Memory Care Communities in Petaluma, California

Memory care rates in Petaluma come in at about $7,875 per month, exceeding the California average of $6,563 and the national norm of $5,625. Several cities in the region have comparatively economical rates, including Vallejo, where residents pay $6,188 for care, and Yuba City, where monthly fees average $5,823. Similarly, care costs in Stockton are significantly lower than in Petaluma at $4,561, but in Santa Rosa, rates surpass the local average at $8,810.

Note: Residential memory care is usually offered in assisted living facilities, and in general, memory care rates tend to be 20-30% higher than assisted living rates. No national database currently tracks memory care costs in the United States, so we've estimated the monthly memory care costs listed below by adding 25% to the rates listed in Genworth's 2021 Cost of Care Survey.

In Petaluma, memory care communities charge roughly $7,875 per month for services.

While many families use their own funds or personal assets to pay for memory care, there are plenty of additional options to cover these costs. Some additional ways to finance memory care costs include:

• Veterans Benefits
• Life Insurance Policy
• Long-Term Care Insurance
• Reverse Mortgage

For more information about different ways to finance memory care, visit our Memory Care in California page.

In Petaluma, memory care communities charge around $7,875 per month for specialized care. This is thousands of dollars less than the cost of nursing home care, which comes in at $10,646 and covers around-the-clock medical services, disease monitoring and rehabilitative therapies. However, seniors who arrange for private care services at home pay lower rates of $6,435 for in-home care, which includes companionship and nonmedical personal care, and home health care, an option for those who need skilled nursing services. Additionally, assisted living facilities provide personal care for seniors without memory impairments for $6,300 per month, and adult day health care facilities administer daytime skilled nursing and personal care for $2,275.

The California Department of Social Services oversees memory care communities in Petaluma through its Community Care Licensing Division. This division governs facilities through regulations related to building security and amenities, care planning and staffing. It also operates the CCLD Complaint Hotline, which fields calls related to substandard conditions in residential care facilities.

• Sonoma County, where Petaluma is located, ranks as a member of the Dementia Friendly America Network. Through the county’s Aging and Disability Resource Directory, local seniors and families access information on local memory care communities, programs that pay for services for qualified individuals and community-based services, such as health screenings and vaccine clinics.

• Petaluma serves as a part of the AARP Age-Friendly Network and has leaders dedicated to fostering a welcoming community for seniors. The organization assigns Petaluma a livability score of 62 versus the average U.S. city score of 48, reflecting high access to parks and grocery stores, reliable public transportation services and a low rate of preventable hospitalizations.

• Petaluma Valley Hospital, which ranks in California’s top 10% of hospitals for best practices, sits in Petaluma proper and provides 24-hour emergency services, medical and surgical services and a full range of rehabilitative services. While it doesn’t administer neurological services for those with memory loss, it offers referrals for local providers who specialize in this area.

• Sonoma County ranks among the top counties in California for health, falling in the 75-100th percentile for health factors and outcomes. The average life expectancy in this region exceeds state and national norms at 82 years, and only 250 residents per 100,000 people die before the age of 75 compared to 360 nationally. Additionally, there's one primary care doctor per 990 residents compared to 1,230 statewide and 1,310 nationally, reducing wait times for obtaining medical care.

• Petaluma’s cost of living runs 45% higher than the national norm, with local utility costs coming in around the fifth highest in the nation and housing costs exceeding the nationwide average by 14%. Fortunately, many memory care communities in the Petaluma region accept the state-funded Assisted Living Waiver, which pays for some memory care services for those who qualify for coverage.

• California’s income tax rate is among the highest in the nation, ranging from 1% to 13.3% for top earners. Fortunately, the state doesn’t tax Social Security benefits and has a senior income tax exemption to support seniors’ financial stability.