Called one of the most “quintessentially American” cities, Madison, Wisconsin, has so much to offer. Between its top-rated museums and art galleries, scenic lakefront views and activities, and historical attractions, Madison is rated the fifth-best city in the nation for the quality of life of senior residents. If you’re looking for quality nursing home care for your loved one, Madison is a great choice.
Typically, “nursing home” is used as a catch-all term to describe many different types of senior care and elderly living facilities. A nursing home refers to a facility providing patients with round-the-clock, hospital-like care to elderly patients.
While A Place for Mom doesn’t partner with any standalone skilled nursing homes, we do partner with assisted living and memory care facilities. Out of these partner communities, two assisted living facilities and three memory care facilities offer on-site skilled nursing care similar to what you might find in a standalone nursing home.
Both options provide on-site care and regular assistance with routine daily activities. In the case of memory care, residents receive specialized care for Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia.
A Place for Mom partners with 31 assisted living and memory care facilities within a 10-mile radius of central Madison. No matter what degree of care your loved one requires, our senior care facilities treat residents with personalized, top-shelf care that provides regular peace of mind. This guide will explore costs, payment options, care-type specifics, and other notable insights about senior living in Wisconsin’s capital city.
My mother is a resident here. They could get a new activities director because my mother does not get along with her.They need more staff on the weekends. We chose Aster Retirement because they offer...
The staff members are a 5 plus, they are so friendly and we are getting ready to move our loved one in and she is really looking forward to the arts and crafts. Before we even toured this community we wanted...
The staff are very caring, and they work very well with our family. Our loved one has had a lot of issues, and they have kept the lines of communication very open. They work well to get her what she needs...
Oakwood is a lovely facility, has many amenities and services for all of their residents. We have also appreciated all of the social workers, therapists and caregivers as we have navigated the transition...
The people are really nice at this community. The staff are helpful. Mom likes the food and activities they offer. The community is clean and well maintained inside and out. This community is just the...
The main reason I chose this community for my loved one is she has her own spacious private bathroom with a walk in tub. The staff have done a great job at making sure my mother feels safe and comfortable in...
When we were looking for a new place to move my mom, cost was a factor. We really liked this community. Her apartment is in the remodeled wing and it is supposed to have extra staff available for the...
There have been a lot of issues finding and maintaining staff just like everywhere else right now. They do their very best - but it has been a struggle. They are having a hard time finding an activities...
I have lived here a year now and feel like I’m part of a big family. I really like the people, they are so caring and nice. The food is so good! [name removed] keeps me full and is great!
The staff there at Capitol Lakes Terraces are super! They are very welcoming, very caring, and very well organized. Their staff is very well trained and they really care and do a great job. The only...
The place is bright, clean and goo quality food and care. Meals are made from scratch not shipped in or reheated from a local service.
Sylvan Crossings had availability quickly when I was needing to move my loved one. The staff here is very good. They seem to handle his care well if not better than where he was at previously. I would...
There are multiple different things offered here like independent living, assisted living, higher levels of care and even a rehab unit and that was something we like. There are plenty of activities going on...
What we like the most about the Oak Park Place is that it is very welcoming and the staff members are so friendly. My brother is very happy there. He is enjoying the community and other residents who live...
There have been changes to the staff but they have been for the better. The staff is very friendly, and do their best to provide for each of the clients different needs daily. The CNA's know each of the...
The Arbors was a wonderful community. It was a very nice place. The staff here were very caring. I would highly recommend them. They have assisted living and memory care in the building next door too, so...
We have been so impressed with Vista West Memory Care! The facility is beautiful (and only 2 years old), the caregivers are very friendly and helpful, and the food is great! Whenever I visit, there are...
My mother in law was alright with it, but we never moved her stuff there because it didn't have a warm feeling and it was also harder for me to get to (I'm the primary care giver). I wasn't sold on it for...
My mother is there and it's going well. It's skilled nursing there. I have an overall good opinion of them. They've changed their food system lately which is a lot better. I think they do a good job there...
My mother was there when she lived in Wisconsin it was good but it was like a 4 out of 5 compared to the place mother moved to in California. There were not nearly as many volunteers at Harbor House and the...
the love my life last months were spent at the villa at Middleton village. The care and love she was given were second to none. the facility is clean, modernized. [name removed] the daytime nurse a true...
