Sun City, AZ

Sun City is a 55+ community in the northwest region of the Phoenix metro, offering access to outstanding cultural amenities and world-class health care options. Seniors make up over three-quarters of the city’s population of 40,000 residents, ensuring a peaceful environment with age-friendly social opportunities. The city’s cost of living averages 10 points below the state norm on a 100-point index, and competitive housing prices and low property taxes may make it financially feasible for seniors to maintain ownership of their homes throughout retirement. The city’s weather is also favorable for older adults, including those who rely on mobility aids, with warm temperatures throughout the year, minimal rainfall and no snow.

Sun City is home to Banner Boswell Medical Center, a 525-bed major medical facility that’s Joint Commission-certified as a Primary Stroke Center. Those seeking other medical options have over three dozen more hospitals to choose from within driving distance, including Mayo Clinic – Phoenix, which is nationally ranked in 10 specialties and one of the best hospitals in the state. The city’s large senior community also promotes access to a wide range of long-term care options, making it a great place for those seeking in-home care.

According to the Genworth 2021 Cost of Care Survey, home care agencies in Sun City charge $5,958 per month, on average, for nonmedical services. This is the same as the cost of home health care, which includes personal care and supportive services, along with some skilled nursing services.

The survey doesn’t include long-term care cost data for Sun City specifically, but because the city is located in the Phoenix region, local home care rates are based on costs in Phoenix. The survey accounts for 44 hours of weekly care and an hourly rate of $31.25. This is about $5 per hour more than home care rates in the typical U.S. city.

Home care and home health care agencies in Sun City charge a monthly average of $5,958 for services, which is high compared to other cities. The average cost of care in Arizona is less, with home care agencies charging $5,339 and home health care agencies charging $5,434 — roughly $300 more than the national average for each. Tucson seniors pay significantly less at $5,434 and $5482, respectively, while Prescott Valley seniors pay $5,053 for each. Yuma has the lowest rates at $4,290.

Sun City Meals on Wheels

What You Should Know

Sun City Meals on Wheels is a local nonprofit program that provides two home-delivered meals daily to eligible individuals in Sun City. Through this program, you get two meals daily, including one hot meal and one cold meal, for a fee of $8.50. The program’s nutritionist-approved menu includes hot meals with an entrée, a hot vegetable and a starch and cold meals with sandwiches, cookies and milk. The program can make accommodations for physician-ordered diets.

Who Is Eligible?               

Sun City Meals on Wheels is available to everyone in Sun City who is housebound and unable to prepare their own meals. Financial assistance may be available to those who can’t afford the daily fee for meals.

How to Get Started

You can learn more about Meals on Wheels, including menu options and accommodations for dietary preferences, and apply for the program by calling the office at (623) 974-9430. After you contact the office, a volunteer will conduct an in-home interview and orientation to help you complete necessary paperwork, collect payment for your first 2 weeks of meals and answer questions you may have about the program.

Area Agency on Aging

What You Should Know

The Area Agency on Aging is a nonprofit organization that provides 19 free and low-cost programs and services to qualified individuals. It serves family caregivers through its Family Caregiver Support program, and it promotes seniors’ independence and safety at home through its healthy living classes. Through its Senior Adult Independent Living program, it provides case management to older adults to help them get the assistance they need to age in place, and it offers home-delivered and congregate meals and transportation services to reduce seniors’ reliance on paid home care services.

Who Is Eligible?

Services through the AAA are available to everyone aged 60 and over within the service area, which includes Sun City. Some programs may have additional eligibility requirements related to income and functional needs.

How to Get Started

To obtain services through the AAA, you can call the office toll-free at (888) 264-2258, or you can call its 24-hour Senior HELP LINE at (602) 264-4357. You can also contact the office by emailing [email protected].

Sun City Community Assistance Network

What You Should Know

Sun City CAN is a volunteer-run organization that provides free assistance to qualified seniors to help them maintain their independence at home.  Volunteers also provide free income tax filing assistance. Options counselors provide free benefits screenings and assistance with applying for local, state and federal financial assistance programs, including those that pay for in-home care, as well as discounts for utility and water bills, prescription drugs and health insurance costs. It also has an up-to-date resources list with helpful agencies and phone numbers for seniors seeking food assistance and property tax assistance.

Who Is Eligible?

Anyone can contact Sun City CAN to get help for themselves or on behalf of an older loved one. Most programs have age- or income-related eligibility criteria to direct services to those needing them most.

How to Get Started

You can get more information about this organization by calling its main office at (623) 933-7530. The office is open on weekdays from 8 a.m. to noon.

Home Improvement Programs

What You Should Know

Maricopa County operates several home improvement programs for qualified individuals in Sun City and other cities within the county. These include the Emergency Home Repair program, the Home Rehabilitation Program and Home Weatherization. Through these programs, you can improve your home’s safety, comfort and energy efficiency, which may help you avoid moving to a residential facility.

Who Is Eligible?

To be eligible for one of these programs, you must own or rent a home in Maricopa County, and your income must be at or below 80% of the Area Median Income. For a single-person household, the maximum annual income is $49,500, and for a two-person household, the limit is $56,550.

How to Get Started

To apply for these home improvement programs, you must submit an online application. A representative from the Human Services Department will contact you within 14 days and request several documents, including proof of identification and proof of residence.

Senior Value Protection Program

What You Should Know

If you own your Sun City home, you may be able to reduce your property tax burden through the Senior Value Protection Program, also called the Senior Freeze. This program, administered by the Assessor’s Valuation Relief Programs Division, freezes the taxable portion of your property value, limiting how much it can increase if your property value goes up. The freeze applies for 3 years, and you can apply again at the end of that period if you still qualify for the program.

Who Is Eligible?

The Senior Value Protection Program is available to Sun City homeowners aged 65 and over. Applicants must meet income limits of $40,368 for single-owner properties and $50,460 for properties with two or more owners.

How to Get Started

To get started, you can use the Online Portal to contact a Senior Value Protection or Personal Exemption team member, or you can call the office at (602) 506-3591 or email [email protected]. You must file your application between January 1 and March 1 of the current calendar year.