Best memory care in Orange County
79 licensed facilities, ranked by state inspection records — every citation from primary CDSS data, no referral fees.
Last updated May 2026
Of the 79 licensed memory care facilities indexed in Orange County, 62 (78%) have a Type-A or Type-B deficiency in their state record from the past 24 months.
Source: CA CDSS Community Care Licensing · Refreshed 2026-05-04 · Type-A = immediate health/safety risk; Type-B = lesser violation
Licensed memory care facilities indexed in Orange County
Facilities with at least one Type-A or Type-B deficiency finding in the indexed inspection record (24 months where dated)
↑ 78% of indexed facilitiesFacilities with full CDSS profile published on StarlynnCare
Orange County — by the data
Derived from indexed inspections and deficiency records. Only shown when sufficient data exists.
- Most-cited issue · last 3 yrs
- 87464(f)(1)(32 citations indexed)
- Citation trend · 3-year window
- ↑ Worsening58 → 194 → 130 (citations per 12-month window)
- Orange County vs. California avg
- 4.84citations/facility here vs.6.91statewide (36 months)
- Median beds per home
- 110beds
- Most improved · yr-over-yr
- Beach Terrace Assisted Living and Memory Care-22 citations vs. prior year
- Most citations added · yr-over-yr
- Oakmont of Orange+5 citations vs. prior year
- Last inspected (region)
- June 2026
Sources: indexed state inspection records. See methodology.
Highest-performing facilities by state inspection record.
Activcare Laguna Hills
Laguna Hills
Activcare Orange
Orange
Atria San Juan
San Juan Capistrano
Covington, the
Aliso Viejo
Divine Grace Villa
Anaheim
Forever Young Memory Care
Santa Ana
Aegis Assisted Living of Laguna Niguel
Laguna Niguel
Aegis Living Dana Point
Dana Point
Orange County — every licensed facility ranked by inspection record.
Memory care · 50+ beds
(60)Community-style facilities (purpose-built buildings, common in regional chains).
Aegis Assisted Living of Laguna Niguel
1 citation on fileLaguna Niguel · 96 beds · RCFE · Memory care
2 seriousAtria Newport Beach
2 serious citations on fileNewport Beach · 195 beds · RCFE · Memory care
14 seriousBeach Terrace Assisted Living and Memory Care
14 serious citations on fileStanton · 120 beds · RCFE · Memory care
Belmont Village Aliso Viejo
7 serious citations on fileAliso Viejo · 180 beds · RCFE · Memory care
4 seriousBrookdale Garden Grove
4 serious citations on fileGarden Grove · 140 beds · RCFE · Memory care
4 seriousCapistrano Senior Living
4 serious citations on fileSan Juan Capistrano · 125 beds · CCRC · Memory care
3 seriousCarmel Village Retirement Community
3 serious citations on fileFountain Valley · 220 beds · RCFE · Memory care
3 seriousClearwater Newport Beach
3 serious citations on fileNewport Beach · 120 beds · RCFE · Memory care
Grace Retirement Village
· limited historyNo inspection data yetLa Habra · 340 beds · RCFE · Memory care
7 seriousHarbor Heights Assisted Living and Memory Care
7 serious citations on fileAnaheim · 199 beds · RCFE · Memory care
1 seriousHuntington Terrace
1 serious citation on fileHuntington Beach · 185 beds · RCFE · Memory care
1 seriousIvy Park at Bradford
· limited history1 serious citation on filePlacentia · 136 beds · RCFE · Memory care
2 seriousIvy Park at Mission Viejo
2 serious citations on fileMission Viejo · 150 beds · RCFE · Memory care
1 seriousIvy Terrace at Fullerton
· limited history1 serious citation on fileFullerton · 72 beds · RCFE · Memory care
2 seriousIvy Terrace at Garden Grove
· limited history2 serious citations on fileGarden Grove · 72 beds · RCFE · Memory care
1 seriousOakmont of Huntington Beach
1 serious citation on fileHuntington Beach · 111 beds · RCFE · Memory care
6 seriousPacifica Senior Living South Coast
6 serious citations on fileCosta Mesa · 98 beds · RCFE · Memory care
3 seriousSan Clemente Villas by the Sea
3 serious citations on fileSan Clemente · 190 beds · RCFE · Memory care
1 seriousSilverado Senior Living- Newport Mesa
1 serious citation on fileCosta Mesa · 82 beds · RCFE · Memory care
1 seriousSilverado Senior Living-san Juan Capistrano
1 serious citation on fileSan Juan Capistrano · 96 beds · RCFE · Memory care
17 seriousWhitten Heights Assisted Living and Memory Care
17 serious citations on fileLa Habra · 196 beds · RCFE · Memory care
Memory care · 7–49 beds
(5)Small to medium freestanding RCFEs with a memory-care program.
