About Assisted Living in Florida
Jump to Section:
- What Options are Available for Assisted Living?
- What are the Alzheimer’s Requirements for Assisted Living Facilities in Florida?
- What Training is Required for Assisted Living Facility Staff?
- Is an Assessment Required Before Move-In?
- What Care is Available in an Assisted Living Facility?
- How is Medication Managed?
- What are the Bathroom Requirements for an Assisted Living Facility?
- What are the Move-In or Move-Out Requirements?
- Is an Assisted Living Facility Covered by Medicaid in the State of Florida?
- Who can I contact for more information?
The combination of warm weather and sandy beaches as well as no state income tax has quite the draw on the retirement crowd. However, with a high cost of living (above the national average) and a significant crime rate in some areas, you might want to consider your options before relocating to the “Sunshine State”.
What Options are Available for Assisted Living?
In the state of Florida assisted living facilities not only provide housing and meals, but they also provide personal services, including assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs) and self-administration of medication.
All new assisted living facilities must have an automatic fire sprinkler system. If a facility undergoes any major reconstruction or addition, the whole building must be equipped with an automatic fire sprinkler system. All assisted living facilities with more than 17 beds are required to have an automated defibrillator.
What are the Alzheimer’s Requirements for Assisted Living Facilities in Florida?
Assisted living facilities that advertise Alzheimer’s care must have a physical environment that provides for the safety and welfare of residents, as well as offers activities and provides a 24-hour staff that has completed an 8-hour approved training course and 4-hours yearly continued education.
Senior Assisted Living Details and Costs for Cities in Florida
The listings below are some of the larger cities in Florida. Each listing page provides details on senior care facilities, independent living, senior group homes, and Alzheimer's care. Details include amenities, services offered and other useful information.
- Altamonte Springs
- Altoona
- Arcadia
- Atlantic Beach
- Avon Park
- Bartow
- Belle Glade
- Belleview
- Boca Raton
- Bonita Springs
- Boynton Beach
- Bradenton
- Brandon
- Brooksville
- Bushnell
- Cantonment
- Cape Coral
- Carrabelle
- Casselberry
- Clearwater
- Clermont
- Cocoa
- Crestview
- Cross City
- Crystal River
- Dade City
- Daytona Beach
- Deerfield Beach
- Defuniak Springs
- Deland
- Delray Beach
- Deltona
- Destin
- Dunedin
- Dunnellon
- Edgewater
- Englewood
- Eustis
- Fernandina Beach
- Fleming Island
- Fort Lauderdale
- Fort Myers
- Fort Pierce
- Fort Walton Beach
- Gainesville
- Green Cove Springs
- Greenacres
- Greenwood
- Gulf Breeze
- Haines City
- Hallandale Beach
- Hialeah
- Holiday
- Holly Hill
- Hollywood
- Homestead
- Homosassa
- Jacksonville
- Jacksonville Beach
- Jensen Beach
- Jupiter
- Keystone Heights
- Kissimmee
- Labelle
- Lake Alfred
- Lake City
- Lake Mary
- Lake Placid
- Lake Wales
- Lake Worth
- Lakeland
- Lantana
- Largo
- Lauderhill
- Lecanto
- Leesburg
- Lehigh Acres
- Longwood
- Loxahatchee
- Lutz
- Madison
- Margate
- Melbourne
- Merritt Island
- Miami
- Miami Beach
- Miami Gardens
- Middleburg
- Milton
- Minneola
- Miramar
- Mount Dora
- Naples
- New Port Richey
- New Smyrna Beach
- Niceville
- Nokomis
- North Lauderdale
- North Miami
- North Miami Beach
- North Port
- Oakland Park
- Ocala
- Ocoee
- Okeechobee
- Orange City
- Orange Park
- Orlando
- Ormond Beach
- Oviedo
- Palatka
- Palm Bay
- Palm Beach Gardens
- Palm City
- Palm Coast
- Palm Harbor
- Panama City
- Panama City Beach
- Pembroke Pines
- Pensacola
- Pinellas Park
- Plant City
- Plantation
- Pompano Beach
- Ponte Vedra Beach
- Port Charlotte
- Port Orange
- Port Richey
- Port Saint Lucie
- Quincy
- Riverview
- Riviera Beach
- Rockledge
- Rotonda West
- Royal Palm Beach
- Ruskin
- Saint Cloud
- Saint Petersburg
- Sanford
- Sarasota
- Sebastian
- Seffner
- Seminole
- Spring Hill
- St. Augustine
- St. Petersburg
- Stuart
- Sun City Center
- Sunrise
- Tallahassee
- Tamarac
- Tampa
- Tarpon Springs
- Tavares
- The Villages
- Thonotosassa
- Titusville
- Umatilla
- Valrico
- Venice
- Vero Beach
- Wauchula
- Wellington
- Wesley Chapel
- West Palm Beach
- Wildwood
- Williston
- Wilton Manors
- Winter Haven
- Winter Park
- Winter Springs
- Zephyrhills
What Training is Required for Assisted Living Facility Staff?
Direct care staff who have not taken the proper core training program must receive a minimum of 1 hour in-service training within the first 30 days of employment. Direct care staff other than nurses, certified assistants, and home health aides, must receive 3 hours in-service training within the first 30 days of employment, including infection control, sanitation procedures, reporting major and adverse incidents, emergency procedures, resident rights, reporting abuse, behavior and needs, assistance with ADLs, safe food handling, elopement response policies and procedures, Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders, CPR and First Aid, and Do Not Resuscitate Orders.
Is an Assessment Required Before Move-In?
Residents must be examined by a physician or RN and complete a medical examination report, and this information must be recorded on the Resident Health Assessment form (AHCA Form 1823(pdf)).
What Care is Available in an Assisted Living Facility?
- Assistance with personal services, including medications.
- Extensive ADL (activities of daily living) assistance and nursing care for frail residents (if the facility holds an extended congregate care license.)
- Assist low-income, chronically mentally ill residents (if the facility holds a limited mental health license.)
If a resident requires care or services from a 3rd party provider the facility administrator must facilitate the services as well as coordinate with the provider to meet resident goals, unless the assistance is declined by the resident.
How is Medication Managed?
Only licensed staff may help with self-administered medication. To become licensed to provide assistance the staff member must complete 4 hours of medication assisting training and 2 hours of training each year training instruction must be given by an RN, licensed pharmacist, or department staff. A licensed health care provider’s order is required for a licensed nurse to provide assistance with self-administration and administration of medication, including over-the-counter medications.
What are the Bathroom Requirements for an Assisted Living Facility?
The facility must provide 1 sink and toilet for every 6 residents, and 1 bathtub or shower for every 8.
What are the Move-In or Move-Out Requirements?
Assisted living facilities can only admit residents whose needs can be met by the facility and who are able to perform ADLs with supervision or assistance. They may not admit or retain residents who:
- Require 24 hour nursing care.
- Have stage II, III, or IV pressure sores.
- Are unable to participate in social activities.
- Display violent behavior.
If a resident is unable to meet the admission criteria or is bedridden for more than 7 days, he or she must be discharged. A resident must also receive a face-to-face medical exam every 3 years to determine if continued residency is appropriate.
Is an Assisted Living Facility Covered by Medicaid in the State of Florida?
Low-income residents’ services are covered by a Medicaid home and community-based services waiver and the Medicaid Assistive Care Services program under the Medicaid state plan.
Who can I contact for more information?
Agency for Health Care Administration
Keisha Woods, MPH
(850) 412-4304

Contact an Advisor
For availablity and pricing information on facilities, contact an advisor at (888) 738-8280