We developed a proprietary recommendation system that orders Madison community options based on factors we know are important to seniors and their families:
We collect proprietary data from our network of 14,000+ senior living communities in the U.S., with regular refreshes of data and information
We have 387,000+ reviews from senior living residents and family members that provide first-hand accounts about senior living communities
Stays at senior living facilities vary based on what type of care patients require. The monthly median cost of a private room in a Madison nursing home was $9,551 in 2021.[02] This cost includes room and board, personal care assistance, medication administration and oversight, round-the-clock supervision, therapies and rehabilitation, and skilled nursing care.
According to our proprietary data, the median cost of a one-bedroom assisted living apartment in Madison communities that partner with A Place for Mom was $4,950. The median cost of a one-bedroom memory care apartment in a partnered Madison community is $6,877 a month.[03]
The total monthly cost for assisted living and memory care includes service fees and add-ons. With their investment, tenants can expect 24-hour security, customized care plans, room and board, meals prepared with dietary stipulations in mind, and more. In the case of memory care, services include specialized Alzheimer’s and dementia care.
If the prospect of paying for a senior living facility is a daunting one, rest assured that several options can help. Whether you’re going to a skilled nursing facility or require a less intensive level of care, such as assisted living or memory care, your loved one’s stay can be financed privately or federally through avenues like Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits, Medicaid, or Medicare. In these tabs, we’ll explore how these payment strategies can apply.
The Wisconsin State Legislature defines nursing homes as places where five or more unrelated people live because they need some level of nursing care 24/7. These facilities have to follow a long list of regulations that govern everything from staff training requirements to care standards.
Here are some of the standards nursing homes must follow:
Both federal and state regulations govern nursing homes. To find out about any Madison nursing home’s compliance, take a look at the annual Consumer Information Reports compiled by the Division of Quality Assurance (DQA) to help consumers determine the quality of care at all nursing home facilities. You can also use this online provider search tool and filter the results by nursing homes. Or, you can reach out to the DQA’s Bureau of Nursing Home Resident Care Regional Office, which is responsible for licensure and inspection of nursing homes.
Laws and regulations for assisted living and memory care facilities
The DQA’s Bureau of Assisted Living is the branch in charge of licensure and inspection of assisted living and memory care facilities. Facilities are inspected at least once every two years to check for compliance with laws and regulations. To see how facilities fared, use the online provider search tool, or reach out to the DQA’s Bureau of Assisted Living Regional Offices.
Memory care is classified as a form of assisted living, and there are three distinct types of assisted living in Wisconsin:
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services lays out a comprehensive list of resources to help you find more information about each type.
Wisconsin Department of Health Services
1 W Wilson St.
Madison, WI 53703
Phone: 608-266-1865
Hours: Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Madison does not have strict COVID-19 guidelines regarding tenants of nursing homes, memory care, and assisted living facilities in Madison. That said, the city does acknowledge CDC guidelines and takes every step to help ensure tenants and employees take the proper precautions.
Vaccinations. Patients and visitors are not required to be vaccinated.
Masking. Masking is encouraged but not required. Individuals are asked to assess their own personal care needs before choosing to wear a mask
Facility cleanliness. Staff members are asked to regularly disinfect themselves and common areas.
Madison is a beautiful town to settle down in; it’s got a small-town feel with big-city amenities. Considering that there are also 31 assisted living and memory care facilities partnered with A Place for Mom within a 10-mile radius of downtown Madison, there are many options for your loved one to find the perfect fit.[03]
Madison’s senior living facilities offer a variety of activities and amenities to keep residents healthy and engaged:[03]
Residents have semi-private or private rooms with bathrooms attached. They have access to both indoor and outdoor common areas to mingle with their fellow residents and entertain guests.
The kind of care that your loved one might need can evolve over time, which is why there are a wide variety of partnered facilities in Madison that offer a combination of care types:[03]
Within Madison, there are two standalone memory care facilities. Memory care communities are designed to care for and treat residents with memory loss, Alzheimer’s disease, or other types of dementia. These facilities provide closer supervision for seniors and memory-focused therapy programs. Memory care facilities are often equipped with special security measures to keep your loved one safe and secure, regardless of circumstance. They also employ therapies to reduce confusion and agitation.
