What are the costs of the Assisted Living?
Costs of Assisted Living - Assisted living allows more independence and it’s less expensive than Nursing home care and Home care. The costs of the Assisted Living depends on the level of care the resident requires, location of the place and housing type of the Assisted living. It is generally quite expensive, and it is not uncommon for an assisted living facility to charge $3000 to $5000 per month per resident (and sometimes more). The average monthly cost of assisted living in the U.S. is about $3,300 per month for a one-bedroom unit.
It's important to note that the cost of assisted living varies widely depending on a number of factors that affect the cost.
- Base costs for assisted living centers typically cover room and board and meals. Other charges that may not be covered in the base fees might include deposits, entry fees, housekeeping, and laundry. Most assisted living services are included in the facility’s basic service costs, but some may be offered for additional fees.
- Generally, fees charged for an assisted living facility pay for the facility and some services. Because specific assisted living facilities differ greatly, the fees also differ between facilities and may be offered as an all-inclusive monthly price, tiered pricing based on required services, pricing based on individual services requested by the resident, or some combination of these.
Additional fees are typically charged for special care that is individually needed. Factors that affect the cost of assisted living include:
- Level of Care and Types of Services Needed
- Location
- Amenities Included
Paying for Assisted Living
Assisted living can be pricey, but in many cases, it’s more affordable than In-home care or Nursing home care in the same geographic area. There are many ways to pay for assisted living, which isn’t covered by Medicare, except in the case of long-term rehabilitation. Long-term care insurance, veteran’s benefits, life insurance, annuities, a bridge loan, or simply pooling family resources are all common ways to cover the costs of assisted living.
Most residents pay for assisted living without assistance, although some states provide public assistance with payment in the form of Medicaid, Supplementary Security Income, or Social Services Block Grant programs. Private long-term care insurance and some managed care programs may also assist with costs incurred while living in this type of facility. Those states that do subsidize assisted living services, especially personal care services, do so using Medicaid 1915c waivers.
Participation in these state programs is limited because such waivers are only available to individuals meeting the state criteria for nursing home care. Some states also use alternate strategies to help lower the costs of assisted living, including Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTCs), taxable and tax-exempt bonds, and other programs.
