{"id":13846,"date":"2018-10-01T07:00:32","date_gmt":"2018-10-01T12:00:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.senioradvisor.com\/blog\/?p=13846"},"modified":"2018-10-01T00:08:28","modified_gmt":"2018-10-01T05:08:28","slug":"ways-to-beat-the-high-cost-of-assisted-living","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/d30braiqprupoq.cloudfront.net\/blog\/2018\/10\/ways-to-beat-the-high-cost-of-assisted-living\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Ways to Beat the High Cost of Assisted Living"},"content":{"rendered":"

10 Ways to Beat the High Cost of Assisted Living<\/h1>\n

Learn more about how to beat the high cost of assisted living with these tips\u00a0that can help you and your loved ones afford senior living, without compromising the quality of care.\"10
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

How\u00a0to Beat the High Cost of Assisted Living<\/h2>\n

Arranging senior living\u00a0can be challenging, emotionally taxing and expensive, particularly when a person requires more personal care in an assisted living\u00a0community,\u00a0residential care home or memory care provider.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor family members seeking a place for a loved one,\u201d says Tom L. who worked with A Place for Mom, \u201cit can be a difficult time emotionally and mentally.\u201d<\/p>\n

Add to that the ever-rising costs of senior care<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 and the\u00a0average monthly assisted living rent\u00a0\u2014 and the situation can go from difficult to overwhelming.<\/p>\n

For countless families, finding affordable assisted living may seem like an impossible dilemma. Don\u2019t lose heart \u2014 there are plenty of strategies that can help you fit quality senior care into your budget:<\/p>\n

1. Ask about price flexibility.<\/h3>\n

The official cost of assisted living communities may not be set in stone \u2014 ask about move-in incentives and whether they might be willing to negotiate the monthly price.<\/p>\n

2. Consider a\u00a0different location.<\/h3>\n

As with other types of housing, the\u00a0cost of assisted living<\/a>\u00a0varies by location.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn our initial search as a family, we hadn\u2019t even considered looking out of state even though [the community we ended up choosing is] very close in proximity for many of my siblings,\u201d said one A Place for Mom user. Suburbs or outlying communities may be more affordable, so be flexible enough to look outside your zip code or ideal location.<\/p>\n

3. Compare\u00a0“a la carte” costs with inclusive pricing.<\/h3>\n

Some assisted living communities offer an \u201ca la carte\u201d menu, making it possible to choose some services but take care of others yourself. Family members or volunteer services may be able to fill in the gaps in a more cost-effective way. Bear in mind, though, that for some families an all-inclusive option might be more affordable, especially in some geographic areas where the cost of living is higher.<\/p>\n

4. Compare\u00a0care types.<\/h3>\n

What type of care is most appropriate for your loved one? Maybe you don\u2019t need the added cost of assisted living \u2014 independent living, for instance, might better suit your budget and your requirements. Check our\u00a0senior care cost planner<\/a>\u00a0to compare the cost of living at home to assisted living expenses.<\/p>\n

5. Consider long-term care insurance.<\/h3>\n

For those unable to pay for assisted living out of pocket, private insurance, Medicare or Medicaid may help \u2014 but these services generally don\u2019t pay for everything.\u00a0Long-term care insurance<\/a>\u00a0can address that gap and\u00a0estate planning can give you greater access to financing long-term care<\/a>.<\/p>\n

6. Explore veterans benefits.<\/h3>\n

If your loved one or his or her spouse has served in the armed forces, they may be eligible for\u00a0benefits<\/a>\u00a0through the Department of Veteran Affairs to offset the cost of senior care.<\/p>\n

7. Get it right the first time.<\/h3>\n

If you have to move your loved one several times until you get the right fit, you\u2019ll end up spending more money. Instead, do your due diligence: visit locations multiple times, check their licensing, talk to the local long-term care ombudsman and have an attorney review the contract. Use this\u00a0assisted living checklist<\/a>\u00a0to help you find the right match.<\/p>\n

8. Get\u00a0personalized advice.<\/h3>\n

Making a final decision about elder care can be difficult, and sometimes having a knowledgeable\u00a0Senior Living Advisor<\/a>\u00a0can help. Here\u2019s just one example from our APFM community:<\/p>\n

\u201cI had gathered a significant amount of data (e.g., room prices, community fees, waiting list, etc.) which was overwhelming. I asked Hollis if she could pull it all together and she provided to me with a matrix of that information.\u00a0 That was the key for us, as a family, in making a decision where to place my mom.\u201d<\/p>\n

9. Plan ahead.<\/h3>\n

Give yourself and your senior loved ones enough time to evaluate senior care communities\u00a0before they move in. If you\u2019ve got your eye on a specific location, join the waiting list. If you wait until the last minute, you may end up having to pay for a community\u00a0that\u2019s at the high end of your budget \u2014 or that doesn\u2019t meet your needs.<\/p>\n

10. Share\u00a0a room.<\/h3>\n

In many types of senior living, a shared space is more cost-effective than a single room or apartment. Check on the costs for shared vs. individual rooms.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

10 Ways to Beat the High Cost of Assisted Living Learn more about how to beat the high cost of assisted living with these tips\u00a0that can help you and your loved ones afford senior living, without compromising the quality of care. How\u00a0to Beat the High Cost of Assisted Living Arranging senior living\u00a0can be challenging, emotionally taxing and expensive, particularly when […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7026,"featured_media":13859,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,200],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-13846","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-assisted-living","8":"category-families-caregivers"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n10 Ways to Beat the High Cost of Assisted Living<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Do you know how to help your parents or senior loved ones afford the cost of assisted living without compromising care? 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