Western Slope Assisted Living Directory

Who to call on the Western Slope

Last reviewed: August 27, 2026

This page is for adult children who need a real person, not a marketing list. It is educational only. It is not legal advice, placement advice, or a recommendation of any home.

This directory is a separate business from High Desert Assisted Living in Clifton, Colorado. Jason and Laura Cheney operate both; the directory is not an official state list and is not a CDPHE, HCPF, or Medicare rating tool. Nothing on this page is a recommendation of that home.

Phones below were checked on official pages on August 27, 2026. Call to confirm. Some programs still list more than one number. This page lists the split and does not pick a winner.

Start with Mesa / Region 11 (Garfield, Mesa, Moffat, Rio Blanco) if that is where the person lives or where you are looking. Region 10 (Delta, Gunnison, Hinsdale, Montrose, Ouray, San Miguel) is the next county, for families who live there or who cannot find a Mesa bed. It is not a Mesa substitute. Do not call Mesa Hilltop or Mesa AAA as the local office for a Region 10 county.

Who to call first (Mesa / Region 11)

If you need…Call firstNotes
A free, confidential advocate for someone already in a licensed assisted living home or nursing homeLocal long-term care ombudsmanDo not pick one number. State directory intake: 970-248-2717. Mesa AAA page: Casey Ashlock 970-683-2676, Dana Weseman 970-644-0407. Call to confirm which line is current.
“What kinds of help exist, and how do we pay?”Hilltop ADRC, 970-248-2746, option 1Free options counseling. Hilltop also operates The Commons of Hilltop, The Fountains of Hilltop, and The Cottages of Hilltop. The ADRC is not a referral to those homes.
Older Americans Act services, Meals on Wheels, AAA informationArea Agency on Aging of Northwest Colorado / Heather Jones, 970-248-2717Same number as Region 11 ombudsman intake on the state directory. Ask which program you have reached. Eldercare Locator: 800-677-1116.
Medicare questions (not Medicaid)Mesa County RSVP SHIP, 970-243-9839 ext. 1Free, unbiased. Does not sell plans. Walk-in Tuesdays 9 a.m.–12 p.m.
Health First Colorado (Medicaid) applicationMesa DHS Economic Assistance, 970-256-2434, and Colorado PEAKCurrent-member questions: 800-221-3943. PEAK tech support: 800-250-7741.
Medicaid long-term services (waivers, ACF, in-home help)Rocky Mountain Health Plans CMA, 800-346-4643 or 970-243-7050Mesa Designated Service Area 17. Not a CDPHE complaint line and not a license lookup.
A quality-of-care, rights, or safety complaint about a licensed homeCDPHE and the ombudsmanALR phone, checked August 27, 2026: 303-691-4045 or 1-800-886-7689, then enter 4045. Call to confirm.
VA pension Aid and AttendanceMesa County VSO (Tony Lee 970-248-2733, Laura Stanley 970-257-2218) and the VA apply pageThe VSO helps file claims. The VA page is the apply path, not a local VA office.
A starting point from anywhereEldercare Locator, 800-677-1116Connects you to local aging services. Not a Colorado regulator.

If the person lives in Delta, Gunnison, Hinsdale, Montrose, Ouray, or San Miguel, skip to the Region 10 section.

Who does what

RoleWhat they doWhat they do not do
Area Agency on Aging (AAA)Plans and coordinates services so older adults can stay at home if they choose (nutrition, homemaker, information).Does not license homes. Does not replace the ombudsman or CDPHE.
ADRCFree options counseling: long-term-care choices, benefits, local services.Not a referral to a specific housing provider. Hilltop ADRC sits inside an organization that also operates senior-living communities.
Long-term care ombudsmanFree, confidential advocate for people in skilled nursing homes and licensed assisted living.Does not license or fine homes. Does not replace a CDPHE complaint.
CDPHELicenses, surveys, investigates complaints, can cite. Find and Compare is the public 3-year survey tool.Not a confidential resident advocate. Not a Medicare star-rating site.
SHIPFree, unbiased Medicare counseling. Does not sell plans.Not Medicaid. Not a complaint line about a home.
County VSOHelp filing VA disability, pension (including Aid and Attendance), survivor claims, DD214.Not the VA decision-maker. Not a local “Aid and Attendance office.”
County DHS / PEAK / Member Contact CenterApply and manage Health First Colorado. PEAK is the online application. The Member Contact Center is for current members.The CMA handles long-term-services waivers, not county eligibility.
Case Management Agency (CMA)Medicaid long-term-services navigator: assessment, waivers, ACF / in-home path.Not a CDPHE complaint line. Not a license lookup.
Eldercare LocatorNational hotline to local aging services.Not a Colorado regulator.
Meals on Wheels / senior nutritionDining sites and home-delivered meals (60+).Not housing placement. Not a complaint line.

