| In any given year, more than 10 million people, most | | | | nursing home model. |
| aged 65 or older, are in the long-term care of | | | | So what is the cost of senior living? The answer, of |
| assisted living or nursing home facilities in the United | | | | course, is that it depends on a broad range of |
| States. For their families, that means considerable 'out | | | | factors, such as the amount of care needed or the |
| of pocket' expenses must be dedicated to the cost | | | | patient's location. |
| of assisted living. In fact, some estimates suggest | | | | Depending on whether the patient will need |
| that over 75% of those expenses are borne directly | | | | intermittent care in his own home or a full-time staff |
| by the patient themselves or their immediate and | | | | at a senior living building, the difference in cost can |
| extended families. | | | | range from a few hundred dollars per month for |
| If you and your loved one are considering making the | | | | in-home care, to several thousand dollars for an |
| move toward senior living or a nursing home | | | | upscale apartment in a room and board facility. |
| environment, you'll certainly want to know as much | | | | As for location, the same cost of living factors that |
| about the costs that are involved as you can. The | | | | affect those without senior living needs will have an |
| cost of assisted living will no doubt make a significant | | | | impact on those who do. Estimates suggest that |
| impact on family finances, but one of the many | | | | depending upon which state the patient will reside |
| advantages the concept offers is that it's typically | | | | within, the cost can vary by more than 150%. For |
| much less than the cost of a nursing home. | | | | example, 2007 estimates point to an annual cost of |
| Comprehensive care nursing facilities can cost up to | | | | assisted living in North Dakota at just over |
| 50% more than their counterparts in assisted living. | | | | $23,000.00 per year. Washington DC, however, would |
| The reasons are fairly obvious; the patients in the | | | | have cost over $60,000.00 in the same year! |
| care of nursing homes typically have magnified | | | | The cost of assisted living will always be dependent |
| medical and domestic needs compared to those in | | | | on a variety of elements. The decision to place a |
| senior living. As such, everything from medical | | | | loved one in the care of strangers, professional |
| staffing to liability and malpractice insurance must be | | | | though they may be, is hard enough without the |
| dealt with in larger numbers than required for partial | | | | financial aspects to consider. But with a small |
| senior living. At the end of the day, nursing homes | | | | investment in time to research your options, you |
| are really just smaller versions of hospitals, while | | | | may find that the financial sting of the experience |
| senior living can take any of several different | | | | can be minimized without compromising on the quality |
| approaches, all of which are generally considered to | | | | of care. |
| be closer to a home environment than the classic | | | | |