Luis Obispo are 17.7% more than the national average of $5,625. Compared to the California median of $6,563, the difference is minimal at less than 1% higher.

Next to nearby towns, the city's costs are in the middle range. Inland, assisted living is generally on the more affordable side. For instance, San Luis Obispo’s prices are 41.3% costlier than Bakersfield’s and 21.8% more than Hanford’s. Closer to the coast, Oxnard’s costs are 8.4% higher than San Luis Obispo. Salinas has the highest rates of nearby cities with an average of $7,500 per month. 

At $6,625 per month, memory care is one of the more affordable senior living options available to seniors in the city, along with assisted living, which is $5,300. In-home care and home health care offer services at home and are less affordable, averaging $7,150 per month. The high level of medical services available in a nursing home facility make it the most expensive option, with a semi private room costing $10,038 monthly on average.

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

 

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

 

For more information about different ways to finance memory care, visit our Memory Care in California page.