Mesa / Region 11

Counties: Garfield, Mesa, Moffat, Rio Blanco.

Area Agency on Aging of Northwest Colorado

Older Americans Act information and referral (Meals on Wheels, homemaker help, and other supports to stay at home).

970-248-2717 is also Region 11 ombudsman intake on the state directory. Ask which program you have reached.

Hilltop ADRC

Free options counseling for older adults, people with disabilities, and caregivers: long-term-care options, Medicare/Medicaid, local services.

Hilltop also operates senior-living communities: The Commons of Hilltop, The Fountains of Hilltop, and The Cottages of Hilltop. The ADRC is the counseling program, not a referral to those homes.

Long-term care ombudsman — Region 11

Free, confidential advocate for residents of licensed assisted living and skilled nursing homes. Every licensed home should post the assigned ombudsman.

Phones — do not pick one. Call to confirm which line is current intake.

Host: Associated Governments of Northwest Colorado, 510 29½ Road, Grand Junction, CO 81504.
Find an ombudsman

State Long-Term Care Ombudsman

Mesa RSVP SHIP (Medicare)

Free, unbiased Medicare counseling. Counselors do not sell insurance.

Mesa County Veterans Service Office

Mesa County Human Services / Health First Colorado

Rocky Mountain Health Plans CMA (Mesa)

Medicaid long-term services and supports for Mesa County (Designated Service Area 17). Not a CDPHE complaint line and not a license lookup.

Do not send Mesa families to the Hotchkiss office. That office is for Delta, Gunnison, and Hinsdale.

Meals on Wheels of Mesa County

Dining sites and home-delivered meals for people 60 and older.

Region 10 (next county — not a Mesa substitute)

Counties: Delta, Gunnison, Hinsdale, Montrose, Ouray, San Miguel.

Use this section if the person lives in one of those counties, or if you have looked in Mesa and need the next county. Region 10 has its own AAA, ADRC, ombudsman, SHIP, and case-management offices. Do not treat Mesa Hilltop or Mesa AAA as their local office.

Region 10 long-term care ombudsman

Same statewide program: a free advocate for nursing homes and licensed assisted living.

The name is listed as Claudette Nicolas on the state ombudsman directory and the Region 10 staff page, and as Sandy Walker on the Region 10 Community Living Services contact page. Both pages use 970-765-3131. This page does not pick a name. Call and ask who is current.

Region 10 Area Agency on Aging / ADRC

Region 10 League is the AAA and the ADRC for these six counties (people 60 and older, or 18 and older with a disability).

The AAA page mentions congregate and home-delivered meals. This page does not list a Region 10 Meals on Wheels phone. Call the main number and ask.

Region 10 SHIP (Medicare)

Montrose County Veterans Service Office

Hours were not on the directory page opened for this guide.

Montrose County Human Services

Case Management Agency (Region 10 — split by county)

Montrose, Ouray, and San Miguel — Montrose County CMA

Delta, Gunnison, and Hinsdale — Rocky Mountain Health Plans CMA, Designated Service Area 18

Do not send Montrose / Ouray / San Miguel families to Hotchkiss, or Mesa families to Hotchkiss.

Statewide

Health First Colorado Member Contact Center

For current members (have your ID ready).

Colorado PEAK

Apply or check a case online: colorado.gov/peak. Tech support 800-250-7741, Monday–Friday 7:30 a.m.–5:15 p.m.

CDPHE Find and Compare

Official 3-year surveys and occurrences for homes licensed by CDPHE, certified by HCPF, or certified by CMS. Not a star-rating site. Not a “best home” rank.
Find and Compare

CDPHE complaints (assisted living)

Anyone can file, including anonymously. They usually look only at what happened within a year. Process: health-facilities-complaints.

These contacts were read on CDPHE’s official complaint contacts page on August 27, 2026. Call to confirm.

Use the ombudsman and CDPHE. One does not replace the other.

VA Aid and Attendance

A monthly add-on to a VA pension for eligible veterans and survivors. Apply on VA.gov, by mail, or at a VA regional office. Local help: Mesa VSO or Montrose VSO above. Those offices help file claims. They are not a local VA Aid and Attendance office.

Eldercare Locator

800-677-1116 · eldercare.acl.gov

Official pages this guide is based on

This page does not recommend, rank, or place anyone. Call to confirm a number before you rely on it.