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Oregon’s capital city of Salem is located in the heart of the state’s major agricultural region, the Willamette Valley. Residents enjoy easy access to farm-fresh fare thanks to the area’s warm, pleasant summers and long growing season, while the cool, wet winters keep everything green. Retirees with eclectic interests are drawn to Salem for the wide range of things to do. Salem is surrounded by Oregon’s wine country. It’s only an hour’s drive from the coast or the mountains, and it’s 45 minutes away from the state’s largest city, Portland.
Assisted living provides a way for senior citizens who need a little extra help with household tasks, maintenance and personal care to remain as independent as possible. The average cost of an assisted living facility in Salem is $5,500 per month although prices fluctuate depending on many factors, such as their location within the community and the quality and number of the services and amenities they provide.
This guide is for those interested in learning more about assisted living in Salem. Read on for more information about the costs of care in Salem as well as available programs and services designed to promote a good quality of life among senior citizens.
Hundreds of thousands of American seniors utilize assisted living, a figure that is only growing. For these seniors, assisted living combines residential housing,assistance in daily activities, and some healthcare. These communities also strive to provide an atmosphere that is comfortable and engaging for their residents… Read More >
COVID-19 restrictions and rules for Assisted Living Facilities are typically set by the state – to see the rules in your state, you can read our guide to Assisted Living in Oregon. Keep in mind that there may be other policies that communities put in place to protect their residents, so you should contact your local community for more information. Additionally, you can contact your local Area Agency on Aging to learn more – find contact information here.
The average cost of assisted living in Salem is $5,500 per month although the prices of individual facilities may vary depending on location, services and amenities.
At $5,500 per month, assisted living in Salem is $1,000 more than the national average of $4,500 per month and $455 higher than the Oregon average of $5,045.
Assisted living costs throughout Oregon vary from a high of $5,623 in Eugene to a low of $4,485 in Corvallis. Residents of assisted living communities in Oregon’s largest metro, Portland, pay an average of $4,975 per month, while prices drop to $4,530 just south of Salem in Albany. At the southern end of the state, those in Grants Pass pay $5,570, while their counterparts in the central Oregon community of Bend pay a monthly average of $4,835.
Since not everyone can afford to pay for assisted living out-of-pocket, it’s important to find alternative methods to help make assisted living more affordable. Some of these options include:
For more information about your options for making assisted living more affordable, visit our guide to Assisted Living in Oregon.
| Resource | Contact | Service |
| NorthWest Senior & Disability Services | (503) 304-3400 | As the Area Agency on Aging for Salem and surrounding communities, seniors and their families and caregivers can receive a range of direct and indirect services from NorthWest Senior & Disability Services. Direct services include case management, balance workshops, long-term care planning assistance and wellness screenings. The agency also offers a peer talk line and a peer mentor program to help seniors struggling with feelings of loneliness and isolation. Indirect services include targeted referrals to relevant local, state and federal programs designed specifically for seniors. |
| Center50+ | (503) 588-6303 | Salem seniors can take exercise classes, join peers for hot, nutritious lunches and participate in group outings, cards, arts and crafts projects or take classes in a diverse array of subjects. Classes include floral arranging, duck decoy carving, jewelry beading, silversmithing, woodworking, painting, Spanish, ukulele and lapidary. The center is open from 7:30 a.m. until 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Friday, from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Saturday and is closed on Sunday. |
| Keizer-Salem Area Senior Center | (503) 390-7441 | The Salem-Keizer Senior Center may be more accessible for those living in North Salem. The center is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. and serves lunch from 11:15 a.m. until 12:15 p.m. Besides holding its regular hours for cards, classes, meals or simply sitting with peers and visiting over a cup of tea or coffee, the center hosts dances featuring live music on Saturday evenings from 7 p.m. until 12 a.m. and on Sunday afternoon from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. |
| Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs | (503) 373-2085 | Those who have served in any branch of the U.S. Armed Forces can receive assistance identifying and accessing service-based entitlements and benefits from the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs. The agency also helps those navigate the VA health care system and provides emergency financial assistance to veterans and their families in some circumstances. Oregon veterans are also eligible for special license plates that allow them to use designated parking spaces. |
| The Senior Health Insurance Benefits Assistance Program | (800) 722-4134 | Seniors can access free Medicare classes as well as one-on-one counseling to help them make the best possible decisions about their health insurance. Trained volunteers help with questions about Medicare insurance supplement and prescription drug programs, filing appeals and/or complaints and making plans for long-term care. |
Assisted Living Facilities in the Salem area are required to follow a set of rules and regulations that are determined at the state level. For an overview of those rules and regulations, see the information below. For more specific information, talk with your local community or Area Agency on Aging.
