Is Tampa a good place to get skilled nursing care? What about assisted living or memory care? No matter the care you’re searching for, Tampa has the care seniors need. With its sunshine and warm weather, diverse culture, and exceptional skilled nursing care, Tampa continues to be a senior hot spot for retiring. And its senior-friendly tax laws make Tampa a perennial favorite place to live for seniors from all over the United States.
For many, the term “nursing home” is a stand-in for senior living in general. However, nursing homes are a distinct type of senior living facility that provides 24/7 skilled nursing care to seniors — a level of medical care just below hospitals. Most people on the hunt for senior living don’t need this type of intense medical care, especially since skilled nursing services are not only provided in nursing homes. Many assisted living and memory care communities that A Place for Mom partners with have skilled nursing wings on-site — for residents who grow to need such care. So, you or your loved one may be a better fit for a more comfortable, less institutional assisted living or memory care community.
With low resident-to-nurse ratios, Florida’s senior care communities provide some of the most personalized and high-quality care in the nation. Whether you’re looking for an assisted living community, memory care, or skilled nursing care, you’ll find options in Tampa, Florida. While A Place for Mom doesn’t partner with stand-alone skilled nursing homes, we do partner with 47 assisted living and memory care facilities within a 10-mile radius from Tampa’s city center — and over half of these communities offer on-site skilled nursing services.
We couldn't be happier with Legacy at Highwoods Preserve. They have been very accommodating and helpful from the beginning and are attentive to all my Dad's needs. The staff is very friendly and my Dad...
They are all very friendly and yes I have recommended The Meridian to other families based on the experience we have had so far.
Very welcoming. The other residents made my father in law feel welcome in all activities right away. Really appreciated that. Clean, very good food per my father in law.
The friendliness of the staff and the meals and dining gets a 5+. New upper management (Director and Head of Nursing) are not present enough to know their responsibilities to patients and families. The care...
It is the perfect place for a family member with dementia. What impresses me is their stressing the importance of being awake and alert over increased need for Behavioral Management. They are quite good at...
A few years back as my mom entered her 80’s, her memory began to diminish. At first, it was slow and we, her family, worked had to overlook any imperfections. But by her 81st birthday, her short comings...
The staff was thoughtful and considerate and they really understood the needs of their clients. We would recommend Inspired Living at Tampa to other families but they're pricey.
Cloudberry has a homey atmosphere and the staff care and know their residents and their needs. We chose this place because of the setup of the rooms to the other areas. The medical team is available 24/7 in...
My Mom loves it here! They don't clean the rooms very well. Everyone is very friendly! Many of the staff speak Spanish making it hard to understand. Food is good! Lots of activities! They raised the room...
They have been wonderful! We get great communication from leadership, caring aides, regular activities for the residents families (like bbqs). My mother in law is very happy there.
The staff response time to resident call button isn't even close to acceptable and the response time we were told before we signed papers, in my opinion, was a straight up lie to get us to sign. I've brought...
My husband stayed at Superior for a respite stay. His room was very basic but just fine for him. I liked how the hallway was in a square so residents could walk around and around. There is a small outside...
Mom is a handful to take care of, she constantly removes her pull-up and the plastic sheet from her sofa. [name removed] staff all knows Mom by name and are super friendly to her and family.
My mother-in-law had a difficult time adjusting and just wanted to go back home. But because of the wonderful care of the staff, the quality of the meals and entire environment, she is now doing well. She...
The caregivers are very nice to my husband and seem genuinely fond of him. Even though there is not an RN on staff I keep him here because they treat him so kindly.
I love living here! The staff is great! Lots of things to do. Food is good. Building is 18 months old.
My loved one is a resident at Brookdale Bayshore and everything has been very good for her so far at this facility. I would recommend Brookdale Bayshore to others looking for Assisted Living care for their...
Our family has had a very good overall experience with Arden Courts! Starting with [names removed] we had a comfortable feeling right away. We made the decision right away that Arden was the place for my...
