The Best Memory Care Communities in Santa Barbara County, CA

As of 2017, the United States Census Bureau estimates that 448,150 people call Santa Barbara County home, including 14.9 percent who are 65 or older. Of these seniors, around 9.5 percent are living with Alzheimer's disease or another form of dementia, and many will require intensive care.

While finding the best fit for memory care can be challenging, Santa Barbara County offers seniors and their families nine different facilities from which to choose, each with its own unique set of amenities. California's Department of Social Services, Community Care Licensing Division, licenses and regulates them as a type of Residential Care Facility for the Elderly (RCFE).

• Excellent weather is one reason seniors may want to choose a memory care facility in Santa Barbara County. The area's climate earns a comfort index of 84 out of 100, where 100 is best and the national average is only 54. This score means that the county offers lots of sunshine, low humidity and many days with temperatures in the 70s. 
• While Santa Barbara County does have great weather, seniors who already have trouble breathing due to respiratory illness may want to spend most of their time inside the memory care facility due to the county's high level of ozone pollution. 
• Healthcare spending in Santa Barbara County averages 12 percent below the national median, a savings which may leave seniors with dementia and their families more funds left over to pay for memory care services. 
• Tax policies are fairly friendly toward Santa Barbara County's seniors, which may allow for a bigger budget for memory care. While retirees do not have to pay state income taxes on Social Security or Railroad Retirement benefits, they may owe taxes on other types of retirement income. As for the area's sales taxes, the county-wide sales tax rate is .25 percent, which is in addition to California state, city and special sales taxes.

Memory Care costs in Santa Barbara County start around $5,550 per month on average, while the nationwide average cost of memory care is $5,694 per month.

It’s important to note that memory care rates in Santa Barbara County and the surrounding suburbs can vary widely based on factors such as location, the level of care needed, apartment size and the types of amenities offered at each community.

Learn more about these programs, plus who’s eligible, on our Memory Care in California page.

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.

Santa Barbara County-area memory care communities must adhere to the comprehensive set of state laws and regulations that all memory care communities in California are required to follow. Visit our Memory Care in California page for more information about these laws.