Assisted Living in Utah

Utah assisted living communities provide residential living and personal care services in Type I and Type II facilities. Residents who live in Type I facilities are able to independently exit the building in an emergency. Those who reside in a Type II facility require mobility assistance and 24-hour supportive services and health monitoring.^[01]

The median cost of assisted living in Utah is around $4,100 per month or $49,200 annually, according to A Place for Mom’s proprietary data from its assisted living partners in the state.^[02] From dramatic desert landscapes to snowcapped mountains, Utah is home to affordable assisted living communities.

In Utah, the median monthly starting cost of assisted living is around $4,100, which is lower than the national median by about $700. Monthly assisted living prices vary in Utah, ranging from $2,600 to $5,600, according to A Place for Mom’s internal data from its community partners.^[02]

Assisted living costs in Utah tend to fluctuate by location, typically costing more in more populated areas such as Salt Lake City. However, there are several factors that can affect prices. For example, a senior who requires a higher level of care or round-the-clock supervision — like you may find in a Type II facility — should expect to pay more. The following factors may also influence assisted living costs in Utah:

• Room or apartment size and number of bedrooms
• Specialized therapeutic services or skilled nursing care
• Luxury amenities
• Transportation services

The price of assisted living can feel overwhelming, but keep in mind that assisted living will include many expenses, such as housing, food, utilities, etc. Also some seniors may be eligible for programs or benefits that can help offset some of the costs. Qualified seniors may use Medicaid, Medicare, or veterans benefits to pay for certain services provided in assisted living communities.

Planning ahead for assisted living provides families with more payment options. Families usually combine several payment methods, such as public assistance, long-term care insurance, and their own savings and income. For additional tips and ideas, visit our complete guide to paying for long-term care.

Utah’s Department of Health and Human Services licenses two types of assisted living facilities (ALFs): Type I and Type II. These facilities are categorized by their size in the following way:^[01]

• Large: 17 or more residents
• Small: 6 – 16 residents
• Limited capacity: 2 – 5 residents

Both Type I and Type II facilities must provide support with activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing, and personal hygiene. They must also offer social programming, daily meals, laundry services, and housekeeping. The primary difference is that residents in Type I facilities must be able to independently exit the facility in and emergency. Type II facility residents must be able to exit with the assistance of one person.^[01]

Here are some other important regulations for ALFs in Utah:^[01]

• Assessments must be completed before a resident is admitted and every six months after admission.
• Unlicensed staff may assist a resident with self-administration of medication, but administration must be completed by licensed staff members.
• There must be direct care staff on-site 24 hours.
• No more than two residents are allowed to share one room.
• A staff or contract registered nurse is required at all Type II facilities.

All assisted living facilities in Utah are required to be inspected annually to ensure compliance with state and federal safety regulations. Utah does not provide online access to inspection and violation records.

Ease of access to Utah assisted living records

We developed a system to rate each state on how easy – or difficult – it is to find important assisted living records and reports, and compiled tips to help you in your search.
States with the most transparent records allow you to look up important information about each assisted living facility online, including inspections, complaints, survey results, violations, capacity, and whether the facility accepts Medicaid.

Access to Utah assisted living records: Basic

Public access to assisted living records and reports for the state of Utah is basic. Key findings that informed this rating include:

• In Utah mandatory assisted living inspections occur once every three years.
• No information about inspections, complaints, or survey results is available to consumers online.

How to look up Utah assisted living licenses and records

• Visit the State of Utah page: Health Facility Information for general information.
• Visit the U.S. Administration on Aging’s Eldercare Locator to locate the appropriate long-term-care ombudsman who can often provide specific information about communities and their backgrounds.
• If you need to make a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to get records, consider browsing the state-by-state resources from the National Freedom of Information Coalition, which includes sample state-specific FOIA letters.

How we arrived at our Utah rating

We developed a standard methodology for state data collection and evaluation, and based our rating primarily on the objective, state-specific accessibility criteria outlined in these questions:
1.   Are licensed assisted living communities listed online in any form? Yes
2.   If Yes to #1, is the information updated frequently? No
3.   If Yes to #1, is the list of licensed communities searchable? Yes
4.   Does the state post inspections, complaints, survey results, or violations online? No
5.   If Yes to #4, is the information updated frequently (within 90 days)? No or N/A
6.   If Yes to #2 and #4, is the enforcement information included in the same place as licensed communities? No or N/A
7.   If Yes to #4 and No to #6, are violations and inspections searchable at all? Yes or N/A
8.   Is information about special licensing for care shown? No or N/A
9.   Is capacity shown? Yes
10. Are payment types shown (e.g., Medicaid, private pay)? Yes
11. Is the administrator/contact name shown? No
12. Can the state fine a facility? Yes
13. What is the frequency of inspections? Every 36 months
14. Does the website include pricing of facilities? No