My mother lived here for nearly three years and she was the happiest she had been in a long time. It is a beautiful community but what really makes it beautiful are the people who live and work there. A...
My parents reside at St Josephs John Knox Village the serving staff the nurses, and staff seem to have been there for quite some time which indicates their turnover rate is low. Michele Caruso goes above and...
No place is perfect but after touring 9 ALFs, this one is the best fit for my Mom. There are some common areas that need new carpeting and furniture but the residents rooms are immaculate from what I've...
Excellent facility! Great staff especially [name removed]. She was very helpful in her presentation, tour and getting him into your community. She is truly genuine, friendly, patient, understanding and has a...
I have my Mother here and she is doing wonderful. I love the staff I have a real connection with all of the day shift. The staff go that extra mile to make sure your loved one is being taken care of. I had a...
They've been great. Don't hesitate to put your loved one here. The people I deal with the most have been wonderful. Not only are they concerned about his safety and quality of life, but they're concerned...
The staff is super friendly. They genuinely care for the residents. Although it's a bit pricey, the care and staff make it well worth it. Extremely happy my Mom is in their care.
We developed a proprietary recommendation system that orders Tampa community options based on factors we know are important to seniors and their families:
We collect proprietary data from our network of 14,000+ senior living communities in the U.S., with regular refreshes of data and information
We have 387,000+ reviews from senior living residents and family members that provide first-hand accounts about senior living communities
Regardless of where you’re looking, nursing home or skilled nursing care is considerably more expensive than any other type of senior care. This is because skilled nursing units provide a high level of medical care, just below the kind of care you would get in a hospital. Care, not rent, is usually the most expensive part of the monthly fees for skilled nursing homes or units.
The average total cost of a private room and care in a Tampa skilled nursing home in 2021 was $9,885 a month, according to Genworth’s Cost of Care Survey. This is twice as much as the monthly room and care costs for assisted living communities in Tampa, at $3,711, or Tampa memory care communities, at $3,793, according to A Place for Mom’s proprietary data.[01]
Tampa’s senior living costs are slightly below the national average for every senior care type except for skilled nursing care. This is in part because Florida skilled nursing homes or units have the lowest resident-to-nurse ratio in the country and offer some of the highest quality care as a result.
Most families use a mix of private funds and public assistance to pay for their nursing home or skilled nursing services. Medicaid and Medicare can both be used to cover some skilled nursing care services. Veterans benefits may also be used to cover skilled nursing care costs. Planning how you will pay for nursing home or skilled nursing care is key to avoiding additional stress. Read on to explore how to use private and public funds to pay for your Tampa senior living and care.
Private funds include anything from savings accounts to investments, real estate equity, and life and long-term care insurance. Some individuals cash out their life insurance policies or use their long-term care insurance to help cover long-term care costs. But policies differ, so it’s a good idea to consult your policy provider or an elder care attorney to see what your policy will cover, especially if you want to also use Medicaid or Medicare.
Below, you’ll find articles about how to use common private funds to pay for senior care:
Florida has one of the highest numbers of veterans in the country, and many choose to live in Tampa. An impressive 39.1% of veterans in Tampa are 65+, and 15.2% of veterans are 75+.[02]
The Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs (also known as the FDVA) is an excellent resource for Floridian veterans. Through the FDVA, Florida veterans can access benefits counseling – both in-person and virtual.
The FDVA operates eight different nursing homes for veterans in Florida. The closest VA nursing home to Tampa is the Baldomero Lopez State Veterans’ Nursing Home in Land O’ Lakes, which is about 40 minutes north of Tampa. This facility has 120 beds and reserves about half of its beds for veterans in need of memory care. Prospective residents can apply on the FDVA website below, or they can call the number below for additional information.
