California's sunny state offers miles of sandy beaches, rolling mountains, and pleasant weather all year, making it a popular retirement destination. This popular U.S. state ranks first in the nation in several categories, including access to health care, crime rates, local air quality, the number of public libraries, parks, and public transportation options.
Seniors can also get excellent nursing care, as the state has over 1,200 nursing home facilities that care for over 400,000 Californians each year. A semiprivate room in a nursing home costs $9,247 per month, while a private room costs $11,437.Â
Finding the right nursing homes in California that will provide a high quality of life to your loved ones can be daunting.Â
California nursing homes continue to bring relief and professional support to those with family members or loved ones in the late stages of dementia. These facilities provide an array of services like the following:
Since California has a diverse range of cities, the cost of nursing home care can vary greatly depending on a senior's location. Large coastal cities have higher prices, with San Jose having the most expensive care at $12,547 per month.Â
San Francisco's seniors pay $12,471, while San Diego's seniors pay $10,722. Skilled nursing is the most expensive type of care available in California, costing $9,247 per month.Â
Seniors do, however, have other options for long-term care. Adult daycare, which provides services to seniors who live at home in a group setting, is the most affordable option, costing $1,733 per month.
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted many Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNF) 's unique challenges. Some of these include staffing shortages, a lack of full-time Infection Preventionists, and a lack of access to resources needed to limit COVID-19 spread among the vulnerable SNF resident population.
The California Department of Public Health's Center for Health Care Quality (CHCQ) is taking a proactive approach to ensure nursing home residents and health care workers' access to quality care and reduce infection and death rates in SNFs. CHCQ has worked to provide education and technical assistance to SNFs for them to make the necessary changes and actions.Â
During the COVID-19 pandemic, CHCQ surveyors surveyed SNFs more frequently to assist them with infection control plans and ensure they were fully implemented. Enforcement actions are also necessary when other actions are insufficient to meet safety guidelines, have adequate resources, and protect residents' lives.
The rising death rate attributed to COVID-19 has skewed heavily toward the elderly. With 9,716 deaths, nursing homes have evolved into a controversial yet tragic point of contention throughout the early stages of the pandemic up till now.Â
However, it's important to know that CHCQ is shifting from annual state inspection surveys to increased on-site visits throughout the year to improve the overall quality of care in SNFs. This is conducted through frequent assessment and regulatory enforcement and by providing SNF providers with more systematically recurrent feedback on noncompliance issues.
To learn more about dementia care options and how to find the best nursing homes for your loved ones with late-stage dementia, read through our resources at Senior Strong today.
