What Does Assisted Living Cost?
If you’ve ever visited an assisted living community, you likely realized it was much more than what you were expecting. Many of today’s assisted living communities offer a vibrant recreational calendar, restaurant-style dining options, and a variety of other amenities. But, understanding the difference between paying a mortgage and the price structure of an assisted living community can be a bit overwhelming in the beginning.
First, let’s talk about who assisted living most benefits. Whether maintenance of a home has become harder to manage or taking care of certain aspects (like managing medications or showering alone) has become more difficult, assisted living caters to a wide variety of older adults. Assisted living provides supportive services for those who do not need round-the-clock skilled nursing care.
Where it can get confusing is sorting through the different cost structures communities offer. Fee-for-service, all-inclusive, and packaged services are the three different payment structures you may encounter. Since this can vary from community to community, it can make comparing costs difficult to achieve.
There are three typical cost structures you can find in assisted living communities:
- All-inclusive bundles are the easiest to understand. Residents with these packages are entitled to every service that the community offers, though it’s important to know whether there is a cap on the amount of services per resident or if there are some services, such as medication management, that come at an additional expense. The benefit of this plan is that residents know exactly what their assisted living costs will be each month, and they don’t have to worry about tracking how many services they’re using.
- A la carte options allow residents to be charged per service the community provides. The drawback is that if you want to add on services later, it can cost you more than the all-inclusive package. It can also make budgeting difficult, with potential month-to-month shifts in the amount you expect to pay.
- Tiered care communities offer a predetermined package of services for residents with a low, medium, or high need of assistance. As needs change, packages adjust accordingly. While this may seem like a fairly straightforward billing structure, there may be services included in packages you pay for that you don’t need.
Privately paying with cash assets isn’t the only way to pay for assisted living. Residents can utilize pensions, veterans’ benefits, liquidate assets (like a home), and much more.
If you’re worried about whether you can afford assisted living for yourself or a loved one, check out our frequently asked questions for more information about assisted living costs per month.
Arbors Assisted Living Cost and Affordability PDF – Download Here
What Is Included In The Arbors Assisted Living Monthly Fee
If you’ve been researching Assisted Living, you’ll notice that The Arbors, like most Assisted Living communities, does not list prices. This is because prices can vary based on your loved one’s needs. If mom or dad needs very little help, you pay a minimum. However, if they require quite a bit of help, we offer it for additional fees. This fee structure is customized to your preferences and needs.
What’s Usually Included within the Monthly Fee?
According to Argentum, the leading national trade association for senior living communities, the base monthly fee in most Assisted Living communities covers the following:
- Three meals a day served in a common dining area
- Housekeeping services
- Transportation
- 24-hour security
- Exercise and wellness programs
- Social and recreational activities
- Personal laundry services
At The Arbors, the base monthly fee includes:
- Three meals served daily in the dining room
- Weekly housekeeping including flat linen service
- Scheduled transportation
- 24-hour security
- Health promotion and exercise programs
- Cultural, educational and social activities
- Laundry services
- Personal care services (1 hour per day)
- 24-hour staffing
- Reminders for self-administered medication
- Maintenance
And this is why we don’t post prices on our website. Assisted Living communities offer different amenities for different prices. What we can do is help you get an idea of the services you want and need for your parent. We’ve researched financial resources to help you provide the care and support your parents need.
Sure, we’d love for you to choose The Arbors for your loved one. But over and above that, we realize how confusing making life decisions is, and we want to help. So if you give us a call, we may point out how The Arbors provides more and better services and amenities for the cost, but we’ll also give you helpful advice. There’s no obligation because we care about you and your loved one.
