What it is
Less upkeep, more company, no care you do not need yet
Independent living is an apartment or cottage in a community built for older adults: restaurant-style meals, housekeeping, transportation, a full calendar and neighbors at the same stage of life. There is no personal care in the monthly fee because the residents do not need it. It is a lifestyle choice, not a care decision, and the people who thrive there chose it before they had to.
The questions that actually matter are the ones about later. What happens when a resident starts to need help with medications or bathing? Does the community have assisted living on the same campus, bring care in from outside, or ask the resident to move? The answer changes the whole value of the choice, and it is the first thing our advisors check for you.
The other honest question is money. Independent living is the least expensive community option, but it is still a monthly fee for life, and a community with a care wing on site usually charges more than one without. We help families weigh that against staying home with help, and we tell them plainly when staying home is the better answer.
A good fit when
- Still independent but tired of the house, the yard and cooking for one
- Lonely at home and wants people around without asking for them
- Driving is becoming a worry and transportation would solve it
- A spouse has passed and the house is too big and too quiet
- Wants to settle somewhere that can add care later without another move
Probably not the right level when
- Already needs help with bathing, dressing or medicationsAssisted living
- Memory loss that affects safety or daily routineMemory care
- Wants guaranteed care for life on one campus with an entrance feeCCRC
Free, no obligation
Tell us what is going on
Tell us a little about your situation and a local advisor will call or email you back, usually the same business day.
Prefer to talk? Call 866-744-1417, answered until 6 pm. Send the form any time and we reply outside those hours too.
What you get
What the monthly fee usually includes
Independent living fees vary more than any other care type because communities bundle different things. These are the pieces to ask about and compare line by line.
- A private apartmentStudio to two bedrooms, often with a kitchen; some communities offer cottages.
- MealsAnywhere from one meal a day to three, restaurant style. Check how many are included.
- Housekeeping and linensWeekly in most communities, with laundry rooms or service.
- TransportationScheduled rides to doctors, shopping and outings.
- Activities and fitnessClasses, clubs, outings, a pool or gym in larger communities.
- What is usually extraAny personal care, medication management, parking in some buildings, and a one-time community fee.
Costs
What independent living costs in the Bay Area
Independent living is priced like rent plus services, so the number depends more on the building and the town than on care. A community that also has assisted living on site usually costs more up front but saves a second move later.
Typical monthly rates from the quotes our advisors see across Bay Area communities and current industry cost surveys. Your quote depends on the community, the apartment and the meal plan.
- Apartment sizeA two-bedroom can cost nearly double a studio in the same building.
- Meal planThree meals a day costs more than one; some communities let you choose.
- LocationSan Francisco, the Peninsula and Marin run highest; the East Bay and South Bay less.
- Care on siteCommunities with assisted living or memory care on campus charge more for the option.
How we help
How we help you choose
- Tell us what you are looking forBudget, the part of the Bay Area, apartment size, how much cooking you want to give up, and how important it is that care is available later.
- We check what is open nowIndependent living communities often have waitlists. Our advisor calls first so the short list only holds places with an apartment available.
- Tour with an advisorWe come with you, and we ask the questions families forget: what happens when care is needed, what the fee increases have been, what is really included.
- Move with supportWe help coordinate the move, and if the family needs a realtor, a mover or a downsizing service, we can point you to people we trust.
How we choose
How we choose the communities we show you
Before a family sees a list, our advisor calls around. Communities are asked what they have open right now, at what price and for what level of care, so the short list only holds places that can actually take your parent this month.
We share a brief overview of the situation only with the communities that fit, and we ask them to hold off on calling you until a tour is set. Your phone number is not passed around.
An advisor goes on the tours with you, helps with the physician report and the other paperwork a community needs, and stays involved through move-in day.
Check a license yourself
Assisted living communities and board and care homes are licensed by the State of California as residential care facilities for the elderly. You can look up any one of them, with its inspection visits and complaint history, on the state’s public Care Facility Search. Ask us if a record is hard to read; we go through them with families all the time.
Four local advisors, one number. Johnell, Ashley, Tanvi and Kayevon cover the nine Bay Area counties.
Reviews
What families say
Swipe for more
When you don’t know what to do , or, just where or how to start, it’s time for professional assistance. Neighborly Senior Placement is that service. Neighborly understands and is familiar with your needs way before you are aware of them and will coach you through the processes required. We highly recommend Neighborly Senior Placement.Rod and Linda Morgan
Johnell Davidson was extremely helpful in our search for an assisted living community for my husband. She was patient and supportive as we struggled to define our priorities and then gently defined them for us. She guided us through the complicated choices, procedures, visits to optimal facilities, and paper work- medical and financial- to secure the apartment within the community we chose. She was helpful during the move-in, and then when problems arose with the administration she continued to assist us in resolving the problems. We recommend her highly.
Johnell contines to exemplify heartfelt professionalism and knowledge. I continually rely on her for personal and practical placement based on individual and family needs. She’s amazing, both heart and experience!!
Questions
Questions families ask
What does independent living cost in the Bay Area?
A one-bedroom with meals typically runs $4,500 to $6,000 a month in the Bay Area, with studios lower and two-bedrooms higher. The fee is rent plus services, not care, so it depends mostly on the building, the town and the meal plan. Your price is the community’s standard price, locked in your agreement with them; nothing is added because we are involved.
What is included in the monthly fee?
Usually the apartment, some or all meals, weekly housekeeping, scheduled transportation, activities and utilities. Personal care and medication help are not included because independent living residents do not need them yet; if they are needed later, they are added or the resident moves to a higher level of care.
What happens if my mom needs care later?
This is the most important question to ask before choosing. Some communities have assisted living or memory care on the same campus, some bring in outside caregivers at an extra cost, and some will ask the resident to move. We check the answer for every community on your short list.
Is independent living the same as a 55+ community?
No. A 55+ community is age-restricted housing you buy or rent with no services. Independent living includes meals, housekeeping, transportation and activities in the monthly fee, and is usually part of a community that can add care later.
Do I have to sell the house first?
Not necessarily. Many families use the home sale to fund the move, but the timing is yours and a community will usually hold an apartment with a deposit. We can connect you with realtors and movers we trust if you want help with that side.
Is your help free?
Yes. The community pays us a referral fee when a move happens, and families pay nothing. Your price is never higher because we are involved.
Something else on your mind? Call 866-744-1417, answered until 6 pm.
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Find a community you will be glad you chose early
The form takes two minutes. A local advisor replies the same business day in most cases, and the help is free to your family.