Assisted Living. The Need. The Cost.
June 3, 2024
While there are people fortunate enough to live independently for their entire lives, others need to consider some form of assisted living as they age.
Reasons Why an Individual Might Need Assisted Living:
- Sudden weight loss: This could indicate a health problem or difficulty preparing meals.
- Lack of personal hygiene: Difficulty with tasks like bathing, brushing teeth, or doing laundry. Neglecting personal care, such as grooming or cleanliness.
- Burns or signs of injury: These could indicate difficulty with cooking or other tasks.
- Not taking medication as prescribed: Forgetting to take medicines, taking incorrect doses, or taking medicines at the wrong times. This could be due to forgetfulness or confusion.
- Declining cognition: Memory problems or confusion could be signs of dementia or other cognitive disorders.
- Finances getting out of control: Unpaid bills or unusual spending could indicate that managing finances has become too difficult. Not keeping up with money management, taxes, or insurance.
- Mobility difficulties: Trouble getting around could make it hard to perform daily tasks without help.
- Meal mismanagement: Eating poorly, skipping meals, or having difficulty preparing food.
- Unusual new behaviors: Changes in personality or behavior could be signs of a mental health issue or dementia.
If so, it’s important to have open and honest conversations about the individual’s needs and preferences.
Consulting with a healthcare provider can also be helpful in making this decision. The goal, of course, is to ensure personal safety and improve the quality of life.
Reasons Why an Individual Might Seek Out Assisted Living:
There are several personal reasons that might influence or motivate someone to consider assisted living for themselves.
- Health Concerns: As people age, they may face health issues that require regular medical attention and assistance with daily activities. Assisted living facilities provide 24/7 care and support, which can be a significant relief for those with health concerns.
- Safety: Assisted living facilities are designed to be safe for seniors, with features like emergency call systems, handrails, and wheelchair accessibility. This can be particularly important for individuals who have mobility issues or are at risk of falling.
- Social Interaction: Living alone can lead to feelings of isolation and loneliness. Assisted living communities offer social activities and opportunities for seniors to interact with others, which can greatly enhance their quality of life.
- Maintenance-Free Living: Assisted living facilities take care of tasks such as housekeeping, laundry, and meal preparation, allowing residents to enjoy a maintenance-free lifestyle.
- Peace of Mind for Family Members: Knowing that their loved one is in a safe environment, receiving proper care and attention, can provide immense peace of mind for family members.
- Cognitive Support: For individuals experiencing cognitive decline or dementia, memory care units within assisted living facilities can provide specialized care and activities to support cognitive function.
Of course, the decision to move into an assisted living facility is a personal one, which depends on the individual’s unique needs and circumstances. It’s important to have open and honest discussions with family members and healthcare providers when considering this option.
Assisted Living Alternatives:
- In-Home Care depends upon the degree of need for assistance, the level of commitment of the caregivers and what those paying for the service can afford. From care provided by a spouse or relative at minimal financial expense to around-the-clock care by professional nurses, the quality and cost of care can vary dramatically.
- Assisted Living is long-term residential care designed for older adults or people with disabilities who need help with their everyday personal needs. These needs can include personal hygiene (such as bathing, grooming, and dressing), eating, toileting, moving and getting around, shopping and meal preparation, housework, and life and household management. The aim of this type of senior living is to enhance life experience while maintaining as much independence as possible for the resident. Assisted living residents can vary from those enjoying near total independence to those requiring constant care and assistance.
- Nursing homes are live-in communities for older adults that require both medical and non-medical 24/7 care.
The high degree of skilled and continuous care is what separates nursing homes from other senior living options.
Assisted Living Monthly Costs by Region
Like the housing market, the cost of assisted living varies depending on geographic location. But regardless of location assisted living usually costs less than either in-home care or a nursing home.
National
Midwest (Kansas)
South (Texas)
West (California)
Northeast
(Massachusetts)
$6,481
$5,720
$5,339
$7,055
$7,245
$5,665
$5,350
$4,118
$6,250
$7,120
$9,712
$9,733
$6,692
$13,231
$14,600
However, it should be noted, that resort-style or luxury assisted living accommodations may be higher priced, on average, than for the assisted living category.
As expected, there is quite a bit of difference in the average cost of assisted living by state as the chart below indicates.
States With the Most and Least Expensive Assisted Living:
- New Hampshire$8,248
- District of Columbia$6,835
- Delaware$6,101
- Hawaii$5,924
- Wyoming$5,894
- New York$5,663
- Massachusetts$5,517
- Rhode Island$5,515
- New Jersey$5,058
- Vermont$5,010
- Wisconsin$4,934
- West Virginia$4,846
- Connecticut$4,789
- Alaska$4,782
- Maine$4,572
- California$4,526
- Mississippi$4,469
- Nevada$4,432
- Colorado$4,386
- Oregon$4,370
- North Dakota$4,344
- Arizona$4,230
- Missouri$4,226
- Pennsylvania$4,190
- Washington$4,176
- Virginia$4,169
- Kansas$4,090
- Ohio$4,081
- Montana$4,080
- Tennessee$4,059
- Michigan$4,040
- Nebraska$4,026
- North Carolina$3,960
- Alabama$3,890
- Idaho$3,852
- Florida$3,811
- South Carolina$3,801
- Maryland$3,800
- Arkansas$3,745
- Utah$3,743
- Texas$3,697
- Indiana$3,695
- Kentucky$3,669
- New Mexico$3,605
- Illinois$3,582
- Oklahoma$3,506
- Minnesota$3,472
- Iowa$3,420
- South Dakota$3,378
- Georgia$3,318
- Louisiana$2,946
Source: Seniorly data 2023