5 seriousCottages at Artesia Anaheim, the
5 serious citations on fileAnaheim · 38 beds · RCFE · Memory care
5 seriousFrancel Guest Home Ii
· limited history5 serious citations on fileAnaheim · 14 beds · RCFE · Memory care
3 seriousNewport Beach Memory Care
3 serious citations on fileNewport Beach · 42 beds · RCFE · Memory care
Residential care homes · ≤6 beds
(14)Single-family-home conversions. Owner-operated. Receive fewer routine state inspections by design — inspect the home yourself before committing.
6 seriousAngel Comfort Care 2
· limited history6 serious citations on fileAnaheim · 6 beds · RCFE · Memory care
Augustin Gardens
· limited history1 serious citation on fileMission Viejo · 6 beds · RCFE · Memory care
3 seriousCare Celine
· limited history3 serious citations on fileAnaheim · 6 beds · RCFE · Memory care
The public record behind every profile.
Paying for memory care in Orange County.
California's Assisted Living Waiver covers room, board, and personal-care services at enrolled memory care facilities for eligible Medi-Cal beneficiaries.
The Medi-Cal Assisted Living Waiver (ALW) is a Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waiver that pays for room, board, and supportive services at enrolled Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly (RCFEs). To qualify, a resident must meet nursing-facility level of care criteria, be enrolled in Medi-Cal (full-scope), and reside in an ALW-enrolled facility in a participating county. Because waiver slots are finite, a waiting list is common — families should apply early through their local Department of Social Services.
Most memory care residents in California pay privately. Private-pay rates typically range from $5,000 to $9,000 per month depending on the facility and care intensity. Long-term care insurance and Veterans' benefits (VA Aid and Attendance) can offset costs for eligible individuals. Consult a certified senior benefits counselor (HICAP) for personalized guidance.
Families researching public-pay options should confirm with each facility whether it accepts ALW patients and whether an ALW slot is currently available. StarlynnCare displays state inspection data only; we do not verify payment-program participation. Always verify directly with the facility and your county social services department.
Veterans: Veterans may be eligible for VA Aid and Attendance, which can supplement private-pay memory care costs. Contact your regional VA or an accredited VA claims agent.
Source: CA DHCS Assisted Living Waiver · Program rules change — verify eligibility requirements directly with your county agency before making care decisions
About memory care in Orange County.
How much does memory care cost across Orange County?
Memory care across Orange County runs from roughly $4,500/month at smaller RCFEs in lower-cost cities to $12,000+/month at premium memory-specific buildings. Median sits around $6,500–$8,000/month for a private room with standard care needs. Full bills almost always exceed the advertised base rate; most California facilities use "level of care" point systems adding $500–$2,500/month. Click into any city below for a tighter range, or read What memory care costs in California.
What makes a facility "memory care" in California?
California has no separate memory care license. The facilities here are CDSS-licensed Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly (RCFEs) under Section 1569 of the Health & Safety Code. To advertise as memory care, an RCFE files a Memory Care Disclosure with CDSS and meets additional requirements around staff training, secured perimeters, and dementia programming. Some facilities here are skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) with a dementia or secure unit — a different license entirely (Title 22, Division 5). License type appears on every StarlynnCare profile.
What's the difference between an RCFE and a nursing home?
RCFEs provide non-medical care: room, board, supervision, ADL help, medication assistance. Nursing homes (SNFs) provide medical care: licensed nurses on staff 24/7, medication administration (not just assistance), wound care, rehab. Most California memory care indexed here lives in RCFEs. If your family member needs ongoing skilled nursing — feeding tubes, IV medications, complex wound care — an RCFE memory unit may not fit.
