159 Assisted Living Communities near Phoenix

There comes a time in most seniors’ lives when the normal routine – eating, dressing, shopping, and so on – gets more challenging than it used to be. When an older adult struggles with the activities of daily living (ADLs), the time has come for many to look into assisted living arrangements. This can be a major life change for older adults, and making a successful transition depends on finding the right community to join in the neighborhood you’re looking at moving to. Good assisted living care can make a world of difference for older adults who need help with their ADLs, and knowing the senior they love is well taken care of can lift a lot of weight off of families’ shoulders.

To find the right place for you or for your older relatives, it helps to have information about the communities and resources available to you. Before you commit to a new place, you have a right to know about the care that’s offered, the community you’re looking into, and also the neighborhood and city around the local communities. The transition goes much more smoothly when you’ve researched local senior resources and programs geared toward the special needs of aging adults in the Phoenix area.

What is Assisted Living?

Assisted living is a level of care some seniors and disabled adults need to make their ADLs easy enough to restore their quality of life. Over 1 million adults in America now live in some form of assisted living, with that number set to rise as the Baby Boomers continue to retire.

Residents in assisted living communities usually have a room to sleep in that may be theirs alone or shared with a roommate. These rooms may be self-contained apartments, or they may be more like shared studios in a dormitory-style environment. Trained staff are always available to help residents with ADLs items, such as dressing, grooming, and laundry. Meals may be taken alone in some communities, though they’re often shared in a dining room with the other residents. Almost all assisted living properties have emergency buttons and cords residents can use to summon immediate help, such as after a fall or during an emergency.

What Services are Available in Assisted Living in Phoenix?

While searching for assisted living in Phoenix, you'll discover that services available in communities can vary by size and location; however, here are some standard services available at most assisted living near you:

• Assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs)
• Medication management
• Security & supervision
• Basic housekeeping
• Daily meals
• Health and exercise programs
• Transportation

Aging citizens of the Phoenix area can count on a lot of help with their ADLs. Most local communities offer trained staff who can help administer medication for the residents, if needed. They also offer help with bathing and dressing, shaving and other grooming chores, as well as meals and even day trip into town for shopping and visiting with friends. Laundry and janitorial services are available as an option at many places in Phoenix, though these frequently add to the monthly bill. On top of that, most of the seniors who call these communities home enjoy the warm sense of kinship that comes with living alongside others of their age group who can keep them company and forge new friendships with them. Plenty of communities also go the extra mile to stage fun events, such as movie nights and amateur theater productions for residents. Every place has a different approach to this, so it’s good to ask about community activities before you commit to a community.

Getting Ready to Move to Assisted Living in Phoenix

The first step toward assisted living is usually a medical examination. This is done by a doctor, and the purpose of it is to determine whether assisted living is the right level of care for you or your loved one. If the doctor finds significant impairment, such that the resident’s needs are more than assisted living can provide, a higher level of care may be indicated. Most people have a good idea about how much help they need though, so these examinations are fairly routine matters. After the physical exam, the doctor usually fills out a questionnaire to gauge mental alertness, mood, cognitive level and whether or not there’s evidence of a serious medical condition that requires more intensive care than a community can realistically offer.

Transitioning to assisted living is a big step for many aging citizens. This change of life usually goes much easier if all the details are taken care of before the move, if only so there’s less to worry about on the day itself. One thing to do before the move is to organize household goods and pack light. Most assisted living communities have less space per person than private houses, so – at least in the beginning – it’s good to take only the must-haves. Think about renting storage space for less-vital possessions until things have settled down and old furniture and property can be sorted through and dealt with.

It’s very common for seniors to sell their homes when going into assisted living. The sooner this is done, the easier the process usually goes and the higher the price that’s ultimately paid for the property. If you’re the family of an aging citizen who’s selling a house, you may want to make room in your own home temporarily, in case there’s a gap between when the house sells and when your loved one is ready to move into assisted living.

