Are you looking for help making the hard decision of where to turn to for help with elder care needs you or a loved one has? Do you have questions about the options that are available to you when it comes to assisted living at home and similar services? Are you looking for active senior care services that can make it easier to keep your loved one well cared for? If you said yes to these questions, or if you have similar ones bouncing around in your mind, you need to look for the local elder care and in home care facilities in your area.
When looking at facilities to compare and make a final decision on it is important to look at more than just their prices and services. You will want to talk to someone about the admission criteria for assisted living facility and service options to see what you may or may not qualify for. Talking to staff and management is a great way to learn all about senior care and the various services that can be arranged for your loved one. Be sure to also consider less common options such as alternative living facility and in-home care services too.
There comes a time in all of our lives when the roles between parents and children have to switch. At some point, you will be charged with taking care of your parents, as they took care of you from the time you were born. Unfortunately, not everyone is in the right place, be it geographically, financially, or emotionally, to take on such a massive responsibility. That’s where assisted living facilities can help.
There is a huge variety of assisted living homes across the United States. Some effectively function like senior citizen housing communities, and offer very little in the way of medical care or aid for daily activities. Others are more like nursing homes, offering everything from laundry service to perineal care.
No matter which option is best for your parents, one thing you’re likely to struggle with across the board is the cost of assisted living. According to the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), assisted living costs increase with every year that goes by. Depending on your state, you could pay anywhere from $29,000 to $66,000 per year. If that seems like more than you and your parents can afford, take heart; here are a few tried and true ways of reducing assisted living costs.
Simple Options for Reducing Assisted Living Costs
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- Don’t Assume the Price is Set in Stone
As a Place for Mom points out, you should never assume that the price listed for an assisted living facility is concrete. Many facilities are happy to lower their price if you move in within a certain time frame or you sign a contract committing to a certain length of stay. Not all facilities offer these sorts of discounts, but it never hurts to ask.
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- Look into Public and Private Insurance Options
Did you know that if your parents have Medicaid, they are likely to have some of their assisted living costs covered? According to Paying for Senior Care, Medicaid pays a percentage of the costs in 42 states. Medicare, however, won’t cover anything.
If you can’t get assistance through government insurance, long term care insurance is another option. As the name implies, this is a type of private insurance meant to pay for assisted living costs. Keep in mind that you’ll need to plan to use this option at least a few years in advance. Long term care insurance companies don’t accept anyone who has an immediate need for assistance.
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- If Your Parents Are Veterans, Get in Touch with the VA
Not many people know that veterans can get a monthly stipend to help pay for their assisted living care. If you have a parent who was in the armed forces, get in touch with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Depending on your parents’ financial situation, they may be eligible for as much as $2,000 in assistance per month.
Do you have any other recommendations for reducing the costs for different senior housing options? Share them with us in the comments below. For more information see this: www.singerlymanor.com
