Arizona Senior Living

Arizona is a long-time favorite of retirees looking for a warm and sunny retirement. From seasonal snowbirds to year-round residents, Arizona's senior population is full of people from around the world looking to make the most of it's golf courses, restaurants, museums, and beautifully rugged landscape.

Senior living in Arizona offer a lot of variety and choice for seniors. Often integrating top-notch healthcare with top shelf amenities, assisted or independent living services run the gamut between exclusive and affordable. It all comes down to the kind of life you want to have, but certainly Arizona senior living is one of the most advanced and varied in the nation.

Arizona Assisted Living Costs

Assisted living facilities are regulated in Arizona by the Arizona Department of Health Services Division of Assurance and Licensure. This department handles inspection and licensing of facilities operating in the state and provide information in English and Spanish. 

The cost of independent living services in Arizona can vary between facilities, even within the same city. Depending on the desirability of the site, the amenities, and the community, prices can range from a monthly minimum of $1,295 to a monthly maximum of $3, 950, with an average monthly cost of $2,177. *From the SeniorHomes.com 2012 Independent Living Cost Survey. (http://www.seniorhomes.com/p/independent-living-costs/)

Retirement in Arizona

Retiring to the Grand Canyon state has always been a popular choice for American and Canadian retirees. The warm climate year round, coupled with clear desert and mountain air, makes for a comfortable life in a healthful state. To make things even more comfortable, City Rating reports that Arizona has a below average cost of living wit h a Consumer Price Index 13 points below the national average.

The low cost and good weather are supplemented by an attractive infrastructure of retirement communities and assisted living services. Seniors coming to Arizona can be confident that the will find a wide variety of housing options, entertainment choices, and healthcare services waiting for them.

Did you know that…?

• Arizona is #17 in the nation for individual tax burdens, thanks to its low income tax rates.*www.taxfoundation.org
• Social Security and railroad retirement benefits are exempt from taxation in Arizona, as  is the first $2,500 of military, civil-service, and Arizona state or local government pensions, and the state has no inheritance, gift, or estate taxes *www.kiplinger.com
• Median household income in Arizona is $50,448 *www.census.gov

Best Cities in Arizona for Retirement

While Phoenix is the capital of Arizona, Scottsdale is the capital of the retirement scene. The town has the highest percentage of people 65+ in the nation, leading the way with 20% in 2010, according to US News. Other dense retirement zones in Arizona include Surprise, Flagstaff, Prescott, and Yuma.

Yet even outside the top cities, Arizona is still leap years ahead of the rest of the nation in terms of retirement friendly amenities. Thanks to snowbird culture, everything from ballroom dance groups to hyper-local transport systems are in place to make the golden years in Arizona a very easy life indeed.

Local Health Care

Arizona has over 100 hospitals, including four nationally ranked hospitals. The Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center in Phoenix is ranked number one in the state, followed closely by the Arizona Mayo Clinic, also in Phoenix, and the University of Arizona Medical Center in Tucson, according to US News & World Report.  

Arizona's hospitals are supplemented by a broad network of speciality clinics and alternative health providers. Many Eastern, holistic, and homoeopathic healthcare providers also offer services in the state.

Retirees in Arizona can use traditional insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid to pay for services in Arizona. The Early Retiree Reinsurance Program, a part of the Affordable Health Care Act, is also broadly accepted in the state with a high number of enrolled organizations. *www.healthcare.gov

Quick Medical Guide for Arizona:

• A Complete List of Local Hospitals and Their Rankings
• Consumer Reports: Consumer Rated Hospitals in Arizona

Activities for Seniors in Arizona

The local community encourages seniors to interact with the state itself. In fact, there's a ton of activities for seniors living in Arizona. There's a booming local tourism industry – but the Grand Canyon it's the only thing to see. From the Four Corners to the Mexican Border, there's something to appeal to almost any interest.

Key outdoor activities include golf and hiking. With so many sunny, clear days, the state is also a haven for aviators and hot air balloon enthusiasts, who often take to the skies with their affiliated clubs.

For indoor amusements, check out the full list of Arizona museums and art centers and don't overlook performances. Arizona is definitely on the circuit for both big national acts and niche cabaret or nostalgia shows. Finally, when it comes to shopping, the malls and outlets in Arizona won't leave anyone disappointed.

Local Weather

Arizona's weather is stereotypically written off as hot year-round, but most people overlook the differences between the Southern and Northern climates.

The Southern part of the state is marked by warm, dry weather.  The summer months of June, July, and August are very hot, with temperatures averaging over 100 degrees. Rainfall is limited year-round, though the winter months may see temperatures as low as the upper 40s in January and late December.

The Northern part of the state is more traditionally seasonal and influenced by the bottom tail of the Rocky Mountains. As the elevation rises, temperatures drop. Summer months are in the high 70s to mid-80s, while winter months do see snow – more than enough for some quality skiing up on the slopes, even if lower elevations are sparsely covered. Rainfall in the part of the state is seasonal, with a drier summer and a little over two inches per month the rest of the year. Check out current temperatures in Arizona!

Sharp Seniors has 41 Senior Living Facilities in Arizona

• 37 of them offer Senior Living
• 26 of them offer Assisted Living
• 21 of them offer Respite
• 15 of them offer Alzheimer's Care
• 2 of them offer Continuing Care (CCRC)
• 1 of them offer Hospice Care
• 1 of them offer Short Term/ Rehabilitative Service
• 1 of them offer Skilled Nursing Facility