The 10 Best Assisted Living Facilities in Santa Cruz County, CA

Located just up the hill from Santa Cruz, Brookdale Scotts Valley offers studio and 1- and 2-bedroom private apartments, as well as companion suites on site. Rooms at Brookdale have their own kitchenettes, where residents can prepare their meals at home, though the facility hosts community meals in the restaurant-style dining room. Services offered at Brookdale Scotts Valley include laundry, onsite beauty and barber services, medication management and nursing services on call.

Paradise Villa is located close to the historic downtown area of Santa Cruz, near the monthly art walk and seasonal handicraft fairs. The community encourages residents to stay active with arts and crafts events, live music and daily gentle exercise. Guests have a choice between private and shared living spaces, where they receive 24-hour care and three professionally prepared meals a day. Housekeeping and laundry services are available in a healthy, non-smoking environment. Once a month, the whole community is invited to come together in front of the big screen TV for Popcorn and Movie Day.

Sunshine Villa is located on Front Street, just a short walk up Pacific Avenue from the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Staff at Sunshine Villa frequently organize group trips to the beach, as well as to multiple local points of interest. Back at home, residents have access to an on-site beauty parlor, computer room with free Wi-Fi and a well-stocked library. The studio and 1-bedroom apartments have in-room kitchenettes and complimentary cable TV. Seniors who need transportation for personal trips can book a ride with optional attendant service for medical appointments. Qualified counselors are available for veterans who need help managing their VA benefits.

Aegis of Aptos offers its residents comfortable furnished and unfurnished rooms with various floor plans to settle into. Weekly housekeeping is provided, as are laundry services and scheduled transportation for offsite errands. Meals at Aegis of Aptos are professionally prepared by the facility's in-house chef and served in a spacious dining hall where residents are welcome to bring guests. Site activities are planned to keep residents active and include music therapy, art classes, trivia contests and interactive TED talks residents can participate in from the internet hookup in the activity room.

Montecito Manor is a recipient of the People's Choice award given by A Place for Mom in January 2014, and the facility offers all-inclusive senior living support that continues to earn high praise from residents and their families. Rooms at Montecito Manor are spacious and generally well-lit, with both furnished and unfurnished options available. Medication management is provided for up to eight prescriptions, overseen by the in-house physician and medical director.

The sprawling senior care community of De Un Amor is perched up the hill from urban Watsonville, set back on a quiet country road ringed with heavily forested hills. The site blooms with flowers in spring and summer, and more than 100 productive apple trees line the local hiking trails, many of which are wheelchair and walker accessible. Bright sun floods the open-plan porches most days, encouraging residents to take their three home-cooked meals outdoors to enjoy against the backdrop of a burbling creek and a small nearby waterfall.

Situated in San Jose's quiet Willow Glen neighborhood, Atria Willow Glen is surrounded by parks, schools and open public spaces where seniors can hike, stroll or visit with family. The community's studio, 1- and 2-bedroom apartments all have kitchens or kitchenettes for private meal prep, and shared meals are served in the facility's shared dining room. Transportation is provided for residents' offsite trips, while housekeeping and laundry services are available onsite. Nursing staff are available for rehab and medication management services for residents who need them. Onsite amenities include a garden and patio, party space and a community swimming pool.

Atria Sunnyvale offers studio and 1-bedroom apartments, as well as companion suites, with in-room kitchenettes and the option to share meals in the facility's family-style dining room. Beauty services are provided onsite, where residents can organize events in the generous party space or enjoy a stroll in the community garden outside. Transportation and laundry services are available, as are therapeutic services, such as physical therapy and nursing care provided onsite. Residents can opt into housekeeping and laundry for both clothing and linens. Staff frequently organize community events both on and offsite.

Brookdale San Jose is located midway between the lush public wetlands of Blossom Valley Lake and Sanchez Ponds. Residents at the facility have a choice between 1- and 2-bedroom apartments, each with its own kitchen or kitchenette facilities, as well as companion suites with a host of modern amenities. Room service is optional for residents who would like to enjoy private meals at home, as are the community and private dining rooms downstairs, where guests are welcome. Rooms at Brookdale San Jose offer basic cable TV and an emergency call system to keep residents safe. Physical therapy and a state-of-the-art fitness center are open to promote residents' physical good health.

Conveniently located just off I-280, Belmont Village sits across the street from the world-famous Winchester Mystery House. The residence has three elevators installed to assist visitors with limited mobility. Belmont Village offers a variety of floorplans and companion suites for residents and their caregivers. Residents can shop for various must-have items at the general store, take a break and relax in the onsite coffee shop or get a healthy workout in the community fitness center. Rooms have cable TV and are wired for resident-controlled internet service. Safety features at Belmont Village include a staffed security gate and emergency call button in every room.