10 Best Nursing Homes in St Petersburg, FL

There are several ways for people to pay for nursing homes, assisted living, and memory care in St. Petersburg, Florida. Here you will find everything you need to know about how to cover the cost of senior living through private pay, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs benefits, Medicaid, or Medicare.

All skilled nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and memory care facilities are required to be licensed in Florida. This is done a little differently depending on the definition of care service.

Nursing homes in Florida are licensed by the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA). Because they are required to be licensed, they undergo regular inspections. For nursing homes, inspections in Florida happen every one to three years, though they are typically conducted once a year unannounced. These inspections are completed to make sure that Florida nursing homes are following state and federal guidelines.^[04] If a nursing home does not meet standards set by the state and federal government, they are required to submit a Plan of Correction.^[04] Anyone interested can view inspection reports through AHCA’s Public Records Search.

Nursing homes must do several things to keep their license. Every nursing home in Florida must have at least one dietician, nurse, and physician on the grounds at all times. All nursing homes must provide a safe, clean, comfortable, and homelike environment. Nursing homes must also be set up for individuals with physical ailments, meaning that they are required to have ramps, safety rails, and other precautions to prevent falls and accidents. Medical staff at nursing homes are required to meet ongoing education requirements.

Florida nursing home staffing requirements revolve around three levels of care providers: certified nursing assistants (CNAs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs), and registered nurses (RNs). It is required that there are enough CNAs, LPNs, and RNs to provide 3.6 hours of direct care per patient per week.^[04]

Assisted living rules and regulations

Assisted living facilities in Florida are considered a vital part of long-term care; they are required to be licensed by the Bureau of Health Facility Regulation, and relicensing occurs every two years.^[05] Beyond standard licensure, specialty licenses such as limited nursing services, extended congregate care, and limited mental health services can be acquired by facilities offering specialized care plans.

To become licensed, assisted living facilities must meet standards when it comes to staffing and staff training; for example, the regulations require minimum staff hours per week for different numbers of residents to ensure adequate coverage for residents’ needs. Inspections occur at the time of licensing, as well as any time the licensing agency deems an inspection necessary. Inspections assess food safety, physical safety, and biomedical waste; interested parties can find inspections via the Agency for Health Care Administration’s public records.

Assisted living facilities are required to have at least one staff member with certification in First Aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation be on the premises 24 hours a day.^[05] The kitchen staff is required to provide meals that meet the nutritional needs of residents, including therapeutic diets ordered by medical providers.

Residents also must meet eligibility restrictions. Those who wish to live in assisted living cannot need 24-hour assistance, need to be able to perform many of the activities of daily living, and should be able to participate in social or leisure activities. New residents in all Florida assisted living facilities are examined by a licensed nurse within 60 days of moving in and are then examined monthly thereafter.^[05]

Memory care facilities rules and regulations

Memory care facilities are similarly inspected, but they meet slightly different requirements. For example, memory care facilities are required to have one person on staff at all times who is trained specifically for dementia care.^[06] The Bureau of Healthy Facility Regulation licenses all memory care living facilities in Florida; all memory care facilities are inspected upon licensing, with licensing needing to be renewed every two years. Inspections cover food safety, physical safety, staffing requirements, and emergency procedures.

Residents also have to meet certain requirements; to be admitted to a memory care facility, one must have a medical evaluation no more than 60 days prior to moving in, or no more than 30 days after moving in. This evaluation helps determine a personalized care plan for each resident in memory care.^[06]

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 St. Petersburg nursing homes

No COVID-19 mandates for assisted living or memory care facilities exist in St. Petersburg. The city primarily recommends following the Centers for Disease Control guidelines.

Moving into skilled nursing care, assisted living, or memory care living is not an easy decision. Not only do you have to find a place that can offer the proper level of care for you or your loved one, but you also want to find a place that offers the desired lifestyle. Fortunately, St. Petersburg, Florida, has plenty of options.

A variety of care options for different needs

A Place For Mom does not partner with nursing homes, but it does have 32 partner assisted living or memory care facilities within a 10-mile radius of downtown St. Petersburg. Four of these are standalone assisted living facilities, while one is a standalone memory care facility. Five offer a combination of assisted living and independent living, while six go one step further and add memory care into the mix, offering a progressive type of care that’s appealing to careseekers as it covers many life stages. Three offer a mix of assisted living, adult day care, and memory care, and 11 are considered assisted living/memory care.

For those interested in group homes, St. Petersburg offers one standalone group home, as well as one facility that’s a combination of a group home and a memory care complex. There’s truly a right setting for all residents of St. Petersburg.

Amenities and activities that embrace seniors’ stage of life

The goal of assisted living or memory care living is to make life as fulfilling as possible for residents while they are under a facility’s roof. Because of that, assisted living facilities and memory care facilities offer a whole host of activities and amenities. There are organized outings and group activities and, depending on the facility, you’ll find a bar, a dining area, a theater, game rooms, TV lounges, barber shops, and more. More than three-quarters of A Place for Mom’s partner facilities offer activity directors, art classes, live music, picnics or BBQs, and holiday parties.

Health care to keep daily needs manageable

Health care differs from place to place and type of facility — whether it is an assisted living facility or a memory care facility — but you should expect to find some combination of medication management, 24/7 staff, on-call physicians, and on-site nursing. A full 84% of A Place for Mom partner facilities offer some aspect of memory care, and many offer specialized memory care training. Furthermore, health care can often be received on-site, with visiting nurses, podiatrists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, and speech therapists available at the vast majority of these partner facilities.

St. Petersburg is a city where some form of transportation is necessary for everyday errands like grocery shopping or doctor’s appointments. With that in mind, 88% of A Place For Mom’s partner assisted living or memory care facilities offer complimentary transportation for their residents.^[01] Approximately half of A Place For Mom’s partner assisted living or memory care facilities offer at-cost transportation services as well.

For those in need of public transportation, the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PTSA) offers a discount for anyone over the age of 65; this also makes it a strong option for memory care residents traveling with caretakers. The PTSA also offers the Disabled Special Citizen Program, which offers discounts for anyone who has applied for and been accepted to the program.

Known as The Sunshine City, you won’t be surprised to hear that St. Petersburg, Florida, is a great place to get outside. Not only that, but there is plenty of culture to be found as well.

For those wanting to enjoy the outdoors, a relaxing day on the water could be just the ticket. Catch the sunset and then stay for the light show at the Skyway Bridge; cruises are available for those who prefer the waterway, and dolphin sightings are common here. If you love animals, Florida is a boon for bird-watching, and it is especially good at Sawgrass Lake Park. If you time it just right, you can see thousands of birds making their plans for migration.

We can’t mention outdoor attractions in Florida without including the flora and the fauna! The Sunken Gardens started as a hobby in 1903 by George Turner; now, it is a special place where you can see rare plants as you take a quiet and relaxing stroll.

St. Petersburg also has plenty for the art lovers out there! Salvador Dalí fans will want to check out the Dalí Museum; its art spans his entire career, and it offers some accommodations for those with vision or hearing impairments. Those impressed by glasswork will be more than impressed with the Duncan McClellan Gallery. Even better is that it is free of charge! Sometimes, though, you want to get your hands dirty. Learn how to make your new favorite coffee mug (or any other type of pottery) at Charlie Parker Pottery. To take in some contemporary work, also free of charge, visit the Morean Art Center.

Often thought of as a key spot for retirement, St. Petersburg, Florida, has a great network of services for seniors looking to move on to the next phase of life. Seniors will be able to find the care they need while enjoying beautiful Florida weather and beaches.