How many Orange County facilities have a serious deficiency on file?
Of the 79 licensed memory care facilities indexed in Orange County, 62 (78%) carry a documented Type-A or Type-B deficiency from CDSS in the indexed inspection record. Specific findings appear on each profile with inspection date and source link. StarlynnCare sources all deficiency data directly from state regulator records — no facility-side surveys or paid submissions are used. See the methodology for how deficiency classes are mapped across states.
How does StarlynnCare rank memory care facilities in Orange County?
StarlynnCare does not assign a single letter grade. Instead, each profile shows four independent signals derived from state inspection records: deficiency severity (Type-A vs. Type-B in California, equivalent classes in other states), repeat citation rate, inspection frequency relative to peers, and trajectory over time. Facilities with too few inspections on record show a "limited history" notice rather than a misleading score. All underlying data is sourced from mandatory public records — CDSS for California, HHSC LTCR for Texas, DHS for Oregon, and equivalent agencies for other states. Full methodology is at starlynncare.com/methodology.
What should I look for on a memory care tour in Orange County?
What predicts safety usually isn't what admissions directors highlight. From clinician and family interviews, the most under-asked items: staff-to-resident ratio at night and on weekends, skin-check and wound-prevention protocol, medication management and error reporting, shower frequency, and how the facility handles behavioral escalation. We publish a free 37-question tour checklist you can print.
Where can I find inspection reports for memory care facilities in Orange County?
Every facility profile on StarlynnCare links directly to its state inspection records — the same documents regulators use to evaluate compliance. For California facilities, reports come from the CDSS Community Care Licensing portal; for Texas, from HHSC LTCR; for Oregon, DHS Long-Term Care Licensing; for Washington, DSHS. On each facility profile, navigate to the "Inspection record" section to see full verbatim citations with dates and regulatory citations. You can also access the underlying raw data (open dataset).
What are the ratings for memory care facilities in Orange County?
StarlynnCare uses state inspection data — not self-reported surveys or paid placements — to evaluate facilities. Each profile surfaces four signals: citation severity (e.g. Type-A vs. Type-B in California), citation frequency relative to peers, repeat-finding rate, and inspection recency. Facilities with too few inspections receive a "limited history" label rather than a misleading composite score. You can sort the list of Orange County facilities by inspection record using the "By record" sort toggle to see the cleanest inspection histories first. No referral commissions influence how facilities appear.
Does Medi-Cal cover memory care in Orange County?
Traditional Medi-Cal does not cover room and board in an RCFE memory care setting. The Assisted Living Waiver (ALW) can cover services in participating RCFEs for income-qualified residents, but waitlists are long and the program runs in a limited set of counties — whether Orange County is in an ALW service area depends on county (see CDSS ALW portal). Medi-Cal does cover skilled nursing care in a Medi-Cal-certified SNF, including SNF dementia units, for residents meeting medical eligibility. Each facility profile documents payment acceptance when known.
Type-A citations in the last 12 months
In the last 12 months, 32 facilities in Orange County had at least one Type-A citation — the most serious deficiency class under California Health & Safety Code §1569. The full record for each facility is published on CDSS Community Care Licensing.
Facilities below had at least one Type-A (or immediate jeopardy) deficiency tied to an inspection dated in the rolling year — sourced from published CDSS deficiency records.
- Whitten Heights Assisted Living and Memory Care6 Type-A findings (indexed window)
- Harbor Heights Assisted Living and Memory Care5 Type-A findings (indexed window)
- Oakmont of Orange4 Type-A findings (indexed window)
- Britta Care3 Type-A findings (indexed window)
- San Clemente Villas by the Sea3 Type-A findings (indexed window)
- Sea Bluffs, the3 Type-A findings (indexed window)
- Acacia Guest Home-anaheim2 Type-A findings (indexed window)
- Brookdale Brookhurst2 Type-A findings (indexed window)
- Carmel Village Retirement Community2 Type-A findings (indexed window)
- Clearwater Newport Beach2 Type-A findings (indexed window)
- Cogir of Brea2 Type-A findings (indexed window)
- Newport Mesa Senior Living2 Type-A findings (indexed window)
Showing 12 of 32 facilities with Type-A findings in this window.