Top 70 Nursing Homes near Sarasota, FL

Senior care is expensive, but with careful planning, most families can keep the right senior care facility within reach. Thankfully, there’s more than one way to pay for long-term senior care. Many families use a combination of personal savings and state or federal programs to help cover the cost.

Learn how you can use your personal funds or programs like Medicaid, Medicare, and veterans benefits to pay for your or your loved one’s senior care.

Sarasota nursing homes meet high expectations. Across Florida, seniors receive some of the best skilled nursing care in the nation. According to a 2018 Kaiser Family Foundation report, Florida is one of five states that exceeds the required number of nurses on staff at all nursing facilities. Florida also mandates more hours of care per day for each senior than any other state. While standards in Florida are high, standards tend to be even higher in Sarasota.

Seniors in Sarasota’s nursing homes tend to have better health outcomes than seniors elsewhere. According to a study by U.S. News and World Report, Florida nursing home residents experience fewer hospitalizations and falls, and they are less likely to be given antipsychotics than seniors in other states. Due to the exceptional care they provide, the average cost of Sarasota nursing homes is more expensive than the national average.

Florida nursing homes are regulated by the Long Term Care Services Unit

The Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) licenses and regulates Florida nursing homes through the Long Term Care Services Unit.

Here’s what you need to know about how Florida regulates nursing homes in Sarasota:

• Facilities must be kept up to current building codes and regulations.
• The AHCA evaluates nursing homes every 15 months during an unannounced visit.
• Nursing homes must guard residents’ rights to dignity, privacy, personal decisions, and communication.
• Residents should be allowed to choose their own physician and health care services.
• Caregivers must give each resident an average of at least 3.6 hours of care per day.
• A minimum of two of these hours must be from a nursing assistant, and a minimum of one of these hours must be from a licensed nurse.

Other senior care facilities are also regulated by the Long Term Care Services Unit

All other senior care facilities, including assisted living and memory care facilities, are also regulated by the AHCA’s Long Term Care Services Unit.

Here’s what you need to know about how Florida regulates assisted living and memory care facilities:

• Assisted living and memory care facilities may only accept seniors who don’t need 24-hour medical care.
• All facilities should be kept up to current building codes.
• Families and guardians should be contacted at least every 30 days for updates about their loved ones.
• All employees must receive a background check.
• Site administrators must complete 26 hours of initial training and 12 more hours of continuing education every two years.
• Caregiving staff must complete senior care training within a month of their hire date.

The federal government regulates nursing homes

The federal government also regulates nursing homes because most skilled nursing services can be covered with Medicaid or Medicare.

Here’s what you need to know about how the federal government regulates nursing homes:

• The federal government outlines requirements for nursing homes in the Code of Federal Regulations.
• Nursing homes must provide a care plan for each resident.
• Nursing homes should give residents a high quality of life.

How to find inspection results for nursing homes in Sarasota

You can find inspection results for Sarasota nursing homes in two different places:

• FloridaHealthFinder.gov. You can find a list of every Florida nursing home on the FloridaHealthFinder.gov website. To search for specific facilities, select “Locate a Facility or Provider.” Included in the listings are location, contact information, history, and all inspection results.
• Medicare provider search tool. The federal government provides public report cards for every skilled nursing facility and rehabilitation facility in the United States.

Florida Department of Health contact information

Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) — Long Term Care Services Unit
2727 Mahan Drive, MS#33
Tallahassee, FL 32308
Phone: 805-412-4303
Email: LTCStaff@ahca.myflorida.com

COVID-19 regulations for Sarasota nursing homes

While Florida doesn’t enforce any COVID-19 protocols for senior care facilities, it does set guidelines for skilled nursing facilities. You can find vaccination sites, testing centers, and up-to-date information on the Sarasota COVID-19 FAQ page.

Standards are high for senior care in Florida, and in Sarasota, they’re even higher. Seniors in Florida nursing homes receive more hours of care a day than their counterparts elsewhere. This leads to better health outcomes, fewer falls, and fewer rehospitalizations.

Nursing homes provide skilled nursing care

While many seniors choose to move to Sarasota during their active years, the fastest-growing senior care types are assisted living and memory care, with nursing homes just behind them. Nursing homes provide specialized medical care for seniors who need round-the-clock attention. Seniors needing extra help getting around or remembering to take their medication may find assisted living or memory care to be a better fit than a nursing home.

Sarasota senior living offers multiple care types

While many seniors may be a better fit for assisted living or memory care, seniors in Sarasota may not have to pick. Most assisted living and memory care facilities are part of larger campuses with multiple levels of care. These campuses often have the whole scope of senior living, including independent living, assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing wings. While skilled nursing is often available at these communities, these wings are usually meant as short-term rehabilitation and recovery facilities, and not as long-term options.

Nursing homes in Sarasota are high-quality

Sarasota does have excellent nursing homes that offer long-term and short-term options. These may be affiliated with local hospitals or the VA system, and most are Medicaid approved. A Place for Mom doesn’t partner with these Medicaid-approved nursing homes. However, we do partner with multilevel care facilities with skilled nursing.

