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Senior Living

2002-05-01 15:03:00

Assisted living prices....whew!

Question: I am currently looking for assisted living for my mother. I am amazed at the prices. It seems as though there should only be the cost for normal rent and whatever assistance from a CMA one might need. Why is assisted living priced so high?

Answer: Senior health care providers could probably do a better job of informing the public on what "assisted living" means and the services assisted living provides. Assisted living means the resident is assisted in living as independently as possible with 24-hour-a-day availability of nursing care if help is needed. This provides a care "safety net" for the resident who may normally need only occasional assistance on a day-to-day basis.      An assisted living resident is paying for the various services provided weekly, daily or on whatever schedule is called for in the resident's plan of services. In addition, fees usually cover utilities, maintenance of the residence, housekeeping, meals, transportation, and available health and wellness services (i.e., screenings such as blood pressure checks). In most regular rental situations, utilities, meals, security systems, transportation and housekeeping are not typically part of the rent. This is why assisted living makes the distinction of referring to the cost as a monthly fee. Assisted living fee structures are often based on the level of care the resident required to help a resident. When the resident moves to a higher level of care, the monthly fee goes up.      Assisted living usually offers three levels of care, each one providing greater support for accomplishing what are called "activities of daily living." These activities include dressing, grooming, bathing, eating, walking, and so on. A combination of certified and licensed staff are needed to ensure that the resident is as independent as possible, but receives the necessary services to live safely.     Be sure to get a complete list of what is covered in monthly fees at the assisted living residences you talk with and visit. Very often, callers may only ask how much the monthly fee is, but this does not give you a clear picture of what is covered.     If you add up the costs to maintain a home, utilities, groceries/meals, maintain a car or a car with a driver, in-home assistance on a regularly scheduled basis, emergency assistance arrangements, and housekeeping, you will probably conclude that costs for assisted living are not as high as they may first appear. You have probably noticed that the monthly cost varies, depending on the residence and even the size of the city in which it is located.Assisted living also provides for activities to engage a resident cognitively and physically. Adult children have often seen a parent "blossom" in such an environment where before, staying at home, there was little to engage the parent during the day. There may be more opportunities to enjoy short trips around town as well as, socializing opportunities as a resident makes new friends.     Most often, when someone moves to assisted living, they sell their home because a point has been reached physically or mentally where the resident is no longer safe living on his/her own. Proceeds from the sale of a home help to generate income and pay monthly fees along with social security or other income. Some medical services provided may be covered by Medicare. Some long-term care insurance policies include assisted living coverage. If your mother has such a policy, it will be important to check with the insurance company to see if assisted living is covered.     If you are looking at assisted living because you are concerned for her well being and she could use the security of living independently with some help, you may want to take a piece of paper and write down the current costs of maintaining her home and the other items mentioned earlier. See what these add up to as it will give you an idea of what your mother is already spending monthly and what that will go up to with added services.      When assisted living is appropriate, the assistance provided is needed, and the peace of mind assisted living could bring both you and your mother, it can be a much better value than at first glance.