Challenges of choosing an Assisted Living Community

Where to begin….

Moving your older adult to assisted living is a big challenge for many families.

Deciding when to make the transition can be tough, but once that’s resolved, the next question is how to find an assisted living community that’s right for your older adult.  Consider a Life Plan Community that offers the full range of continuing care that will provide care for all the seasons of life for your loved one. By choosing a Life Plan Community like McGregor it’s likely the community is staffed for higher older adults can remain in one lifestyle for a longer period of time-having more longevity in that particular level of care that proivdes options other than transitioning to a long term care community.

You want to make sure they’ll be well cared for and are also looking for a good fit for their lifestyle and personality.

The distance to you or other relatives might be an important consideration as well.

Generally, that means looking at your older adult’s budget, visiting a few places, and comparing the pros and cons to make a final decision.

To make the process easier, we found a useful free guide that summarizes key information and has a handy checklist.

This guide and checklist help you organize your thoughts, notice important details, and compare one community against another.

We share an overview of the guide to choosing an assisted living facility and highlight the most helpful checklist items.

Ways to pay for assisted living

1. Private savings

  • If your older adult has enough savings, they could pay “out of pocket” using personal savings or income.
  • Consider speaking with a reputable financial adviser to confirm that your older adult’s savings will last through the years. For a quick ballpark estimate, use this long term care cost estimator.

2. Sell their house

  • Some older adults have the option of selling their house and using that money to pay for assisted living expenses.
  • If the house is still on the market, but the move to assisted living needs to happen ASAP, a bridge loan could help until the home is sold. FYI, that’s a short-term loan and could be a risky choice. But it’s something to consider if you’re really stuck.

3. Long-term care insurance

  • This type of insurance usually covers nursing home care, home-based health care, assisted living care, and other medical services.
  • Don’t assume it won’t be affordable – check with a reputable insurance agent. Long-term care premiums are based on many factors, including:
      • Age
      • Health
      • Benefit amount and duration
      • When the company will start paying benefits
      • Other factors like location
  • Medicare doesn’t pay for long-term assisted living, but may pay for short-term rehab stays, typically after an inpatient hospital stay.

 4. Veterans benefits

What is the primary source of reimbursement for assisted living?
Public sources often include Medicaid, and private ones can include personal savings, Social Security benefits, pension payments, retirement account savings, and long-term care insurance. Often, a combination of these sources is required.
How do I pay for assisted living in Ohio?
Ohio’s Assisted Living Waiver Program- * not all communities accept the waiver so be sure to qualify that at the beginning of the converation.
The program pays the costs of care in an assisted living facility for certain people with Medicaid, allowing the consumer to use his or her personal resources to cover “room and board” expenses.
Affordable Housing Options for Older Adults
  • Staying in Your Home. This option is ideal if you do not need comprehensive care for your daily living—or just need some caregiving assistance. …
  • Living with Family. …
  • Public and Subsidized Senior Housing.
  • Assisted Living and Residential Care Options.
What is considered low income for seniors in the United States?
Seniors who earn less than $30,000 per year are considered low income; that accounts for a full 40% of seniors. Financial help for seniors includes assistance with healthcare, housing, nutrition, and general grants. Some of the most prominent programs include Medicare and Medicaid, SNAP, and HUD public housing.
Another unique community-based program is PACE (program of all-inclusive care for the elderly) which helps the individual remain in their own home while receiving the help they need such as medical, rehabilitative, social and personal care needs of older adults.  To learn more go to McGregor PACE.