4 Assisted Living Communities in Morgan Hill, California

The average cost of assisted living in the city is $5,500 a month. This guide is a starting point covering the cost of assisted living care in the city, as well as financing options to pay for it. You’ll find in-depth information on 4 Assisted Living Communities in Morgan Hill and several in surrounding areas. The Cost of Senior Care in Morgan Hill, CA

• Assisted Living: $5,500
• Nursing Home Care: $9,125
• In-home Care: $5,720
• Adult Day Health Services: $1,993

Genworth’s 2018 Cost of Care study shows that at $5,500, the average monthly cost of assisted living in Morgan Hill is higher than the state ($4,500) and national ($4,000) averages. Prices are the same in San Francisco ($5,550) and Salinas ($5,500), while prices are significantly lower in cities to the east of Morgan Hill, such as Merced ($3,500) and Modesto ($3,200). 

Note: Assisted living cost data wasn’t available for Morgan Hill, so data for the closest city, San Jose, was used. 

In Morgan Hill, senior care costs range from $1,993 for adult day health services up to $9,125 for nursing home care. At $5,500 a month, assisted living costs less than 44 hours weekly of in-home care from a homemaker ($5,720) or home health aide ($6,006).  When comparing the costs of senior care it’s important to know that prices for residential services, such as nursing home care and assisted living, include room and board, which are added costs for seniors who opt to remain in their own homes. 

 

Established by the federal government in 1965 and jointly funded by state and federal governments, Medicaid, known as Medi-Cal in California, provides low-income families, adults with disabilities and seniors with access to essential health care services, including emergency, long-term care, chronic disease management and rehabilitation services. 

About one in four California residents qualify for free Medi-Cal coverage and 60% of California’s Medicaid expenditures go to support seniors and individuals who are disabled. Like all states, California has strict financial eligibility criteria for enrollment in Medi-Cal, which limits both the income and assets of Medicaid enrollees. 

Seniors aged 65 and older who earn no more than $1,242 per month ($1,682 for couples) and own $2,000 or less ($3,000 for couples) in countable assets may qualify for no-cost Medi-Cal coverage. 

Some assets are exempt, such as an irrevocable prepaid burial trust, one vehicle and a home owned and occupied by the applicant. Cash, bank account balances, investments and all other real estate, including out-of-state property, are considered countable assets. 

To apply for Medi-Cal, contact the Santa Clara County Department of Social Services at (408) 758-3800. 

Assisted Living Waiver

Seniors in Morgan Hill who have free Medi-Cal coverage, meet the Medi-Cal criteria for nursing home placement and are willing to reside in an assisted living setting may qualify for the Assisted Living waiver. 

The ALW is a Medicaid waiver program designed to help seniors age in the least restrictive place that meets their care needs. ALW provides comprehensive case management and medically-necessary services to enable seniors to either remain in an assisted living facility or transition to an assisted living facility from a nursing home. 

Seniors who are interested in the ALW should request an assessment through the Santa Clara County Care Coordination Agency. If this assessment finds that the applicant can safely live in an assisted living facility with supports provided through the ALW, the applicant is referred to a licensed facility that participates in the ALW program. 

For more information on the ALW, contact the Institute on Aging in Santa Clara County at (408) 474-0680. 

VA Aid and Attendance Benefits and Housebound Allowance

Veterans and survivors who qualify for regular VA pension benefits and are either housebound or severely restricted due to a non-service related disability or chronic illness may be eligible for higher pension payments through either the VA Aid and Attendance benefit or the VA Housebound allowance. 

To qualify for the Housebound allowance, applicants must have a permanent disability that limits them to their principal residence, which may be an assisted living facility, for the majority of the time. 

To qualify for Aid and Attendance benefits, applicants must either live in a nursing home, have 5/200 or worse vision, be bedridden or need help from another person to perform one or more activities of daily living. 

Note: Applicants cannot combine benefits from the Housebound allowance with Aid and Attendance, and veterans who receive VA disability benefits are excluded from these programs. 

For more information and help with the application process, contact the Santa Clara County Office of Veterans Services at (408) 918-4980. 

Optional State Supplementation

The State provides additional funding with the Optional State Supplementation program for seniors in assisted living who receive Supplemental Security Income benefits. 

Eligible seniors can qualify for up to $1,194.37 in combined federal and state SSI benefits (up to $2,388.74 per couple) for use towards the room-and-board portion of monthly assisted living costs. 

For more information on the California OSS, contact the Social Security Administration at (800) 772-1213. 

The City of Morgan Hill offers a wide range of fitness classes, educational workshops and social clubs geared towards seniors aged 50 and older at the Centennial Recreation Senior Center. Activities include bingo, chair yoga, drop-in cards and fitness for arthritis, and the center offers a low-cost weekday lunch program and weekly movie screenings. 

Centennial Recreation Center
171 West Edmundson Ave., Morgan Hill, CA 95037
(408) 782-1284

Veterans, dependents and survivors who require assistance with VA benefit applications, appeals and service records can contact the Santa Clara County Office of Veterans Services. Outpatient VA health care services are available at the San Jose VA Clinic, part of the VA Palo Alto Health Care System. 

Santa Clara County Office of Veterans Services
68 North Winchester Blvd., Santa Clara, CA 95050
(408) 918-4980

San Jose VA Clinic
5855 Silver Creek Valley Pl., San Jose, CA 95138-1059
(408) 574-9100

In addition to providing leisure programming for seniors, the Centennial Recreation Center also offers a number of support services and programs. Seniors can have their taxes prepared for free at the annual AARP tax preparation clinic held from February to April, and free health insurance counseling is offered on the second and fourth Friday of each month. The center also hosts low-cost haircuts for seniors 60 and older, offers free case management services and holds a senior produce market each Wednesday morning, where seniors can purchase low-cost farm-fresh fruit and vegetables. 

Senior Homes has an extensive directory of senior living options, with care and living providers across the United States.