10 Best Nursing Homes in Denver, CO
The mountainous, vibrant city of Denver has a rapidly growing number of seniors, and an expanding number of senior living facilities to accommodate them. If you’re seeking a Denver nursing home or senior care facility for your loved one, this guide can help you find the right fit.
The term “nursing home” is often used as a blanket term to describe all senior living options, including assisted living and memory care. However, nursing homes are technically facilities that provide skilled nursing services to people with debilitating health conditions who require round-the-clock medical care. This guide is designed to help you choose the right care type for your loved one’s specific needs, with top-rated assisted living, memory care, and other senior care facilities in Denver.
A Place for Mom has 71 assisted living and memory care facilities within a 10-mile radius of the Denver city center, and seven of those facilities offer skilled nursing on site. The breadth of care options in Denver combined with the senior-friendly environment make the Mile High City an ideal senior living option for your loved one.
Nursing Homes Facilities near Denver, CO
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How we rank order the Denver community options above
We developed a proprietary recommendation system that orders Denver community options based on factors we know are important to seniors and their families:
- Proximity to your search location
- Availability of recent, high-quality reviews
- The amount of detailed community information available
Where we source our information
14,000+ communities
We collect proprietary data from our network of 14,000+ senior living communities in the U.S., with regular refreshes of data and information
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Costs of nursing homes in the Denver area
Nursing homes, also sometimes known as skilled nursing facilities, have an average cost of $8,669 monthly in Denver.[01] This steep cost is due to the high level of round-the-clock medical care these facilities provide.
Seniors who require less medical assistance and only need help with activities of daily living (ADLs) usually opt for a more affordable assisted living community instead. Assisted living facilities average around $4,875 per month in Denver, which includes the cost of rent plus care and any fees.[02] Seniors with dementia or other cognitive issues may require a memory care facility, which is slightly more than assisted living at an average of $4,966 per month, including rent, care, and fees.[02]
Average monthly cost of Nursing Homes in Denver, CO vs. nearby cities
Average monthly cost of Nursing Homes in Denver, CO vs. the state and national average
Average monthly cost of Nursing Homes in Denver vs. other types of senior living
Median monthly costs of Nursing Homes in Denver, CO by room type
Average cost of Nursing Homes in Denver over time
How people pay for a nursing home in Denver
There are a number of ways to pay for nursing homes and other forms of senior care, but most families end up using a combination of private and public sources. Here we’ll cover some of the top ways to pay for a nursing home or skilled nursing facility. If your loved one does not need the 24/7 medical care and supervision of a skilled nursing facility, please visit our guide to Denver assisted living or our guide to Denver memory care.
When making a payment plan for senior care in Denver, first consider your private pay options:
- Traditional income. This can include savings, Social Security benefits, pensions, and investment returns.
- Selling a house. If your loved one is making a permanent move to senior living, selling their current home may be a good way to pay for care while eliminating the burden of a mortgage and home maintenance.
- Reverse mortgage. Reverse mortgages allow you to access funds from your home equity without selling the home.
- Health savings accounts. Health savings accounts (also known as HSAs) can help cover medical costs associated with long-term care.
- Life insurance. Depending on what type of policy your loved one has, life insurance may provide some cash benefits that may be used to help cover long-term care costs.
- Long-term care insurance. Long-term care insurance policies are specifically designed to pay for long-term care costs. Check with your loved one’s specific policy provider to see what it will cover.
In Denver, some medical expenses are tax-deductible on federal tax returns, provided they’re greater than 7.5% of the taxpayer’s adjusted gross income (AGI). If you’re paying for a loved one’s care and want to know more about whether their care costs are tax deductible, check with a certified public accountant or other tax expert.
For aging veterans who need 24-hour medical care, there are a number of Veteran Affairs (also known as VA) benefits for nursing home or skilled nursing care.
The VA has its own skilled nursing facilities called Community Living Centers where veterans can receive 24-hour care on a short-term or long-term basis. Care at these facilities may be covered fully or in part, depending on the senior’s eligibility. In Denver, the Veterans Community Living Center at Fitzsimmons provides individualized skilled nursing care and has even been rated the top nursing facility in Colorado by Newsweek.[04]
In addition to its own nursing facilities, the VA also partners with local community nursing homes or skilled nursing facilities to provide round-the-clock care to veterans in need. As part of the VA’s contracts with these local community nursing homes, the VA covers care either in part or in whole for qualifying veterans in these Denver facilities.
VA benefits for assisted living and memory care
For veterans that don’t require a skilled nursing level of care, the Aid and Attendance benefit provides a monthly payment to disabled veterans and their spouses in addition to the veteran’s pension. Eligible veterans or their spouses can use pension and benefit income to help pay for long-term care as well as room and board in an assisted living or memory care community.
Denver veteran support
The Denver Veteran Services office employs Veteran Services Officers (VSOs) who can help elderly veterans file for VA benefits. These Veteran Services Officers provide free one-on-one case management, so senior veterans can receive the help they need. VSOs are also available to help veterans find housing, public benefits, and other resources.
Approximately 25,900 veterans live in Denver, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
About 25% of those veterans are over the age of 75.
