The following steps should also be
considered when selecting an Assisted Living Facility:
- Contact your state’s long-term
care ombudsman to see if any complaints have recently been filed
against the assisted living facility you are interested in. In many
states, the ombudsman checks on conditions at assisted living units
as well as nursing homes.
- Contact the local Better Business
Bureau to see if that agency has received any complaints about the
assisted living facility.
- If the assisted living facility is
connected to a nursing home, ask for information about it, too.
WHAT IS THE COST FOR ASSISTED
LIVING?
Although assisted living costs less than nursing home care, it is
still fairly expensive. Depending on the kind of assisted living
facility and type of services an older person chooses, the price costs
can range from less than $10,000 a year to more than $50,000 a year.
Across the U.S., monthly rates average $1,800 per month.
Because there can be extra fees for
additional services, it is very important for older persons to find
out what is included in the basic rate and how much other services
will cost.
Primarily, older persons or their
families pay the cost of assisted living. Some health and long term
care insurance policies may cover some of the costs associated with
assisted living. In addition, some residences have their own financial
assistance programs.
The federal Medicare program does not
cover the costs of assisted living facilities or the care they
provide. In some states, Medicaid may pay for the service component of
assisted living. Medicaid is the joint federal and state program that
helps older people and those with disabilities pay for health care
when they are not able to afford the expenses themselves. Additional
information on financing can be obtained from the resources listed
below
WHERE CAN I LEARN MORE ABOUT
ASSISTED LIVING?
Older persons who want to find out more about the assisted living
option can start by contacting their local area agency on aging (AAA).
Contact the U.S. Administration on Aging’s Eldercare Locator at
1-800-677-1116 or visit www.eldercare.gov to find the AAA office
closest to you.
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