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What are the different types of senior living environments?
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A range of housing options exist for those looking or needing to move out of a home or out of a hospital. The following list summarizes the choices available. Please note that these options vary widely in the kinds of services and levels of care available and often are called by different names across the country.
·Independent Living- Congregate Housing/Senior Retirement Housing - A retirement living option offering individual fully functional apartments for residents in a community setting where meals may be shared and other social activities provided. Such housing can be subsidized by HUD, US Department of Housing and Urban Development. Rental fees vary widely. Monthly rent if HUD subsidized or if assistance through Medicaid is available may be less than $500. Rents for those who pay privately range from $1,000 to several thousand dollars. Medical and nursing services are generally not available on-site.
·Continuing Care Retirement Community(CCRC) - A community with a variety of living environments and range of services from Independent Living to skilled nursing care all in one location. Often one enters into the independent living component and moves to the assisted living or nursing section as help/assistance is needed. A CCRC provides a range of amenities not found in single-type living environments; however, the cost is often prohibitive. A large entrance fee of many thousands of dollars may be required followed by monthly rates that can also be expensive.
·Assisted Living Center - Residential Care Facility - A residential community offering private rooms, shared meals in dining rooms, 24 hour supervision and other assistance with activities of daily living(?) such as eating or dressing. Some Assisted Living Centers provide nursing services. Regulation of these centers varies by state. Costs per month range between $1000 and $3000. Medicaid may help pay for this type of living option if certain criteria are met.
·Board and Care Home - Adult Family Home/Adult Foster Care/Group Home - A private home/facility offering room and board, help with daily activities, and in some states, provides minimal nursing services, either on-site or by contract with an outside agency. These homes are not nursing homes. They are generally smaller than Assisted Living Centers and in some states may be unlicensed. Costs range from $350 to $3,000 per month.
·Nursing Home - A facility that provides 24-hour skilled nursing care for individuals requiring a short stay to recover from an illness or hospital stay or for those who require long-term assistance. Medicare and Medicaid can cover costs of nursing home care provided certain requirements are met. Nursing home care averages around $3,300 per month, although it can often be higher.
·Dementia/Alzheimer's Unit - Found in Assisted Living Centers, Continuing Care Retirement Communities or Skilled Nursing Homes, these units are designed to best care for and meet the needs of a person living with Alzheimer's Disease or other types of severe dementia. Costs related to this type of care are similar to that of nursing home care.
Review the various methods of payment for room, board, and care in the facilities listed above. |
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