Senior Care Homes
Find a licensed Serra Mesa board and care home with 24-hour caregivers and just a few residents. Our local advisors know homes from Mission Village to the Aero Drive area and help families at no cost.
Serra Mesa and neighboring Tierrasanta sit in the geographic center of the City of San Diego, with quick access to I-15, I-805 and SR-163. Serra Mesa’s mid-century single-story homes include several licensed board and care homes.
Families like this area for its location next to Kearny Mesa’s hospitals, especially Sharp Memorial Hospital, one of the region’s largest. Elder Answers helps families compare board and care homes in Serra Mesa and Tierrasanta, free.
You’ll find licensed board and care homes throughout Serra Mesa (92123 and 92124), including Mission Village, Tierrasanta, Murphy Canyon and the Aero Drive area. Rates here sit near the middle of the county range, with Serra Mesa’s older ranch homes usually costing less than Tierrasanta.
Things to weigh when choosing a Serra Mesa home:
Sharp Memorial Hospital and Rady Children’s Hospital are just a few minutes away in Kearny Mesa, and Kaiser’s San Diego Medical Center is about 10 minutes north. Tierrasanta, surrounded by open canyons, is quieter but has fewer care homes. San Diego County Aging and Independence Services can also help with benefits and senior programs. See nearby Clairemont, Del Cerro and Mira Mesa for more options.
Most Serra Mesa board and care homes care for six or fewer residents in a house on a residential street, from Tierrasanta to the Aero Drive area. The license is the same RCFE license large assisted living communities hold; the difference is the size and the feel.
In a typical Serra Mesa board and care home, residents receive:
Learn more in our family guide to board and care homes.
Families usually choose board and care in Serra Mesa for a parent who:
More independent seniors may prefer assisted living in San Diego. Compare in our guide to board and care vs. assisted living or see memory care homes in San Diego.
In 2026, board and care homes in Serra Mesa usually price right in the middle of San Diego County pricing for small care homes. Within Serra Mesa, Tierrasanta commands higher rates than Serra Mesa’s older ranch homes. Sharing a room with one other resident can save several hundred dollars a month in Serra Mesa.
One monthly price usually covers care, three meals, medication management and laundry, which makes Serra Mesa board and care easier to budget than a community that adds care-level fees.
Paying for care: Because so many Serra Mesa households have military ties, VA Aid and Attendance comes up often; it can add a meaningful monthly amount for a qualifying veteran or surviving spouse. Our guide to paying for a senior care home walks through each option.
Two Serra Mesa homes a block apart can feel completely different. When you tour:
Print our family touring checklist before you go.
Our advisors know Serra Mesa’s board and care homes from Mission Village to Tierrasanta firsthand, including current openings and which homes take dementia, hospice or heavier care. Families don’t pay for our help, including tours, paperwork and move-in planning.
No opening in Serra Mesa this week? Nearby Clairemont, Del Cerro and Mira Mesa often have one. Some families also weigh skilled nursing homes in San Diego and residential care homes in San Diego before choosing. Start your free search today.
Serra Mesa homes usually price right in the middle of San Diego County pricing for small care homes. You'll typically pay less in Serra Mesa's older ranch homes and more in Tierrasanta.
A few. Tierrasanta has limited options, so most families also tour homes in neighboring Serra Mesa, which has more licensed homes only a few minutes away.
Licensed homes are spread across Serra Mesa's 92123 and 92124 ZIP codes, including Mission Village, Cabrillo Heights, Tierrasanta, Murphy Canyon and the Aero Drive area. Cabrillo Heights and Murphy Canyon tend to have the most choices.
Sharp Memorial Hospital is the main hospital for most Serra Mesa homes, with Kaiser Permanente San Diego Medical Center also within reach. I-15, I-805 and SR-163 connect the area to both.
Veterans and surviving spouses in Serra Mesa may qualify for VA Aid and Attendance, a monthly benefit that can offset a real share of a board and care home's rate.
Most offer at least one. Homes in the Aero Drive area often mix private and shared rooms, and a few have private bathrooms. A private room usually adds to the rate.
Board and care fits a parent who needs hands-on help and a quiet house; assisted living fits a more independent parent who wants activities. Compare on our assisted living page.
Families often consider Clairemont, Del Cerro and Mira Mesa. Homes a few miles away often have beds when Serra Mesa is full.