Senior Care

  • What senior care options are there?

    The options for senior care include assisted living communities, nursing homes, home care services, and adult day health care.

  • What does senior care cost?

    The cost of senior care varies depending on the type of care, but averages at $3,293 per month for assisted living communities, $6,235 per month for nursing homes, $21 per hour for home care services, and $67 per day for adult day health care.

  • What type of senior care is best for health issues?

    Nursing care can handle more health issues and illnesses than other types of senior care. Those that provide more independence have the possibility of health complications going unnoticed, while with some types of care, such as home care, health services can become costly.

You want to keep your elderly loved one as comfortable as possible. The answers aren’t always straight forward, though, there are many factors to consider. His or her overall health and well-being rely on your chosen home or facility for them, so it’s not a decision to make lightly.

We have broken down the list of senior care and housing options into monthly cost, benefits, and disadvantages to help you make your most informed decision.

Assisted Living Communities

Cost: $3,293 per month for care in an assisted living facility (for a one-bedroom unit) as the average cost in the U. S. in 2010

Pros:

  • Availability of basic services needed by the elderly such as housekeeping, home maintenance, medication help, assistance in ADLs.
  • Opportunity to socialize and form a support group.
  • Opportunity to live an independent lifestyle.
  • Access to specialized amenities

Cons:

  • Monthly dues can be costly.
  • Most of the time, tertiary care for patients with chronic illness or those who need specialized treatment is not readily available.
  • Worsening conditions may go unnoticed because of the high level of independence

 Nursing Homes

Cost: $205 per day or $6,235 per month for a semi-private room. $229 per day or $6,965 per month for a private room

Pros:

  • Licensed nurses are monitoring health
  • Best suited for seniors in need of high level medical care.
  • Home care services are made available including assistance in ADLs, meal preparation, transportation, general self-care needs.
  • Seniors are highly engaged with the facilities’ social activities, allowing them to relate with other seniors.

Cons:

  • Can be costly depending on the room and level of service needed plus the treatment. 
  • Seniors may feel the lack of freedom with structured schedules and activities.

Home Care Services

Cost: $21 per hour for a home health aide

Pros:

  • Can be less costly with only the health aide or caregiver to pay minus utilities of a facility.
  • Lesser anxiety for the patient if he/she is in the comfort of his/her home.

Cons:

  • Round the clock duty can be costly if 24 hour care is needed.
  • The availability of a caregiver and their full commitment must be reassured.
  • During medical emergencies, the length of time to travel and the distance to the hospital may be considerable.
  • Social interaction opportunity depends on the caregiver.

Adult Day Health Care

Cost: $67 per day for services in an adult day health care center

Pros:

  • Access to basic medical health services and general self-care needs are available.
  • Opportunity to socialize through social activities are available.
  • Care is temporary, so family caregivers receive respite but remain primary caregivers.

Cons:

  • Programs may be patterned more for a group rather than individualized.
  • Staff may not be professionally trained.
  • Meals served may not be designed per patient so you need to state beforehand the senior’s dietary restrictions.
  • Cost of care can be expensive.