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Common Questions and Answers:
Find answers to commonly asked questions and learn about the different types of senior housing communities, how to find and evaluate communities, and how to pay for care.
What do the different categories of Senior Housing Options mean?
When many people think of long-term residential care, they think only of nursing homes. Nursing homes serve a specific area of need, but there are also other types of communities that are not considered nursing homes but that may very well meet your or your loved one's care needs. Generally, there are five basic categories of long-term care residential communities: nursing homes, Alzheimer's care facilities, assisted living communities, independent living communities, and continuing care retirement communities. In addition, Home health care services cover a broad range of services, including skilled nursing and non-skilled companionship provided in your home. The level of care and services, cost, and options for financing your or your loved one's residency varies greatly by category and even within each category.
With respect to the cost of care, communities generally charge a basic monthly fee for room, meals and often some personal care. You may have to pay extra for other services or special medical needs. The basic charge can vary widely from community to community and state to state, depending on what services are included, state requirements and the level of quality of the community. Communities can run the gamut from basic semi-private accommodations to very posh resort hotel type living. Some communities include services like housekeeping and social activities in their basic charge, and some charge extra for such services. You must visit each community you are considering and acquire a firm understanding of what services are offered and how they are paid for. The following descriptions attempt to provide an estimate of the low end of costs you can expect. Given the wide-range of quality and service offered at different communities, there is no average high end that can be stated. You will be able to find a community that provides all of the grandeur, services and amenities you could possibly want.
Select a housing type from the list below for a brief explanation.
Nursing Homes
Assisted Living
Home Health Care Services
Alzheimer's Care Facilities
Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRC)
Independent Living
How do I go about selecting a community or a home care provider?
There are generally four steps you should follow in selecting the right community for yourself or your loved one:
- Choose the type of community or care you need from the six categories (nursing home, assisted living community, Alzheimer's care facility, independent living community, continuing care retirement community, or home care provider). more
- Search the choice of communities or care providers in your area. more
- Visit several communities you may be interested in. more
- Once you have narrowed your list to a few communities, evaluate the quality, value and services offered by those communities to make your final choice. more
How do I pay for care?
There are a variety of funding sources available to a person needing residential care or assistance with daily living tasks. Some funding sources are available only for certain types of care, such as skilled nursing, and not for others, such as assisted living. Further, there are income and asset limitations on some types of public funding, such as Medicaid. By and large, almost every community resident uses a substantial amount of his or her own assets to pay for care. For non-skilled nursing communities, almost all funding must come from private sources, such as the resident's assets or via a private long-term care insurance policy. However, advance planning can go a long way toward preserving the assets of the individual so that not all of your loved one's assets need be exhausted before he or she may take advantage of publicly funded insurance sources such as Medicaid. A competent elder law attorney or financial planner should be consulted on the issue of planning for long-term care.
Click here for a brief description of the various commonly used funding sources other than the resident's own or his or her family's assets.
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