5 Assisted Living Communities in Sonoma, California

The average cost of assisted living in the city is $5,425 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 5 Assisted Living Communities in Sonoma and several in surrounding areas. The Cost of Senior Care in Sonoma, CA

• Assisted Living: $5,425
• Nursing Home Care: $9,962
• In-home Care: $5,911
• Adult Day Health Services: $2,167

At $5,425 per month, the average cost of assisted living in Sonoma is significantly higher than the state ($4,500) and national ($4,000) averages. Prices are similar in many nearby areas, including Santa Rosa, San Jose and San Francisco ($5,500), with the exception of neighboring Vallejo, where assisted living costs an average of $4,350 per month. 

Statewide, prices in California range from $3,150 in Bakersfield up to $5,595 in Santa Cruz. Assisted living prices are generally the highest in cities near the coast and more affordable inland where real estate prices are lower. 

Note: Senior care cost data wasn’t available for Sonoma, so data for the closest city, Napa, was used. 

Nursing home care is usually the most expensive option for senior care, and this is certainly true in Sonoma, where semiprivate nursing home care costs $9,962 per month. At $5,425 per month, assisted living is much more affordable, and it also includes accommodations and meals along with some social and recreational programs.  Senior considering staying in their homes need to pay care costs in addition to day-to-day living expenses, such as home maintenance, property insurance and utilities. Hiring a homemaker for 44 hours a week costs an average of $5,911 per month, and a home health aide costs $5,053 per month. 

 

Medicaid is a government-funded nationwide health plan that gives low-income people access to essential health care services. Under Medicaid, hospital inpatient and outpatient care, doctor visits, X-rays and nursing facility services are covered in accordance with federal law. 

Individual states may also choose to fund additional Medicaid benefits, such as dental and vision care, physiotherapy, prescription medications and community-based nursing home diversion programs. 

Qualifying for Medi-Cal 

In California, Medicaid is known as Medi-Cal. To qualify for no-cost, long-term Medi-Cal services, including home and community-based waivers, seniors aged 65 and older can have a monthly income of up to $1,242 ($1,682 per couple), which includes all wages, investment income and pensions. 

Seniors must own no more than $2,000 in countable assets or $3,000 per couple if both spouses are applying for Medi-Cal. This limit includes on-hand cash, bank accounts, stocks, and investments. 

Some assets are exempt, such as one vehicle, a prepaid funeral and burial plot and personal effects, including clothing and household furnishings. A home in which the senior and/or their spouse lives is also exempt under Medi-Cal rules, regardless of the assessed value of the home. 

Share of Cost

Seniors who are ineligible for Medi-Cal coverage due to excess income may be able to enroll under a Share of Cost agreement, particularly if they have high ongoing medical expenses. SOC allows seniors to spend a predetermined amount towards their medical costs each month. Once they have reached their SOC monthly limit, Medi-Cal benefits are activated for the remainder of the month. 

For more information on Medi-Cal enrollment and the SOC program, contact the County of Sonoma’s Economic Assistance Department at (877) 699-6868. 

Assisted Living Waiver

Medi-Cal covered seniors who meet the Medicaid criteria for nursing home placement due to medical needs may qualify for home and community-based services through the Assisted Living Waiver. Sonoma is one of 15 counties where this nursing home diversion program is available. 

The ALW lets seniors remain in a designated assisted living setting by funding enhanced medical and nonmedical supports and supplies in addition to the mandatory Medicaid benefits. ALW benefits are assigned based on medical need and may include personal care, skilled nursing, rehabilitation therapy, a medical alert system and medical supplies. Seniors who currently reside in a nursing facility are also eligible for ALW transition services to help them move into an assisted living facility. 

To participate in this home and community-based waiver, seniors must live in a designated ALW assisted living facility. Wait lists may be in effect. 

Eligibility for the ALW is determined through a needs assessment conducted by a registered nurse through the area Care Coordination Agency. In Sonoma, the local ALW CCA is Norcal. 

To schedule an ALW assessment or learn more about the program, contact Norcal at (925) 519-6100. 

Optional State Supplementation

Supplemental Security Income recipients who reside in assisted living facilities because they’re unable to live on their own may qualify for the Optional State Supplementation program.

The OSS provides eligible seniors with a combined monthly SSI/OSS benefit of $1,194.37 a month and up to $2,388.74 per couple to help cover the room-and-board portion of assisted living costs.  

To learn more about the OSS, contact the Social Security Administration at (800) 772-1213. 

VA Aid and Attendance and Housebound Special Monthly Pension

Veterans and survivors who have a chronic illness or permanent disability may be eligible for cash benefits through the VA Aid and Attendance and Housebound programs.

These two enhanced monthly pension programs provide regular VA pension beneficiaries with a higher pension rate that can be used towards assisted living costs. 

To qualify for either one of these programs, applicants must first be eligible for the regular (nondisabled) VA pension. Because Aid and Attendance and Housebound rates are higher than the regular VA pension rates, claimants who were previously excluded from the basic pension due to excess income may also be eligible for an enhanced pension.

For Housebound, applicants must meet at least one of the following conditions:

• Have one disability that’s rated at 100%, which limits the applicant to their residence all of the time

• Have one disability rated at 100% and at least one additional disability rated at 60% or higher

For Aid and Attendance, applicants must meet at least one of the following conditions: 

• Be bedridden due to a disability

• Have 5/200 or worse visual acuity in both eyes

• Need help from a caregiver to perform activities of daily living

• Live in a nursing facility as a result of mental and/or physical impairment

• Have a visual field restricted to 5 degrees or less

Note: These enhanced pension programs cannot be combined, and veterans who receive VA disability benefits are excluded. 

For more information and help with the application process, contact the Sonoma County Veterans Service Office at (707) 565-5960. 

Seniors aged 55 and older can participate in over 60 weekly fitness and arts classes, social clubs and support groups at Vintage House, a nonprofit seniors’ organization. 

Vintage House also hosts regular health screening clinics, financial health workshops and biweekly food distribution for low-income seniors. 

Vintage House Senior Center
264 1st St. E, Sonoma, CA 95476
(707) 996-0311

Sonoma residents aged 60 and older can sign up for myRide, a volunteer-ran transportation service that provides seniors with free rides to a senior center, medical appointments and errands.  Seniors aged 65 and older and people with disabilities qualify for half-price fares on all Sonoma County Transit routes. Those who need door-to-door service can apply for the ADA-compliant Sonoma County Paratransit service.  Sonoma County Transit
355 West Robles Ave., Santa Rosa, CA 95407
(707) 585-7516

Military veterans and their survivors, dependents and relatives can contact the Sonoma County Veterans Services Office to learn about state and federal benefits, file claims and submit appeals. The office also conducts free monthly benefits seminars on veterans pensions, disability benefits and the VA death benefit. 

VA health care services, such as primary care, optometry, dental and audiology, are available at the Santa Rosa VA Outpatient Clinic, an affiliate of the San Francisco VAMC. 

Sonoma County Veterans Services Office
3725 Westwind Blvd., Santa Rosa, CA 95403
(707) 565-5960

Santa Rosa VA Outpatient Clinic
3841 Brickway Blvd., Santa Rosa, CA 95403
(707) 569-2300

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