Assisted living communities are not like nursing homes. In fact, those who are older than 55, but value their freedom, their liberty to move around and enjoy the outdoors, and have the ability to come and go as they please, will love living in these communities. You’re living in a community with peers in your age group. You’re also in a community which hosts events and offers reasonable accommodations, while also providing medical care or attention in the event you do need it. So, what’s the cost of assisted living? And, what is included in the price you are going to pay each month?
Average Cost
Based on 2016 figures, the average cost of an assisted living community for a single occupant was about $3600 to $4000 per month. In calculating this cost, it is important to remember that
- Your state (popular location)
- The number of occupants (this is for single occupant)
- The type of home (condo, house, town home, etc)
Are all variables that can cause the price to increase. So, this is for a single occupant, living in a one bedroom home in an assisted living community. This doesn’t include any additional accommodations or medical care you might require.
What’s included in the Cost?
So, what exactly are you paying for when you live in an assisted living community? For your monthly rent or rate, you are paying for
- Your house/home
- An adult safe setup (free from places you’ll fall, with built-in handrails and safety features)
- Emergency call systems (some offer home alert pendants as well for the rate, some offer it at a premium rate)
- Laundry, housekeeping, and general maintenance
- General maintenance of the actual community and common areas
- Utilities including basic cable and internet in several communities (some charge a premium rate for this)
These are some of the in-home accommodations you are going to receive when living in the assisted living community.
Community: What’s Your Monthly Rate Cover?
When living in these assisted living communities, you are part of a community. Remember, you’re living around other seniors, in a closed/gated community. As a part of your monthly rate you will also receive
- Nutritious cooked meals prepared for you daily
- Dietary needs are taken into account when you set up your meal plan
- Access to all community amenities
- A wellness program or gym that’s on site
- You have access to all community events and the full line of events on the calendar each month
- Access to a dining room in the community if you prefer preparing meals outside your apartment or home
Additionally, many assisted living communities will also offer transportation services to those who are living in the community. If you need to go to doctor appointments or to see a specialist, someone will take you to and from your appointment. Or, if you need to run errands and leave the community, there are transportation options you can take, if you don’t own a car, so that you can go around to different locations outside of the community.
Additional fees/rates
There might be an additional fee or rate when living in an assisted living community if you opt for additional services. For example, if you require in home care, or if you need a specialist to visit your home for medical care, you are going to pay additional fees for this type of service. Or, if you require someone living in the home with you, or visiting your home once a week (or a few times a week) for care, this will also result in additional costs you pay for that medical attention while living in the community.
It’s important for you to visit several communities before you decide on one you are going to live in. Doing this allows you to find a community you will feel comfortable in, and one which offers the amenities you want to have on site while living there. Furthermore, this is the best way for you to make sure the community is one with reasonable housing, and one which has great community events you will want to take part in, while you are living in a community which allows you to retain your liberty and freedom you don’t preserve in other senior housing facilities.