The Centennial State is a beautiful option for your assisted living search. Colorado has sleepy, scenic mountain towns, eclectic artsy enclaves, and big city options that are as luxurious as the most well-appointed ski chalet. A new lease on life awaits in the Rockies—what will you find comin’ ‘round the mountain? There’s something for everyone looking for Colorado assisted living services.
Find assisted living communities in Colorado
Cost of assisted living in Colorado vs. nearby states
Cost of assisted living in a selection of Colorado cities
We noticed people seem to be searching for assisted living in these Colorado cities more frequently than others: Aurora, Denver, Greely, and Lakewood. We've provided their pricing here.
The cost of assisted living in Colorado
Seniorly 2021 data shows that the average cost of assisted living in Colorado is $4,346 per month. The national average monthly cost is $4,057. Keep in mind as you start your senior living search and remember that some areas (particularly those where the cost of living is high) will be more expensive than others. Explore our assisted living listings to start comparing properties, or get in touch with one of our local advisors to get expert advice on what you can afford in the areas in which you’re interested.
Assisted living communities can provide the peace of mind that comes from not worrying about home maintenance, chores, or errands, as well as help with personal care like grooming, eating, and other activities of daily living seniors might have trouble with. However, if your loved one requires nursing care, or has diagnosed Alzheimer's or dementia that has progressed to a certain point, they might need a skilled nursing facility/home health care, or memory care community instead. These types of care providers (and for that matter, in-home care) might cost more in Colorado than assisted living facilities, but the important thing is that your loved one’s needs are cared for in order to provide them with the best quality of life.
If your loved one currently lives in a retirement community, ask whether it is a Continuing Care Retirement Community: these senior living properties are generally designed for residents to age in place. Seniors can get the different levels of care they need, from independent living to memory care, without having to move to a different community all together.
Financial assistance for assisted living in Colorado
Medicaid options for Colorado seniors
According to benefits.gov, to be eligible for Colorado Medicaid, you must be a resident of the state of Colorado, a U.S. national, citizen, permanent resident, or legal alien, in need of health care/insurance assistance, whose financial situation would be characterized as low income or very low income. You must also be one of the following:
Pregnant, or
Be responsible for a child 18 years of age or younger, or
Blind, or
Have a disability or a family member in your household with a disability, or
Be 65 years of age or older.
Colorado's Medicaid program is called Health First Colorado and pays for medical care for children and adults with limited income and resources and is supported by State and Federal funding. The program provides three kinds of benefits: physical health benefits, dental benefits, and behavioral health benefits.
There are ancillary Health First Colorado benefits available to enrollees as well. The Elderly, Blind, and Disabled Waiver (EBD), for example, helps qualifying seniors stay in their communities. Health First Colorado is administered by regional organizations. These organizations help enrollees and their primary care providers coordinate appropriate care in a timely fashion.
Non-Medicaid State assistance programs
There are a few non-Medicaid assistance programs in Colorado, including Colorado Paid Family Leave, which offers up to six weeks paid time off for working professionals, so that they may care for a family member. You may also be able to find programs at the city level, like San Francisco’s Support at Home program. For more ways to find assisted living help, check the “Free assisted living resources in Colorado” section below.
The state of Colorado offers an array of non-Medicaid assistance programs. The Medicare Savings Programs (MSP) helps those with limited income and resources pay for some or all of their Medicare premiums, and the Old Age Pension (OAP) Health and Medical Care Program provides limited medical care for Coloradans getting Old Age Pension who do not qualify for Health First Colorado benefits.
More ways to finance assisted living in Colorado
There are several options available to finance assisted living for yourself or a loved one. Long-term care can be financed several ways:
Life insurance - Some life insurance policies have a provision for long-term care benefits.
Long-term care insurance - This type of insurance is intended to cover long-term health care needs by covering costs for assisted living or long-term care communities.
Pensions, 401K, and IRA - If you have a pension, 401k or an IRA to fall back upon this would be a great benefit in paying for assisted living costs.
Real Estate - Having a home is a great source of income. When it is time to move into assisted living the sale proceeds from your home can cover the costs.
Veteran’s benefits - While the VA will not directly cover the costs of assisted living, you can obtain help from the VA under the Veterans Aid & Attendance benefits. The Aid & Attendance benefits helps eligible veterans and their surviving spouses to pay for assistance for assistance of daily living (ADLs) activities. Aid & Attendance benefits are often referred to by other names such as “improved pension,” “VA assisted living benefit,” or “veterans elder care benefits.”
Free assisted living resources in Colorado
Colorado residents can explore state resources that can help answer your questions about eligibility for certain types of benefits and how they might apply to assisted living.