The Aid and Attendance benefit is additional money added to the VA pension and can be used for anything as long as it benefits the disabled veteran’s quality of life. So it can pay for things like rent and care in a senior living setting. Before getting the Aid and Attendance benefit, veterans need to first qualify for the VA pension by meeting the following eligibility criteria:
To be eligible for the Aid and Attendance benefit, veterans must be eligible for the VA pension and meet at least one of the following criteria:
Number of veterans in Tampa, according to the U.S. Census Bureau
Percent of veterans who are 75+ in Tampa, according to the U.S. Census Bureau
Resources for Florida veterans
9500 Bay Pines Blvd., #214
St. Petersburg, FL 33708
Phone: 727-319-7440
Email: VSO@fsva.state.fl.us
Phone: 727-319-7408
Email: VSO@fdva.state.fl.us
6919 Parkway Blvd.
Land O’ Lakes, FL 34639
Phone: 813-558-5000
Florida Medicaid is run by the Agency for Health Care Administration (also known as AHCA). Florida offers different types of Medicaid health care plans. Seniors wanting to use Medicaid to pay for assisted living, memory care, or skilled nursing care need to pick a Long-Term Care plan (also known as an LTC plan) that covers such services. To qualify for Florida Medicaid, a senior needs to meet the following criteria:
How Florida Medicaid pays for skilled nursing care services differs depending on where you plan to receive your care. There are two things to know about using Florida Medicaid if you’re looking to pay for skilled nursing care in a senior care facility:
Many seniors receive Medicaid coverage for skilled nursing services in other types of communities, like assisted living or memory care communities, but it’s not guaranteed or immediately provided like it is in Medicaid-approved nursing homes.
People who want to receive skilled nursing services from assisted living communities outside the Medicaid-approved facility network are put on a waitlist to receive Medicaid funds for care. If you think you may become eligible for Medicaid after moving into an assisted living facility or nursing home, it may be a good idea to contact a Medicaid-patient advocate or an elder law attorney. A Medicaid-patient advocate can help you understand what care services are covered at the assisted living, memory care, or nursing facility of your choice.
For seniors in a Medicaid-approved senior living community that provides skilled nursing care, Medicaid will pay for the following services:
You can find a comprehensive list of covered services under Florida Medicaid on the Agency for Health Care Administration website, including explanations of coverage for care services that you would receive outside of a nursing home or skilled nursing wing of a facility.
Florida resident Medicaid resources
2727 Mahan Drive
Tallahassee, FL 32308
Phone: 888-419-3456
Feedback and question form
Fran Lima, Field Office Manager
15500 Lightwave Drive, Suite 100
Clearwater, Florida 33760
Phone: 727-552-2000
Medicare is a federal program to help qualifying people pay for parts of their health care costs. Medicare will cover some health care costs for the following groups:
Medicare pays for short-term medically necessary health care needs. This means Medicare will not cover board and care in a skilled nursing facility indefinitely. Instead, Medicare is most frequently used to cover short-term rehabilitation and recovery from an illness or a procedure, like a knee replacement surgery. Short-term care services that Medicare will pay for include the following:
Medicare recipients will pay nothing toward their nursing care in the first 20 days, and from days 21-100, they will owe up to a $200 copay each day. Starting on day 101, Medicare no longer covers any services.
Recipients don’t have to receive their care from a nursing home to be covered by Medicare. Most nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, or skilled nursing facilities accept Medicare, as do some assisted living and memory care communities. Wherever a senior chooses to receive their care, Medicare only covers short-term medically necessary services. Medicare does not cover the following:
You can find out if a care service or prescription is covered by using this Medicare coverage portal to check. To learn more about Medicare services in Tampa, Florida, contact your local Social Security office.