There are 14 partner facilities combining assisted living and memory care throughout Madison, making this the most available type of care. Residents can expect memory care treatment along with daily assistance on needs such as bathing, dressing, the administering of any prescription medications, and other services. Those who don’t need memory care will receive general assisted living services.
Seen as a more modern form of care, these tiered care facilities have options for many seniors. These facilities are great for seniors who may not currently need care now but would like to age in place and want security knowing they can access care if they need to down the line. Senior tenants are all provided on-site housing and meals, with varying types of on-site amenities, and convenient services and care available as needed. If care needs change, a move to another facility won’t be necessary.
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Madison residents can attend these two major health care providers for geriatric, general, and other necessary health needs that arise in addition to the VA hospital in Madison.
The assisted living and memory care facilities we partner with offer transportation in different ways. Around 77% offer at-cost transportation options to residents, while over 41% provide complimentary rides. Keep in mind that some communities offer complimentary transportation for some excursions and at-cost transportation at other times. Transportation services for errands and appointments are a nice thing to offer, especially when considering how critical it is to keep elderly residents safe.
Dane County Department of Human Services offers individualized ride options. Those include Older Adult Transportation Assistance (OATA), which provides scheduled door-to-door service to seniors 60 and over, and the Retired Senior and Volunteer Program (RSVP) for people living with disabilities who need drop-offs to medical appointments. Phone numbers for each program are available on the site to make reservations.
Whether with peers on a community outing or with their families, senior living residents have many entertaining activity options in Madison. The city’s reverence for history, natural beauty, and cultural acumen combine to afford something for everyone to do.
If museums are for you, try a visit to the following:
What about games of chance? Ho-Chunk Gaming is a popular casino offering bingo, electric gaming, and other staples.
And if you need some fresh air, the following offer accessible walking paths:
You can also visit Madison’s accessible outdoor spaces including the following:
Azura Memory Care of Stoughton, The Waterford at Fitchburg and New Perspective Sun Prairie are the top-rated Nursing Homes facilities near Madison, WI. 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 Madison is $4,690 per month. This cost may vary based on location, amenities, floorplan, level of care and other factors.
WalletHub. (2022). Best and worst places to retire.
Genworth. (2021). Cost of Care Survey.
A Place for Mom. (2023). A Place for Mom proprietary data.
United States Census Bureau. (2021). Population estimates 2021: Madison, Wisconsin. [Data set].
United States Department of Veterans Affairs. (2022, October 12). VA Aid and Attendance Benefits and Housebound Allowance.
United States Department of Veterans Affairs. (2022, October 12) Presumptive disability benefits.
Wisconsin Department of Health Services. (2023, March 8). Medicaid programs for seniors.
Wisconsin Department of Health Services. (2023, April 17). Medicaid eligibility handbook.
Wisconsin Medicaid. (2023, January). Home and community-based services waiver programs.
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. SNF care coverage. Medicare.gov.
Wisconsin State Legislature. (2022). Special provisions applying to licensing and regulation of nursing homes.
Wisconsin Department of Health Services. (2023, February 1). Background check requirements.
U.S. News and World Report. (2023). Best hospitals in Madison, WI.
Ask an A Place for Mom local advisor at no cost.
WalletHub. (2022). Best and worst places to retire.
Genworth. (2021). Cost of Care Survey.
A Place for Mom. (2023). A Place for Mom proprietary data.
United States Census Bureau. (2021). Population estimates 2021: Madison, Wisconsin. [Data set].
United States Department of Veterans Affairs. (2022, October 12). VA Aid and Attendance Benefits and Housebound Allowance.
United States Department of Veterans Affairs. (2022, October 12) Presumptive disability benefits.
Wisconsin Department of Health Services. (2023, March 8). Medicaid programs for seniors.
Wisconsin Department of Health Services. (2023, April 17). Medicaid eligibility handbook.
Wisconsin Medicaid. (2023, January). Home and community-based services waiver programs.
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. SNF care coverage. Medicare.gov.
Wisconsin State Legislature. (2022). Special provisions applying to licensing and regulation of nursing homes.
Wisconsin Department of Health Services. (2023, February 1). Background check requirements.
U.S. News and World Report. (2023). Best hospitals in Madison, WI.