Find Independent Living Communities Near Sarasota, FL

Most seniors in Sarasota use their income or savings to pay for their independent living community. While public funds like Medicaid and Medicare won’t pay for independent living, it’s still important to understand how to use these methods to pay for other expenses. Read on to learn how to leverage your personal assets to keep the independent living community of your dreams within reach.

Unlike other senior care types, the Florida Department of Health doesn’t regulate or license independent living communities. Instead, independent living communities should follow all Florida housing and apartment codes. The only additional requirements independent living communities may have are age limits and health standards. For example, some independent living communities may limit ages to 55 or 65 and above, and others may limit residents to only those who don’t need personal care.

In Sarasota, most independent living communities are part of large, multilevel care facilities that include assisted living, memory care, and occasionally skilled nursing wings. These other care types are regulated by the Florida Department of Health. You can learn more about how these care types are regulated in Florida by checking out A Place for Mom’s assisted living, memory care, or nursing home pages for Sarasota.

Tenant and landlord relationship in independent living communities

Residents of Sarasota’s independent living communities enter into a tenant-landlord relationship. Senior residents should follow the same standards as all tenants by taking care of their dwelling, paying their monthly fee on time, and adhering to community guidelines. The communities are responsible for keeping the dwelling in a livable condition and should follow the same regulations as all landlords in Florida.

Landlord and tenant disputes in Sarasota

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services may mediate any disputes you have with your independent living community. This department is the governing body responsible for all tenant-landlord disputes in Florida.

Resident rights and responsibilities

If you’re a resident of a Sarasota independent living community, you have the same rights and responsibilities as tenants of any other rental property in Florida. It may be a long time since you’ve rented, or perhaps you’ve never rented. So before entering into your independent living community, it’s a good idea to understand your rights and responsibilities as a tenant.

Residents of Sarasota independent living communities are expected to do the following:

• Residents should pay their monthly fee on time each month.
• Residents should keep their dwelling in a livable condition.
• Residents shouldn’t knowingly alter their dwelling without their landlord’s permission.
• Residents should follow all community guidelines, such as respecting quiet hours and picking up after a pet.

Landlord rights and responsibilities

Independent living communities in Sarasota should follow these standards:

• All living areas should meet building codes and be kept in a livable condition.
• The dwelling should have electricity, gas, as well as running and hot water.
• The community should handle maintenance and repairs within a reasonable time.
• The landlord should provide extermination services.
• Prior to move-in, the landlord should provide the tenant with a lock and key.
• The landlord shouldn’t enter the dwelling without informing the tenant.
• The tenant’s security deposit should be returned within 15 days. The landlord should inform the tenant if and why any amount was kept.

Florida Department of Health contact information

Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
400 S. Monroe St.
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0800
Phone: 800-435-7352

COVID-19 regulations for Sarasota independent living communities

Independent living communities in Sarasota follow all guidelines developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the state of Florida, and the city of Sarasota to mitigate the effect of COVID-19. Independent living communities tend to be less strict than other senior care types when it comes to masking, social distancing, and quarantining. Neither Florida nor Sarasota have any masking, vaccination, and quarantine requirements for independent living communities.

Sarasota County publishes vaccination locations, testing centers, and safety recommendations on their COVID-19 FAQ page.

There’s something special about Sarasota, as this Florida locale regularly tops lists as one of the best places to retire in the United States. With its safe and clean neighborhoods, vibrant culture, and, of course, its famous beaches, Sarasota is exceptional. Many seniors in Sarasota look for a hassle-free lifestyle and a built-in community. Sarasota’s independent living communities provide both.

Independent living provides much more than a private space in a community of other older adults. In Sarasota, independent living communities offer meal plans in their restaurant-style dining rooms, daily activities, housekeeping, individualized wellness plans, and resort-like amenities.

Nearly all of Sarasota’s independent living communities are connected to assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing wings. As care needs progress, residents can easily move to a new care type within the same facility.

Traditional independent living communities

Most independent living communities in Sarasota are set within large multilevel care facilities that most often include assisted living, memory care, and occasionally skilled nursing wings. Seniors have high standards in Sarasota, and the independent living communities reflect this. The most popular ones are newer builds with state-of-the-art amenities and design features. Many have their own walking or biking paths, pools, and pickleball courts.

Fewer communities in Sarasota offer only independent living. These provide similar services as multilevel care facilities, but they tend to be even newer and more luxurious. They also have a wider array of activities and amenities available to their residents.

Continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs)

A small portion of partnering independent living communities in Sarasota are continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs), which provide the same type of care and amenities as traditional independent living communities. The main difference is in their payment structure. CCRCs require an admissions fee in addition to the monthly fee. Admissions fees can be between $50,000 and $500,000.

The admissions fee subsidizes any future care needs, particularly skilled nursing care. While skilled nursing care is an additional (often very high) fee in traditional independent living communities. In CCRCs, the monthly fee stays consistent regardless of the type of care.

Sarasota is clean, green, and lively

Almost 37% of Sarasota’s 54,764 residents are over 65, and this percentage is expected to increase in the coming years. This is due, in part, to Sarasota’s reputation as a senior living paradise. While technically a small city, Sarasota has the cultural opportunities of a much larger metropolis, and crime is also very low compared to other places in Florida.

Sarasota also enjoys the temperate Gulf Coast weather while remaining protected from most of the storms along Florida’s western shores. Because Sarasota is so desirable, the cost of living is about 22% higher than in the rest of Florida.

Who lives in Sarasota?

About half of the seniors in Sarasota are snowbirds, coming for the winter months to stay in a second home or a rental property. The other half resides in Sarasota permanently, whether in their own home, in an independent living community, or within a different senior care facility. Plenty of well-resourced seniors are attracted to Sarasota, including some familiar names like Mick Jagger of The Rolling Stones, Brian Johnson of AC/DC, and Stephen King, who all call Sarasota home for at least part of the year.

Independent living in Bradenton and Lakewood Ranch

Lower-cost options for independent living are available nearby in both Bradenton and Lakewood Ranch. Bradenton is just north of Sarasota and is becoming an increasingly popular senior living destination, and while it’s only about 15 miles away from Sarasota, Bradenton’s senior living options tend to be about $500 cheaper on average.

Lakewood Ranch is inland from Sarasota and also has a growing senior population. More young professionals and families reside in Lakewood Ranch, and while it’s not as close to the water as Sarasota, it’s still within a 25-minute drive.

Neighborhoods like Siesta Key and Longboat Key in Sarasota tend to be considerably more expensive than the rest of Sarasota. These neighborhoods don’t have any senior living options and are instead made up of mansions and second homes. Plenty of seniors live in these neighborhoods, but tend to use home care.

Health care for seniors in Sarasota

Sarasota boasts an excellent network of health care providers and hospitals. Health care providers are spread out across the city, and seniors most often go to the provider nearest to them. All hospitals and health care providers in Sarasota offer compassionate, expert care.

Transportation for seniors in Sarasota

Sarasota may not be very populous, but traffic can still be fierce in the winter months. Most residents drive, but seniors living in independent living communities can take advantage of their community’s complimentary transportation.

The Sarasota County Transit system, also known as SCAT (rebranded in 2023 to Breeze) offers reliable bus transportation throughout Sarasota County, including Siesta Key. OnDemand is a SCAT service that provides pickup and drop-off services for people of all ages. You can find bus routes, fees, and how to sign up for OnDemand on the SCAT website.

WalkScore.com ranks cities for their bikeability, walkability, and public transportation. Each of the following scores for Sarasota are out of 100.