Oregon Senior Living Statistics & Facts

With a median age of 39.6, Oregon is older on average than the rest of the United States. And while only about 1.5 million of the state’s residents are 50 or older, that equates to nearly 37 percent of people living in the state of Oregon.

What else can demographic, economic and health data tell us about the state of seniors here in Oregon? While the state has a larger-than-average percentage of older residents, fewer seniors in the state are people of color, about 12 percent here compared to nearly 28 percent in the U.S. overall.

The state also offers better-than-average wages for those 65 and older, while a smaller percentage of those 55 and older remain in the workforce than in the country as a whole. Oregon’s average life expectancy is 79.5, a full year higher than the overall U.S. number.

Oregon's Senior Living Costs

Oregon has a housing index of 118.00, making it one of the more expensive states to retire in the United States. However, the state does offer many perks that make retirement a worthwhile investment for some. For many retirees, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. If this sounds like you, you may want to get a better idea of the monthly costs of living in Oregon for seniors.

Seniors living in their own homes and requiring service aides to help them with housekeeping, meal prepping, and completing errands can expect to pay an average home health care cost of $4,576 a month in Oregon.

Many adult day care facilities are available throughout Oregon. For an average of $1,918 a month, seniors are able to stay at a supervised facility during the day, participate in social activities, and take advantage of therapeutic and health services. Since adult day care does not include round the clock care, it's ideal for older people who are mostly independent and healthy.

Assisted living facilities are available throughout Oregon to provide seniors assistance with everyday tasks, personal care, and health services. It costs an average of $4,070 a month to stay at an assisted living facility in this state.

Oregon also has a good number of nursing homes for the elderly who need day and night care and supervision. The cost for a semi-private room is roughly $8,784 a month, while a private room is about $9,262 a month. Residents of nursing homes can expect to receive personal care, medication, housing, supervision, skilled nursing care 24/7, and therapies and rehabilitation as needed.

Oregon's Living Options for Seniors

Seniors in Oregon have several living options depending on individual needs and circumstances. They are independent living, assisted living, memory care, and nursing home care. Learn more about each option below and determine which one is best for your needs.

Independent Living

Seniors who are healthy, active, and don't require round the clock nursing care typically prefer independent living. There are more than 300 independent living facilities in Oregon, and it costs anywhere from $1,207 to $3,004 a month to stay in one. The state also has plenty of apartment choices for seniors 55+ and 65+, most of which also include useful amenities that seniors can enjoy — such as workout rooms, walking trails, pools, and jacuzzis, meeting rooms, and more.

Assisted Living

Oregon is home to more than 650 assisted living facilities. Seniors who need access to attentive caregivers, healthcare, local activities, and social opportunities to thrive will benefit from staying at an assisted living facility. It costs anywhere from $2,196 to $5,463 a month to stay at an assisted living facility in Oregon. It is cheapest in the Salem area, and most expensive in the Medford metropolitan area. Residents can expect to get assistance with housekeeping duties, laundry, transportation, meal services, and 24-hour staffing to ensure safety.

Memory Care

If you struggle with Alzheimer's, dementia, or other memory-related ailments, it may be worthwhile to look into memory care. More than 400 memory care facilities exist in Oregon to identify each individual's issues and provide customized care according to those issues. This way, patients are able to get through the day without getting overly frustrated due to memory loss. Residents and loved ones can be rest assured that the facilities are monitored 24/7 to ensure utmost safety. It costs anywhere from $3,184 to $7,921 a month to stay in a memory care facility in this state.

Nursing Homes

Oregon's senior population has been growing faster than other states. Between 2010 and 2014, Oregon's senior population grew by 18% compared to the 14.2% national average. This growth rate will not be slowing down anytime soon. With this in mind, retirees should know Oregon has a large amount of senior living providers, 853 across the state to be exact.

There are more than 30 adult day care centers in Oregon, averaging $18,720 a year. Eugene has the highest adult day care costs, averaging $27,300 a year. Salem has the lowest adult daycare costs, at $10,400 a year. Overall, Oregon is about on par with the national average cost of $1,950 a month. Seniors will receive three meals a day and be able to participate in group activities and receive any assistance they may need with their daily tasks. Adult daycare centers are an excellent way for seniors to meet new friends and stay socially active.

Hospices help terminally ill seniors live out their final days with dignity and peace. Grief counselors will help soothe any emotional issues, chaplain services will help with any spiritual issues, and on-site physicians help with any pain management needs. There are more than 330 hospices in Oregon, mostly found along the coast by the major interstate highway 5 where most of the Oregon population resides. Staff at hospices will be able to assist seniors with filling out the paperwork to have Medicaid, Medicare, or a private insurer cover all, or most, of the hospice care costs.

Respite care costs an average of $92,258 a year in Oregon. Respite care provides temporary care to seniors in place of their primary caregivers who may need a break every so often, or have other responsibilities preventing them from being able to provide the needed amount of care. There are more than 290 respite care facilities in Oregon, with care lasting from just one day, to several hours a week, to open ended care at a facility. Respite care can just cover the essentials of delivering medications and supplies on a regular basis, to as advanced as full health monitoring 24/7 in a fully equipped hospital.