How Much Does Assisted Living Cost in Phoenix?

The average monthly cost of assisted living in Phoenix is $3,850 according to the Genworth Cost of Care Calculator.

Many families are taken aback at the cost of assisted living, at least the first time they hear a price quote. The average cost of assisted living in America is around $3,500 a month. There are approximately 30,000 communities in the country, however, so the price varies wildly from place to place. Some assisted living communities can be found that charge as little as $2,000 a month for basic care, while others rise as high as $10,000 for round-the-clock care and meal service. Even at the high end, this can actually be a bargain for many families, especially compared with the monthly cost of in-home care or skilled nursing.

Our local Seniorly Partner Agents often have the ability to negotiate monthly rent and fees on your behalf at many of the communities you might be interested in. This is a free service to you. To connect to a Seniorly Partner Agent email us now at ask@seniorly.com or call (855) 866-4515.

What’s the Difference Between Assisted Living vs. Other Senior Care Types?

Assisted living differs from other types of senior care because it sits directly between independent living and skilled nursing facilities, also known as nursing homes, on a spectrum of care.

Assisted living is one of several levels of care aging and disabled adults can sign up for. Since most assisted living communities are live-in, this level of care is a bit higher on the care ladder than in-home caregiving, in which the resident remains in their own home, but gets daily help from a visiting caregiver. Adults who need more help than assisted living can provide, usually for medical reasons or for temporary rehab after a stay in the hospital, may live in skilled nursing, memory care or hospice care communities.

Here's a break down of the different levels of care: 

• In-Home care: Nurses come to an aging citizen's home to provide basic healthcare, meal delivery services provide pre-cooked meals and transportation companies offer rides to and from appointments.
• Independent living communities: For those who want to downsize but don't need help with ADLs.
• Memory care: These communities are for those seniors struggling with Alzheimer’s or other advanced forms of dementia.
• Skilled nursing: Aging citizens in need of temporary care following surgery or illness can rely on short-term care facilities for assistance.
• Hospice care: Designed for seniors requiring specialized care for terminal illnesses, around-the-clock assistance with ADL, or compassionate care with end-of-life services can turn to hospice communities.

Helpful Websites for Assisted Living in Phoenix

Seniorly has a lot of resources that can make the transition to assisted living easier for aging citizens and the families who care about them. Among the apps and services listed in Phoenix are:

• Beauticians on the Go: Provides on-the-spot beauty treatments for seniors who aren't able to make it to the salon on a regular basis. Service includes hair, toe- and fingernail appointments and even facials and massage.
• Allied Clinic: This service brings back the days when health care professionals made housecalls, with home visits to check up on and treat sore throats, colds, flu, gout, asthma, and many other health concerns it might be hard to get in to have seen in a clinic.
• LaundryValet: Not all assisted living communities offer laundry service. If you or the relative you love needs help washing and folding, this app can arrange free pickup and delivery to both private homes and assisted living communities.

Resources for Caregivers in Phoenix

Caregivers need help too, and Seniorly has information specific to the needs of those who see to the needs of others. Resources include:

• Alzheimer’s Association, Desert Southwest Chapter: Focusing on the spread of helpful information and productive caregiver workshops, the local chapter of the national Alzheimer's Association helps make better informed, more effective caregivers for seniors in assisted living.
• Arizona Caregiver Coalition: Advocates for the mental, physical and spiritual wellbeing of caregivers in the Phoenix area.
• Desert Mission Adult Day Health Care Center: Provides supervision and stimulating activity for aging citizens whose caregivers could use a break from time to time.
• Oakwood Creative Care: This nonprofit is a great resource for meeting other seniors and their caregivers, engaging in group activities that forge new friendships and help keep seniors' minds strong, and sharing information about the caregiving community among professionals in the field.

Government Resources for Seniors in Phoenix

If you’re new to the Phoenix area, or if you’ve never had the occasion to look into local senior resources, it’s good to know there are a lot of government and nonprofit agencies in the region that can help out with living an active lifestyle while in assisted living.