Tampa, Florida, resident Medicare resources
3415 E. Frontage Road, Suite A
Tampa, FL 33607
Phone: 800-772-1213
3900 Commonwealth Blvd., MS 49
Tallahassee, FL 32399
Phone: 850-245-2118
Email: Public.Services@FloridaDEP.gov
Florida has some of the most rigorous requirements for nursing homes or skilled nursing units in the nation. According to a Kaiser Family Foundation report in 2018, Florida is one of only five states in the country that exceeds the ideal number of nurses on staff at nursing facilities. Florida also requires more hours of care per day for each nursing home resident than any other state. This means residents of Floridian nursing homes, on average, receive more attention and care than they would in almost any other state. As a result, Florida nursing homes or skilled nursing units have above-average outcomes in nearly every aspect of patient care. According to a study by U.S. News and World Report, nursing home residents in Florida are less likely to be given antipsychotics. They also have fewer rehospitalizations and falls than nursing home residents in other states.
Because many skilled nursing services for seniors are funded by the federal government through Medicaid and Medicare, nursing homes or skilled nursing units are more regulated by the federal government than other senior care types. According to the Code of Federal Regulations for long-term care facilities, nursing homes or skilled nursing units are required to do the following:
In fact, Medicare.gov has a public report card for every skilled nursing home and rehabilitation center in the United States. Use Medicare’s provider search tool to find and compare senior care facilities near you.
In Florida, nursing homes are also regulated and licensed by the Agency for Health Care Administration (also known as the AHCA) — Long Term Care Services Unit. The AHCA’s Bureau of Health Facility Regulation outlines the resident’s rights and requirements that nursing homes must follow, including the following:
You can find a list of every nursing home in Florida with their contact information on the FloridaHealthFinder.gov website. To find information about nursing homes, select “Locate a Facility or Provider.” You can then search for all long-term care facilities in Florida, including skilled nursing homes, assisted living, and memory care. When you click on a facility, it will show information about the capacity, license, history, and location, as well as a list of violations.
Assisted living and memory care facilities in Florida are also licensed through the AHCA’s Long Term Care Services Unit, Bureau of Health Facility Regulation. To keep their licensure, assisted living communities need to follow specific guidelines:
All employees of Florida assisted living communities need to go through a background check. Site administrators must also complete 26 hours of initial training and 12 hours of continuing education every two years. Caregiving staff needs to also complete an infectious disease and care needs training within a month of being hired.
Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) — Long Term Care Services Unit
Brian O. Smith
Manager, Long Term Care Services Unit
2727 Mahan Drive, MS#33
Tallahassee, FL 32308
Phone: 805-412-4303
Email: LTCStaff@ahca.myflorida.com
Florida’s state government does not have any COVID-19 mandates specific to nursing homes or skilled nursing units in assisted living facilities. Instead, the Florida COVID-19 Response department offers suggestions about how to identify and manage ill residents, and how to slow the spread of COVID-19 from staff members and visitors. On the Florida COVID-19 Response website, vaccination, testing, and treatment site maps are available. The site also has data about the spread of COVID-19 in Florida, which is updated every two weeks.
Tampa has exceptionally high-quality nursing home care. But, if you’re looking for other senior care options, like assisted living or memory care, Tampa has those, too. In Tampa and the greater Tampa Bay area, there are senior care options to meet almost any need — and some of the wants, too. In this section, you’ll get an overview of what it’s like to live in a Tampa senior community. You’ll find insights into nursing homes or skilled nursing care and other senior care types.
Generally, people tend to refer to all senior living communities as nursing homes. However, nursing homes are technically a senior living facility that exclusively provides 24/7 skilled nursing services for medical conditions. Whether it’s a stand-alone nursing home or a skilled nursing wing in a larger senior living community, the available on-site medical care services are the same. Nursing homes or skilled nursing units differ from other senior living types in that they are institutional-like, medical units similar to hospitals.
Most seniors only need skilled nursing services temporarily — either for hospice or to recover from a medical procedure, injury, or illness. And, many assisted living and memory care communities have these skilled nursing wings on-site or offer skilled nursing services to residents in the comfort of their own rooms. A Place for Mom’s Tampa partner senior care communities offer these kinds of skilled nursing services on-site, so the resident doesn’t need to move if their care needs ever evolve to require skilled nursing care.