Life in Sarasota’s senior care facilities

Sarasota’s senior living facilities cater to a fashionable crowd. While not all facilities are brand new, you’ll still find the latest security technology, beautiful dining rooms, and comfortable living arrangements. Most take their activities seriously and employ an activities coordinator. Sarasota’s natural beauty and long-standing reputation for excellence have caused housing costs to be about 22% more expensive than in the rest of Florida. The cost of senior care facilities buck this trend and remain at about the national average.

Because about 37% of Sarasota’s population is 65 or over, the city caters to seniors. Communities are evenly spread throughout the city, and many are near the water. Visiting family members and friends will be happy to note that nowhere in Sarasota is over 45 minutes away from Siesta Key Beach.

Nursing homes in the surrounding Sarasota suburbs

Bradenton and Lakewood Ranch are more affordable nearby options. Lakewood Ranch is inland of Sarasota, about 30 minutes east. It’s primarily made up of seniors, young professionals, and families. The monthly cost of senior living is about $500 lower in Lakewood Ranch than in Sarasota.

Bradenton is north of Sarasota and is booming with seniors. It’s only 15 miles away from Sarasota’s city center but remains considerably cheaper.

Health care for seniors in Sarasota

In Sarasota, local seniors can choose between multiple robust health care facilities. Sarasota is only about 24 square miles, so most seniors can access any health care facility regardless of location. Whether your loved one needs a dedicated geriatrics physician or a neurology clinic, they’ll find options. Read on to learn about a few of the top health care facilities in Sarasota.

Transportation for seniors in Sarasota

Most individuals living in Sarasota’s senior care facilities won’t need to worry about making appointments on time or attending events, as 96% of A Place for Mom’s partnering assisted living facilities offer complimentary transportation to and from appointments. Visiting family and friends are also free to take their loved one on day trips or vacations.

Visitors should be aware that most people get around Sarasota by car. However, the county does offer public transportation in the form of Breeze (formerly known as The Sarasota County Transit System, or SCAT). Breeze provides bus transportation throughout Sarasota County. It also provides pickup and drop-off services through OnDemand. You can find routes, fees, and instructions on the Breeze website.

Senior activities in Sarasota

A truly exceptional senior living destination, Sarasota offers pristine Gulf Coast beaches plus a posh culture that draws more than a few well-known names. Among those who call Sarasota home are Mick Jagger of The Rolling Stones, Brian Johnson of AC/DC, and author Stephen King. Ernest Hemingway and Jimmy Buffet also enjoyed spending winters along the white sands of Siesta Key.

Sarasota residents have easy access to some of the state’s best senior-friendly outdoor activities and cultural amenities. Visitors, too, will find no shortage of fun in the sun. Sarasota is pleasant all year, but the peak season typically runs from about November to March.

Activities in Sarasota’s senior living facilities

Almost all of Sarasota’s local nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and memory care facilities employ an activities coordinator. Daily games, social events, workouts, and trips keep residents busy and happy. You can expect to attend daily social hours, bridge tournaments, or chair yoga classes, all within one community.

That’s not to say communities don’t plan outings to local attractions. Most seniors in Sarasota’s senior living facilities will get at least one outing a month to the beach, museums, or performances.

Senior-friendly outdoor activities in Sarasota

• Siesta Key Beach. Siesta Key Beach may be the most famous beach in Sarasota, but it’s also the most senior-friendly. As one of the few beaches in Florida with lifeguards, the beach also provides sand wheelchairs — just go to the closest lifeguard station to request one. As a large beach, Siesta Key offers plenty of room to spread out. The bright white sand also stays cool on the hot afternoons, making it more comfortable for seniors who prefer to walk instead of swim. For those who enjoy wading, Siesta Key Beach has extensive shallows and exceptionally clean water.
• The Celery Fields. The Celery Fields are both the region’s storm water collection zone and an immaculate wetland sanctuary. With over 100 acres of wetlands, it’s an ideal birding location. Multiple picnic areas throughout the fields offer great views of local species who nest in the reeds. Seniors get an admissions discount.

Senior-friendly Museums in Sarasota

• The Ringling Museum. During the 20th century, Sarasota was known as a circus capital of the United States in large part because of the Ringling Bros. Circus. The Ringling Museum commemorates this history with two different circus museums, plus the State Art Museum of Florida, the Asolo Theater, and the Bayfront Gardens. The Ringling Museum grounds also contain the Cà d’Zan mansion, which was built for John Ringling’s family and to imitate Venetian architecture. Seniors can get a discount at the door and may want to split their museum experience into multiple days.
• Sarasota Classic Car Museum. This museum contains antique cars and notable vehicles. Beatles fans will especially enjoy finding Paul McCartney’s Mini Cooper and John Lennon’s Mercedes Benz. Be on the lookout for traveling exhibitions, such as the Automotive Art of Ferdinand Porsche and Enzo Ferrari.

Senior-friendly day trips from Sarasota

• Walt Disney World. Just an hour and a half away, Walt Disney World is a great day trip for seniors with visiting grandchildren.
• Fort Myers. Another renowned beach destination, Fort Myers is perfect for seniors who need a change of pace. It’s under two hours away from Sarasota.
• Everglades National Park. Two and half hours south of Sarasota lies Everglades National Park, a must-do for any Florida resident. Seniors can explore the park by boat tour.