The State of Arizona’s Department of Economic Security runs the Office of Aging and Adult Services, to help seniors live safe, active lives at whatever level of care they’re at. Their site lists multiple resources for the state’s aging citizens, such as:

• Aging and Disability Services
• Assistance for refugees resettling in Arizona
• Support for victims of domestic violence
• Options for people who are homeless or near homeless
• Protective services for adults who are being abused, neglected and/or exploited
• Services to prevent eviction and loss of utility and telephone services

Not to be outdone, the northern Maricopa County zone (which encompasses the whole Phoenix area) also offers resources for seniors and disabled adults in assisted living care. Their site, the Area Agency on Aging, lists contact information and senior-oriented groups in the area for aging citizens, the families who love them and aspiring volunteers. The site also offers a 24-hour helpline for third parties who need to report on a senior’s health or well-being.

Neighborhood Information

Phoenix are famously inviting places for aging citizens to retire in. Whatever level of ability or health a senior is in, these towns almost couldn’t be more friendly for seniors and their families. Maricopa County’s vital stats all seem designed to make seniors more comfortable and ensure they enjoy the most active period of their lives here.

Phoenix Demographics

There are about 1.5 million people in the greater Phoenix and Scottsdale area. These people skew toward the higher end of the age spectrum, with the median age resting at 32.2.

Phoenix Weather

Weather in northern Arizona seems like it was designed in a lab to encourage year-round outdoor activity. Daily highs here average 86.7 degrees, while lows hover close to 63.4 degrees in winter. The area is arid, so annual rainfall doesn’t get much over 8 inches.

Transportation in and Around Phoenix

A lot of Phoenix seniors get around on Valley Metro buses. These actually belong to several different companies, but for simplicity’s sake, they’ve all agreed to use the same name and materials.

Fun Facts About Phoenix

The name "Phoenix" comes from a mythical bird that Ancient Greeks thought could live forever by burning up and being reborn in its own ashes. There's enough copper on the dome of the Arizona State Capitol building to make 4.8 million pennies. You can visit the original London Bridge in Arizona – it was carved up and rebuilt stone by stone in Lake Havasu City.

Phoenix Hospital Information

The Phoenix area has dozens of healthcare facilities, almost all of them of a fairly high quality. Some of these are large, like the 600-bed St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, while others are far smaller and focus on post-op rehab or other specialties.

Assisted Living Community Ratings, Inspection Reports and User Reviews for Phoenix

Rules and regulations: Arizona has strict laws governing assisted living communities, many of which revolve around transparency and continuous improvement in response to public feedback. Assisted living facilities in the Phoenix and Scottsdale area are regulated by the Arizona Department of Health Services, which has information for the public and for local providers on its website.

BBB Information: The Arizona Better Business Bureau takes public comment on local assisted living communities, both positive and negative. These reviews and concerns may be found, indexed by property, on the Arizona BBB website.

Customer reviews: Unfiltered public reviews are a helpful tool when assessing an assisted living community. These can be found on Yelp and Facebook, both of which have hundreds of indexed sites, each with at least dozens of reviews from verified residents and their families, as well as links to the communities themselves.

What Questions Should I Ask When Touring Assisted Living Facilities in Phoenix?

For those looking at assisted living facilities in Phoenix, these are the top 10 questions to ask:

1. What is the ratio of staff to residents?
2. What is the staff turnover rate?
3. What types of training do the staff members have?
4. Do residents have the option of a private or shared room?
5. Can residents personalize and decorate their own apartments?
6. Can residents bring their favorite chair or other furniture or large items?
7. What furnishings are provided?
8. Does each room have a private bathroom, or are the bathrooms shared?
9. Are bathrooms designed to accommodate wheelchairs and walkers?
10. How many meals are provided per day?

These questions are just the beginning of all the information you'll want to gather on your visit. To read the full, detailed FAQ, click here for more information.