Explaining Tampa’s perennial appeal to seniors is like pointing to a beach speckled with hundreds of different kinds of shells after a storm. You’ll find a little bit of everything, but it’s all grouped together under the tag “senior-friendly.” The comfortable weather is often the first draw for many seniors. Tampa’s average low temperature in January is 53 degrees, which makes it safe for most seniors to spend time outside at any time of the year.
One of the biggest perks to seniors in Tampa is the seniors themselves. While people between the ages of 25 and 39 make up the biggest percentage of Tampa’s population, people 65+ are the second most populous demographic in the Floridian city. In Tampa, finding like-minded senior friends is as easy as going outside and enjoying the sunshine.
A Place for Mom alone partners with 47 assisted living and memory care communities, many with on-site skilled nursing care, within 10 miles of downtown Tampa alone.[01] But, including all assisted living, memory care, senior apartments, and independent living communities, A Place for Mom’s partnerships bump up to a total of 67 senior living communities within a 10-mile radius from Tampa’s city center.[01] At 20 miles, the number of senior living communities nearly triples! In Tampa, seniors can expect to find low-budget or luxury options for any care type — and A Place for Mom can help them find the perfect fit for their needs.
Traditional, stand-alone nursing homes in Tampa are some of the best in the nation. Due to Florida’s high nursing care standards, residents of Tampa nursing homes tend to have better health outcomes and faster recoveries than they would in other states. Medicaid is also automatically granted for eligible residents of Medicaid-approved nursing homes or skilled nursing units, making Tampa an excellent place for seniors who need skilled nursing care.
In the city of Tampa, assisted living and memory care communities provide exceptional care, often in buildings built about 30 to 40 years ago. Tampa’s assisted living and memory care communities are often found together in the same community or on the same campus. This makes transitions easier for seniors as their care needs shift. Many of these communities also have independent living and skilled nursing wings, making them a useful one-stop shop for local seniors looking to age in place.
The neighboring communities in the wider Tampa Bay area offer the same types of care but tend to be newer facilities with more amenities. For example, Wesley Chapel is a quiet, family-forward suburb north of Tampa with plenty of assisted living and memory care communities. The city of Clearwater, about 30 minutes from Tampa, has the highest concentration of all senior living care types. In Clearwater, assisted living and memory care facilities range from being affordable and a little older to luxurious and brand new. All of these Clearwater communities are usually more spacious and are often right on the water — with easy beach access and scenic views.
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Number of seniors over the age of 75 living in Tampa, Florida, according to the U.S. Census Bureau
Tampa has a reputable health care system, and many of the hospitals are nationally recognized for their geriatric and cancer care.
A teaching hospital, Tampa General Hospital is nationally ranked for a number of specialties, including ENT care, diabetes and endocrinology, orthopedics, general surgery, and geriatrics.
1 Tampa General Circle
Tampa, FL 33606-3571
Phone: 813-844-7000
The H. Lee Moffit Cancer Center and Research Institute is ranked nationally for cancer treatment, geriatrics, GI surgery, and urology.
12902 USF Magnolia Drive
Tampa, FL 33612-9497
Phone: 813-592-3894
Located in Clearwater, Florida, the Morton Plant Hospital is rated No. 7 in the state of Florida.
300 Pinellas St.
Clearwater, FL 33756-3804
Phone: 727-462-7000
St. Joseph’s Hospital — Tampa is a highly rated regional hospital and surgery center, and it performs highly for lung and colon cancer care.
3001 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Tampa, FL 33607-6387
Phone: 813-870-4000
Many seniors in Tampa have access to transportation from their senior living communities. In Tampa, almost 78% of our partnering assisted living communities and 50% of our memory care communities offer complimentary transportation to their residents.
The city of Tampa also has one of the only door-to-door transportation systems for the elderly or disabled, called The Sunshine Line. To use it, seniors need to enroll by calling their enrollment number, 813-272-7272.
