The Best Nursing Home Communities in Orange County, CA

A semiprivate room in an Orange County nursing home costs an average of $8,060 and a private room averages $10,570.

A semiprivate room in a nursing home in Orange County costs $8,060 per month, which is higher than the national average of $7,756 and lower than the state average of $9,247.

Residents of California nursing homes can expect higher prices in San Diego, where a semiprivate room averages $10,722. Costs are even higher in San Francisco, which has a median cost of $12,471 per month. In Sacramento, the state capital, seniors can expect to pay $9,946 for this level of care.

As nursing homes generally have the highest fees, seniors may find it useful to consider alternatives. For example, assisted living averages only $5,000 per month, and some communities offer comparable care to that of nursing homes. Another option is a home health aide, which costs an average of $5,529, or homemaker services, which can cost around $5,434. The least expensive option is adult day health care, which costs an average of $1,647 per month.

Many seniors and their families use some form of financial assistance to help them pay for nursing care. The main options available are Medicare, Medicaid, and veterans benefits. These programs can be complicated, especially when it comes to benefit terms. Below, we give a brief overview of how these programs may be used towards paying for skilled nursing care.

• Medicare: Medicare will typically cover all skilled nursing costs for the first 20 days of one’s stay in a nursing home and a portion of the costs until day 100. After 100 days in a skilled nursing facility, Medicare will not cover any part of the cost of the stay. While this is adequate when short-term care is needed, those in need of long-term care will need to either pay out-of-pocket or use another source of financial assistance.
• Medicaid: Medicaid covers most of the costs of living in a skilled nursing facility for those who qualify. Care, room, and board are covered with no time limit, but residents may be charged for extras like specially prepared food or cosmetic services. Medicaid eligibility standards are strict and complex, so not all seniors are eligible for Medicaid benefits.
• Veterans Benefits: Veterans receiving a VA pension may also be eligible for the Aid and Attendance benefit administered by the VA. Aid and Attendance is a monthly allowance that beneficiaries may use to pay for their long-term care, including skilled nursing care.

If these options aren’t available to you, check if your loved one has long-term care insurance or contact your Area Agency on Aging to ask about any local financial assistance programs for seniors.