Additional resources for Denver veterans
Volunteers of America Bill Daniels Veteran Services Center
1247 Santa Fe Drive
Denver, CO 80204
Phone: 720-944-3500
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
155 Van Gordon St.
Lakewood, CO 80228
Phone: 800-827-1000
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
The Colorado Medicaid program, Health First Colorado (also known as HFC), includes coverage for skilled nursing in a nursing facility. To qualify, the senior must fall below a certain income threshold and have been diagnosed with an illness or injury that requires skilled nursing care.
Health First Colorado also offers a program called Hospital Back-Up (or HBU), which provides hospital-level care within HBU-approved skilled nursing facilities. You can determine your loved one’s eligibility or fill out an application at the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing — Nursing Facility page.
Seniors with less complex health needs who need help with activities of daily living (also known as ADLs) or memory care can use the Health First Colorado’s Elderly, Blind, and Disabled (EBD) waiver to cover costs of assisted living or memory care. The EBD waiver also covers skilled nursing within an assisted living setting, so seniors with acute illnesses or injuries that require skilled nursing can use this waiver to pay for those costs. Learn more about eligibility or how to apply on the Elderly, Blind, and Disabled Waiver web page.
Denver resident Medicaid resources
1570 Grant St.
Denver, CO 80203
Phone: 800-221-3943
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
- 2929 W. 10th Ave.
Denver, CO 80204 - 3815 Steele St.
Denver, CO 80205 - 4685 Peoria St.
Denver, CO 80239 - Phone: 720-944-4347
Medicare is a federal program with several parts. Part A may cover care in a skilled nursing facility, but only for a short-term basis after a qualifying inpatient hospital stay.
Coverage for skilled nursing facilities under Medicare is as follows:
- For a stay of 20 days or less, you pay nothing.
- For a nursing home stay that is 21-100 days, a $200 per day copay applies.
- Starting at 101 days, you are responsible for all costs.
Medicare does not pay for those that don’t need medically necessary skilled nursing and only need an assisted living or memory care level of care. However, it can pay for some medical costs such as prescriptions, medical equipment, and hospital stays. Colorado Medicare Savings Programs help low-income seniors by paying some of the coinsurance and deductible costs associated with Medicare.
For patient advocacy, the Colorado State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) aids seniors navigating Medicare enrollment and benefits. The program also offers counseling to make sure seniors receive the right coverage for their level of care.
For more information on what Denver Medicare will cover, dial 2-1-1 or visit the federal Medicare website. You can also find help at your local Social Security Administration office.
Additional Denver resident Medicare resources
Phone: 888-696-7213
1001 17th Street, Suite 700
Denver, CO 80202
Phone: 303-455-1000
Options counseling: 303-480-6700
Long-term care ombudsman: 303-480-6734
Understand Colorado laws and regulations for nursing home facilities
Standalone nursing homes or skilled nursing facilities are required to follow federal regulations put in place by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. At the local level, Colorado nursing homes and other long-term care facilities, like assisted living, are licensed and regulated by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (also known as the CDPHE). Skilled nursing facilities and assisted living communities that receive reimbursements from Medicaid and Medicare are required to follow both state and federal regulations for nursing homes, but private assisted living facilities that do not accept Medicaid or Medicare are only required to adhere to state standards.
The Health Facilities and Emergency Medical Services Division of the CDPHE is responsible for performing inspections to ensure nursing homes in Colorado meet state and federal standards. This division issues operating licenses that must be renewed on an annual basis.
Regulations for Colorado nursing homes are extensive and include provisions for the following:
- Staffing requirements
- Mandatory reporting
- Resident care and quality of life
- Accident prevention
- Care planning
- Medical and nursing care
Regulatory compliance is audited via unannounced visits every nine to 15 months (every 12 months on average), but complaints or reports of noncompliance are investigated when they occur.
Regulatory resources
Read Colorado’s full regulations for nursing homes
Read Colorado’s full regulations for assisted living facilities
Look up Denver nursing home inspection records
Nursing home resident rights
Colorado Department of Health contact information
200 W. 14th Ave., #2732
Denver, CO 80204
Phone: 720-913-1311
COVID-19 regulations for Denver nursing home facilities
Nursing homes in Denver must adhere to both the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) recommendations for COVID-19 prevention and the guidelines in place from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Read the CDC’s current COVID-19 guidelines for nursing homes.
In keeping up with updated federal guidelines, visitors are allowed in skilled nursing and assisted living facilities, but precautions should always be taken to ensure resident safety.
Denver’s guidelines include the following:
Vaccinations. COVID-19 vaccines are highly encouraged, and vaccinations must be made available to all consenting staff and residents.
Masking. Although masks are no longer mandatory, they are encouraged for both staff and patients if transmission rates are high or if an individual is exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19.
Staff safety. Staff must use appropriate personal protective equipment when necessary and wear masks when COVID-19 transmission rates are high.
Facility cleanliness. At least one staff member should be assigned to oversee infection prevention control, and a supply of hospital-grade disinfectants and alcohol-based hand sanitizers must be maintained.
