10 Best Nursing Homes in Fort Myers, FL

If you’re thinking about a nursing home, memory care facility, or assisted living community, affordability may well be top of mind. Most residents combine financial methods to cover the costs of care and services. In this guide to paying for care, you will find details about private payment, benefits for veterans, Medicare, and Medicaid.

In Florida, nursing homes and other senior care facilities, such as assisted living and memory care facilities, must be licensed by the Agency for Health Care Administration’s Bureau of Health Facility Regulation.

Nursing homes must meet certain standards for personal attendant training, have a medical director and physician services available, and be financially able to care for residents. One of the most important requirements licensees must meet is to provide a “safe, clean, comfortable, and homelike environment.” In addition to Florida laws and regulations, nursing homes are governed by federal standards as well and are subject to annual inspections.

Assisted living facilities in Fort Myers are required to be inspected prior to licensure, as well as at least once every two years. The types of services that assisted living facilities provide depend on their licensure type. State laws and regulations must be followed by all types of licensed assisted living facilities; Florida offers three different types of licenses. The regulations cover rules around medication administration, meals, staffing, training, requirements for the physical facility, and the exact services each level is allowed to provide.

If the care facility you’re looking at is licensed as a memory care facility, there will be additional regulations. For example, any staff member who provides care to residents with dementia or Alzheimer’s must have received at least four hours of additional training, and any direct caregiver must also have additional yearly training top-ups for working with individuals with Alzheimer’s and other memory-related conditions.

If a facility doesn’t meet any of these standards, it will fail its inspection and not be permitted to continue operating until violations are corrected. You can look up completed inspection reports on the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration website.

Florida Department of Health contact information

Florida Department of Health
4052 Bald Cypress Way
Tallahassee, FL 32399
Phone: 850-245-4444
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

COVID-19 regulations for Fort Myers nursing homes

The state of Florida does not have mandatory COVID-19 protocols that the public must observe. However, there are guidelines and best practices that residents of Lee County should continue to follow to protect one another. Nursing homes, memory care facilities, and assisted living communities may also have their own specific guidelines.

Fort Myers is Florida at its most sea-breezy. Nestled just off the Gulf Coast and with the dreamy banks of the Caloosahatchee River at its side, the city enjoys balmy weather year-round that makes you feel like you’re on vacation even when you’re not.

A blend of luxury and care

Many of our 22 partner facilities pride themselves on offering a peaceful, retreat-style environment. Facilities are surrounded by palm trees, spaces are large, and amenities such as courtyards and cafe-style dining impart a resort-like atmosphere.

Of course, it’s equally as important that facilities offer a high level of care and cleanliness. All of our partner assisted living and memory care facilities are designed with care and mobility needs in mind, with enclosed spaces, helpful navigation, and a program of on-site activities that promote the well-being of all residents.

An affordable oasis

When it comes to senior care facilities, affordability is important. You want a combination of high-quality care, activities and dining, highly trained staff, and comfortable rooms and spaces that you can afford. In Fort Myers and in our partner network, you will find facilities with a range of options, from low-budget to high-end, but good value can be expected across the board.

A visitor’s dream

When a senior loved one stays in a care facility, visiting and spending quality time with family is critical to finding a sense of belonging and comfort. In Fort Myers, our partner homes work hard to make visitors feel just as welcome as residents. Many also host events and activities to prompt social connection. Most assisted living and memory care facilities in Fort Myers throw holiday parties and host happy hours, trivia nights, barbecues, and karaoke. There’s really something for everyone here.

Health care for seniors in Fort Myers

Transportation for seniors in Fort Myers

Seniors with memory impairments or other medical needs will require supported transportation for any personal appointment or outing. Because regular, chaperoned rides are vital to senior transportation, 93% of the communities in our network have complimentary transportation, and 47% have at-cost transportation on offer.

The Fort Myers area is also home to some public transport options for seniors and their families. LeeTran is the local public transit provider for Fort Myers and the surrounding area. It runs 22 different bus and trolley routes, including popular rides to the beaches south of the city, Cape Coral, Fort Myers Beach, and Bonita Springs. Seniors can get discounted fares, but remember that seniors with assisted living or memory care needs should only travel on public transit with help.

Senior activities in Fort Myers

People in nursing home environments, whether at assisted living facilities or memory care units, need engaging activities and outings they can enjoy with friends and family members. Luckily, there is a host of accessible places to visit along this stretch of coast.

If you want to get a look at the historical architecture while having a refreshing drink or snack, pay a visit to the River District, a much-loved outdoor shopping and dining area. For live music, consider going to the Florida Repertory Theater, which often hosts accessible and purpose-made shows for senior audiences. The Gulf Coast Symphony at the Music & Arts Community Center is also a popular destination year-round for thrilling live shows and concerts of varied musical genres.

You could also get to know local Fort Myers history with a guided tour of the Edison and Ford Winter Estates, the former seasonal homes of household-name inventors Thomas Edison and Henry Ford, or the Burroughs Home & Gardens historical site, which is a Georgian Revival style mansion built in 1901 that hosted “many high society parties of Fort Myers’ elite residents.”

Of course, Fort Myers wouldn’t be the destination it is without its coastline. The beautiful public beaches that curl around the Gulf of Mexico are always worth visiting, regardless of your age.