Assisted Living Costs - Can You Afford Them?
This article discusses how a person may be capable of affording assisted living costs by making a thorough analysis of the components of the fees and examining various options. Many people have the mistaken belief that the fees charged for assisted living are too high so they never make a comprehensive examination of how the costs could fit into their budgets. Assisted living care, which is also known as personal care, board and care, adult living facilities, enhanced care, adult foster care, sheltered housing, residential care, adult congregate living care, domiciliary care, supported care, community based retirement facilities, adult homes and retirement residences is much less costly compared to nursing home care. In fact, assisted living costs are about half of the expenses incurred for staying in nursing homes.
People who can make use of assisted living programs are usually the elderly who do not need the more intensive care that is given in nursing homes but require 24-hour monitoring and assistance in basic activities, such as cooking, meal preparation, bathing and possibly, toileting. An important factor in this kind of program is that the residents of this retirement living community can socialize and interact with each other. This is an important benefit for many people, particularly for those who do not want to be alone or isolated in their homes but cannot leave the safety of their homes to visit their friends because of their condition.
It is also important to realize that certain components of the assisted living costs are things that you normally spend for even if you are living at home. These include the utility costs, three square meals every day including snacks, continuous security, monthly rent or mortgage, garbage disposal services, home maintenance, an emergency call system that is available 24 hours a day, transportation costs, costs of visits by health personnel, housekeeping services, laundry service, and social and entertainment costs. There are also no condominium maintenance fees, property insurance costs and property taxes.
If after you have eliminated the above expenses from your monthly costs and then added the assisted living costs and the result is still a higher monthly expense, it is time to look for ways to accommodate the additional costs. The most common way to do this is to convert certain assets into additional cash flow. One example is the reverse mortgage, which is a unique version of the home loan where the homeowner converts part of his or her equity into cash. Another option is to allow your heirs to take care of the bills. For those who are still preparing for retirement, long term care insurance may also provide help when the time comes. It should be pointed out that the advantages of living in an environment that is good for your physical and emotional health far outweigh the costs of the arrangements. Moreover, it also advisable to consider a continuing care retirement community where the facilities for a nursing home are nearby so that when the time for intensive care arrives, making the transfer would be much easier.