Types of nursing homes in Denver
In Denver, skilled nursing most often takes place in dedicated nursing facilities, but there are a few Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs) and assisted living communities that also provide 24/7 skilled nursing on-site.
To qualify for admission to a skilled nursing unit in Denver, a person must be deemed to have a medical condition that requires round-the-clock medical care. This could be due to a chronic medical condition, rehabilitative care after an illness or surgery, or the need for hospice. Skilled nursing facilities in Denver have amenities and services for both short-term and long-term stays.
Skilled nursing in Denver is the most expensive type of care due to the high level of 24/7 medical care provided. However, many seniors in Denver do not require this level of care and instead opt for assisted living communities.
Assisted living in Denver has options
Assisted living communities provide help with activities of daily living (ADLs), daily food service, personalized care, and a variety of other amenities and activities. In Denver, assisted living facilities can range from resort-style luxury communities to budget-friendly, homelike complexes.
The majority of assisted living in Denver is focused on the outskirts of the city and in the broader suburban area. This is partially due to the fact that the downtown area tends to be more expensive and partially because it is difficult to access — and loved ones prefer to be able to reach their senior loved ones easily and quickly, if possible.[05]
Memory care options in Denver are plentiful
For seniors experiencing dementia, Alzheimer’s, or other forms of cognitive decline, they have the choice of entering a standalone memory care facility or an assisted living facility with memory care on-site. Within a 25-mile radius of downtown, there are 106 facilities that have dedicated memory care services.[02] These communities include amenities and services typical to assisted living facilities but also provide specialized dementia care, such as 24/7 oversight, secured entrances, and person-centered therapies designed to reduce agitation and confusion.
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Unfamiliar with Denver? Highlights for seniors
Approximate number of seniors over the age of 65 currently living in Denver, according to the U.S. Census Bureau
Percentage of the senior Denver population aged 65+, according to the U.S. Census Bureau
Percentage of Denver seniors 75+ with a disability, according to the U.S. Census Bureau
Percentage of Denver seniors 75+ who have mobility difficulties, according to the U.S. Census Bureau
Health care for seniors in Denver
A number of outstanding health care providers reside in Denver, some of which are highly rated and skilled in special senior care offerings.
UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital
UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital ranks No. 1 out of all hospitals in Denver and is nationally ranked in several cancer and heart specialties, according to U.S. News and World Report.
SCL Health St. Joseph Hospital
SCL Health St. Joseph Hospital ranks No. 2 out of all hospitals in Denver and No. 3 across the state of Colorado, according to U.S. News and World Report. It also has high ratings in geriatric specialties.
Transportation for seniors in Denver
About 70% of A Place for Mom’s senior community partners offer complimentary transportation for residents.[02] There are plenty of other options for navigating Denver, as well.
Most Denver residents choose to get around the city using their own vehicles, but for seniors looking for alternatives, Denver offers taxis, buses, a light rail system, and the 16th Street MallRide — a free hybrid shuttle bus that runs the length of 16th Street.
The light rail system, called RTD, consists of 12 rail lines running 113 miles throughout the city, some suburbs, and the airport. Fares are discounted for seniors 65+, and there are additional services for seniors with mobility issues.
Designated senior transportation services and other support services are also provided by the local nonprofit Seniors’ Resource Center. This nonprofit offers transportation services to Denver seniors with disabilities as well as their families and caregivers.
Senior activities in Denver
Denver features gorgeous natural views, exciting activities and landmarks, and unique cultural hubs. And most senior communities plan regular outings, so residents can partake in all that Denver has to offer.
For outdoor recreation, Denver Mountain Parks provide lovely natural settings where seniors can enjoy the great outdoors, with walking trails, picnic areas, fishing sites, and other activities that appeal to seniors of various physical and cognitive abilities.
Outings to restaurants and shopping centers are also common and make for easy day trips. Larger community outings make for special occasions and might consist of a show at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, a ball game at Coors Field, or any other events of interest to residents.
For seniors who prefer more introspective activities, the Denver Art Museum and Denver Museum of Nature and Science are excellent places to expand the mind — and both are wheelchair accessible. Plus, nearby Black Hawk, Colorado, offers over a dozen casinos for seniors to enjoy a day of drinks, food, and gaming.
Frequently Asked Questions
Brookdale Greenwood Village, Brookdale Pinehurst Park and Brookdale Lowry are the top-rated Nursing Homes facilities near Denver, CO. These Nursing Homes facilities received the highest rankings based on verified family reviews. See full list of communities.
The average cost of Nursing Homes in Denver is $5,294 per month. This cost may vary based on location, amenities, floorplan, level of care and other factors.
Views -> Challenger -> By Care type answer 3
References
Genworth. (2021). Cost of Care Survey.
A Place for Mom. (2022). A Place for Mom proprietary data.
United States Census Bureau. (2021). Veteran status (S2101) [Data set]. American Community Survey.
Colorado Department of Human Services. (2022, August 15). Veterans Community Living Center at Fitzsimons ranked No. 1 by Newsweek.
Elliott, R. (2022, October 11). Personal communication [Zoom interview].
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