The Best Memory Care Communities in Sonoma County, CA

Sonoma County is in the coastal section of California's world-famous wine country. Home to just over 500,000 people, slightly under 19 percent of whom are seniors age 65 and over, Sonoma County has 15 memory care facilities for seniors with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. 

As residential long-term care facilities, Sonoma County's memory care properties have to be regularly inspected and continually licensed through the California Department of Social Services Adult Care Licensing Program, which monitors health and safety and quality of care issues at sites around the state.

• Sonoma County has hot summers and relatively mild winters that vary in intensity from one side of the mountains to the other. Summer highs in the valley to the east average 90 degrees, which can be an issue for seniors who are sensitive to the heat. Lows in winter average 38 degrees. The temperature range is much narrower on the coast, close to the middle of the inland figures. Sonoma County gets 31.5 inches of rain a year, though the leeward side of the mountains tends to be drier.
• Sonoma County's cost of living is 78 percent higher than the national average across all categories. This is only slightly higher than the 69 percent statewide premium for California at large. Healthcare is relatively affordable in Sonoma County, costing just 92 percent of the average for the rest of the nation.
• Crime in Sonoma County is low by national standards. Theft and other crimes against property are roughly one-third less common in Sonoma than the national average, and violent crimes are rarer still.
• The Sonoma County area is home to world-class medical facilities, including those specializing in brain health and dementia care, such as Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital and Healdsburg District Hospital, in the event of medical emergencies or illness.

Memory Care costs in Sonoma County start around $5,586 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 Sonoma 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.

Sonoma 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.