23 Assisted Living Communities in Brandon, Florida

The average cost of assisted living in the city is $3,250 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 23 Assisted Living Communities in Brandon and several in surrounding areas. The Cost of Senior Care in Brandon, FL

• Assisted Living: $3,250
• Nursing Home Care: $8,319
• In-Home Care: $3,718
• Adult Day Health Services: $1,907

Genworth’s 2018 Cost of Care study shows that at $3,250 a month, assisted living costs in Brandon are below the state average of $3,500 and the national average of $4,000. Further south along the Gulf coast, prices are higher in Punta Gorda ($3,400), North Port ($3,874) and Cape Coral ($4,000), while assisted living costs in inland cities such as Lakeland ($2,808) and Sebring ($3,038) are slightly lower. 

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

Senior care costs vary depending on the type of care, the number of service hours provided and the location. In Brandon, nursing home costs include around-the-clock skilled nursing care and are more than double assisted living costs.  In-home senior care for 44 hours a week through either homemaker services or a home health aide is also more expensive than assisted living in Brandon. Unlike residential care options for seniors, home health services do not include room and board or other costs such as home maintenance and utilities. 

 

Medicaid is the national health-coverage program designed to provide low-income Americans with access to basic health services. It’s jointly funded by the federal and state governments, and in Florida, 88% of all seniors and people with disabilities are eligible for no-cost Medicaid coverage. 

To qualify for Medicaid, seniors aged 65 and older can earn no more than $2,313 per month when applying as an individual or $4,626 when applying with a spouse. Income from all sources is counted, including alimony payments, pensions and wages. 

Medicaid applicants are also subject to asset limits of $2,000 per individual and $3,000 per couple. Countable assets include cash, bank account balances, stocks and investment real estate. Florida’s Medicaid rules exempt some assets, such as one vehicle and a primary residence with equity of less than $585,000. Personal effects such as clothing, collectibles and household goods are also exempt. 

Seniors who meet the criteria for Medicaid coverage and require a nursing home level of care will be screened by Florida’s Comprehensive Assessment and Review for Long-Term Care Services program. Under this federally-mandated program, a registered nurse or designated assessor will evaluate the care needs of the senior, develop a long-term care plan and recommend the most appropriate placement. 

Following completion of a CARES assessment, seniors may be enrolled in the Statewide Medicaid Managed Care, Long-Term Care Program, which reduces nursing home placement among Medicaid-covered seniors by providing long-term care services within an assisted living setting. 

If approved for the SMMC LTC program, seniors will be prescribed additional supports that may include: 

• Intermittent and skilled nursing
• Physical, occupational, speech and/or respiratory therapy
• Personal or attendant care
• Case management services
• Medical equipment and supplies
• Respite care
• Medication administration and management

To learn more about Florida Medicaid coverage for seniors and the SMMC LTC program, contact the Hillsborough County Elder Helpline at (800) 963-5337 or the Florida Department of Children and Families, SunCoast Region at (813) 558-5500. 

Veterans Aid and Attendance and Housebound Benefits

Veterans and their surviving spouses who qualify for a regular VA pension and are either housebound due to a disability or need daily living assistance may be eligible for a pension top-up through the VA Aid and Attendance and Housebound program. This cash-based benefit can be used toward the cost of assisted living. 

For the Housebound Allowance, applicants may qualify if they’ve been assessed with a VA disability rating of 100% and are functionally housebound as a result of their disability. 

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

• Need help from a caregiver to complete one or more tasks of daily living such as eating, bathing, toileting or grooming 

• Have corrected eyesight that is 5/200 or worse

• Be bedridden

• Live in a nursing home 

• Have concentric contraction of the visual field tested at 5 or fewer degrees

Recipients of a VA disability pension are excluded from this program, and qualifying disabilities do not need to be service-related. Applicants may be awarded either Aid and Attendance Benefits or the Housebound Allowance but not both. 

To apply for the VA Aid and Attendance Benefit and Housebound Allowance contact the Hillsborough County Office of Veterans Services in Brandon at (813) 635-8316. 

Optional State Supplementation 

Florida seniors who are 65 and older, receive Supplemental Security Income payments and are unable to live independently due to a disability or age can apply for an SSI top-up through the Optional State Supplementation program. 

OSS pays up to $78.40 for an individual and $156.80 per couple for use toward the room-and-board portion of monthly assisted living costs. This extra money is usually paid directly to the assisted living facility. 

For more information about the Florida OSS program, call ACCESS Florida at (866) 762-2237. 

Veterans can contact the Hillsborough County Veterans Services office for information about VA benefits, pensions and assistance with the VA Aid and Attendance Benefit and Housebound Allowance. VA health care services are provided at the James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital in Tampa, and there are a number of active veterans service clubs in Brandon and Hillsborough County. 

Hillsborough County Office of Veterans Services
311 Pauls Dr, Brandon, FL 33511
(813) 635-8316

James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital
13000 Bruce B. Downs Blvd, Tampa, FL 33612
(813) 872-2000

Hillsborough County Aging Services offers a low-cost noontime meal program for adults 60 and older at the Brandon Senior Center and other sites throughout the county. They can also help seniors access the Sunshine Line, a door-to-door, barrier-free transportation service with fees based on income.  Sunshine Line – Door to Door Transportation
601 East Kennedy Blvd, Tampa, FL 33602
(813) 272-7272 Hillsborough County Florida – Noontime Meal Program – Brandon 
612 North Parsons Ave, Tampa, FL 33510
(813) 272-5250

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