While being outside is a state-wide pastime in Florida, Tampa is not the most walkable city. Tampa residents usually drive instead of using public transportation, but there is a local bus system. The Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART) is affordable and somewhat reliable, although most residents find it faster to drive.
Tampa, Florida, is a vacation destination for people of all ages and interests. But what’s it like to live there as a senior? Unsurprisingly, Tampa’s virtues — amenable weather, natural beauty, history, and an authentically diverse culture — apply to senior activities, too.
Activities and entertainment are usually organized by the staff of nursing home, assisted living, and memory care communities for residents to enjoy. Local artists often perform for residents, and volunteers lead groups and classes to keep spirits high. Most communities also have on-site fitness classes, game nights, and happy hours. Some even welcome social visitors. Almost all assisted living communities in Tampa offer off-site day trips to keep things fresh for the residents. These outings can be to the beach, local restaurants, museums, performances, and more. The communities make sure to keep these outings and all other planned activities accessible to all residents with special needs.
The city of Tampa also organizes plenty of activities for their local senior residents through its Parks and Recreation department. Local seniors enjoy a uniquely well-organized and busy activity program suited to their interests. This distinct program puts on weekly classes and events, like water aerobics, bingo, and a quilting club, all at no charge for seniors over 65. Seniors can sign up for and find information about senior-specific local events, classes, and clubs on the Tampa Parks and Recreation website.
Besides the beaches, Tampa has a wealth of historical and cultural attractions. Ybor City neighborhood in Tampa is the only National Historic Landmark District in the American South. Visitors can embark and become urban explorers amongst the Spanish and Cuban architecture and learn how the neighborhood put Tampa on the map as the cigar capital of the United States.
The University of Tampa’s campus is another popular historical attraction, even for people unaffiliated with the university, due to its striking Moorish architecture. The historic Tampa Bay Hotel sits in the center of campus, and though it now houses classrooms and offices, it maintains the opulence of its early days and extravagant architecture. Tours are available Monday through Friday, and occasionally on Saturdays.
For seniors interested in the area’s musical culture, the music venue Ruth Eckerd Hall puts on a yearly musical retrospective program. This program brings in popular acts like Elvis impersonators, The Beach Boys, and the Irish Tenors. They also organize musical performances at local senior care communities for exciting on-site entertainment.
Because of the rich ecological diversity, birding is one of the most popular pastimes for seniors in Tampa. The Tampa Audubon Society, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2022, is an excellent place to find birds of a feather. The Society puts on regular birding walks and lists the difficulty of the trails beforehand. Anyone can sign up for birding expeditions on the Tampa Audubon Society website. Some of the regular birding routes, like the Circle B Bar Reserve, are even wheelchair accessible.
Arden Courts A ProMedica Memory Care Community in Palm Harbor, Inspired Living at Tampa and Grace Manor at Hunter's Creek are the top-rated Nursing Homes facilities near Tampa, FL. These Nursing Homes facilities received the highest rankings based on verified family reviews. See full list of communities.
The average cost of Nursing Homes in Tampa is $4,021 per month. This cost may vary based on location, amenities, floorplan, level of care and other factors.
A Place for Mom. (2022). A Place for Mom proprietary data.
United States Census Bureau. (2021). Veteran status (S2101): Tampa city [Data set]. American Community Survey.
United States Census Bureau. (2021). Age and sex (S0101): Tampa city [Data set]. American Community Survey.
United States Census Bureau. (2021). Age and sex (S0101): Clearwater city [Data set]. American Community Survey.
Ask an A Place for Mom local advisor at no cost.
A Place for Mom. (2022). A Place for Mom proprietary data.
United States Census Bureau. (2021). Veteran status (S2101): Tampa city [Data set]. American Community Survey.
United States Census Bureau. (2021). Age and sex (S0101): Tampa city [Data set]. American Community Survey.
United States Census Bureau. (2021). Age and sex (S0101): Clearwater city [Data set]. American Community Survey.