Assisted living in Florida

What is assisted living in Florida?

An assisted living facility is a residential setting licensed by AHCA under Chapter 429, Part I, that provides housing, meals and one or more personal services, such as help with bathing, dressing, eating or medications, to adults who do not need 24-hour nursing supervision.

AHCA lists 128 licensed assisted living facilities in Sarasota and Manatee counties, from 4 to 322 beds: 86 in Sarasota County and 42 in Manatee. 30 hold LNS, 12 ECC and 6 LMH licenses.

What does assisted living cost in Florida?

CareScout's 2025 Florida median is $66,000 a year, about $5,500 a month; individual facilities quote their own rates, often with separate charges for care levels and medication management.

Medicare does not pay for assisted living. Medicaid long-term care plans pay for services but not room and board.

Who is assisted living right for?

Someone who needs daily help or supervision, can transfer with assistance and does not need round-the-clock nursing; facilities with LNS or ECC licenses can serve higher needs.

See who an ALF can admit.

What should I check before choosing an assisted living facility in Sarasota or Manatee?

Check the AHCA license and any specialty license, the latest standard survey and its citations, any fines or recent ownership change, the overnight staffing, and the contract's fee schedule and 45-day notice terms.

Our facility pages put the state record for each larger ALF on one page, with nearby alternatives and questions to ask.

How many assisted living facilities in Sarasota and Manatee hold a specialty license?

In Sarasota and Manatee counties AHCA's records show 128 licensed ALFs with 8,783 licensed beds; 30 hold a limited nursing services license, 12 extended congregate care and 6 limited mental health, and 63 list a memory care program on their AHCA profile (data retrieved October 31, 2026).

Specialty licenses describe the services a facility may provide; they are not quality grades.

Who helps Sarasota and Manatee families pay for assisted living?

Private funds pay most bills; beyond that, VA pension with Aid and Attendance, long-term care insurance, Florida Medicaid long-term care plans (for services in contracted ALFs) and Optional State Supplementation (for room and board) each cover part of the cost for people who qualify.

Manatee residents can ask Senior Connection Center (1-800-336-2226) and Sarasota residents the Area Agency on Aging for Southwest Florida (1-866-413-5337) for a Medicaid screening. County veterans services offices help with VA claims free.

Where is assisted living licensed in Sarasota and Manatee?

Here is how AHCA's records distribute assisted living licenses between the two counties; agencies have no bed count.