Call Today
740-201-5640
phone
Blog

How Assisted Living is More Affordable than You Think

A senior woman with her dog sitting outside an assisted living community.

You've been thinking that your senior loved one needs more support. They might be struggling to keep up with daily chores. Or they need help managing their medications and personal grooming. They may seem lonely as well.

The answer could be an assisted living community, but how is your family supposed to afford it? You're not alone in feeling this way. The question of how to afford assisted living is something that many families go through. But there's a common misconception when it comes to assisted living expenses.

Many assisted living communities offer a lot of value. And once you factor that in, expenses may not seem like as much of a barrier as you first thought. In this post, we're going to explain why assisted living is more affordable than you think.

Get Convenient and Professional Care

Have you ever gotten a call from your loved one when they needed extra help? This might become more common for your loved one as time goes on. And a visiting home health aide costs an average of $26 dollars an hour.

Getting the help your family member needs at home can quickly add up. At an assisted living community, that support is included in the cost. Even if your loved one ends up needing more help with daily tasks, you'll have peace of mind knowing that they are taken care of. In the long run, assisted living expenses can be less than if your loved one decides to stay at home.

Assisted Living is More Than Paying Rent

It's natural to think that the cost of assisted living only covers your loved one's rent or mortgage. But the truth is, expenses include a variety of supportive services such as:

  • Meals
  • Transportation services
  • Cleaning services and home maintenance
  • Recreational activities
  • Personal care and medication management
  • Support for spiritual well-being

Once you factor in all that's offered, assisted living expenses don't seem as intimidating. If you're calculating the cost of assisted living, remember to include these amenities in your estimate.

Determine Your Loved One's Current Expenses

The price tag on assisted living expenses can be a shock. But do you know how they actually compare to what your loved one is paying for his or her current lifestyle?

The first step in finding out how to afford assisted living is knowing your loved one's current budget. And it might be more than you think.

With the average mortgage at around $1,000 a month plus a couple hundred dollars in utilities, your loved one's living costs can quickly add up. And that's not including property taxes, groceries, home upkeep and other expenses. If you do the math, you might discover that assisted living is more affordable than you originally thought.

How to Afford Assisted Living

Now that you know a little more about the value of assisted living, here are some helpful suggestions to help your family cover assisted living expenses.

  • Pooling Family Support: If you think your loved one needs some extra help, you might not be the only one. It's common for family members to pool their support for assisted living.
  • Selling Their Current Home: It could be worth looking into selling the current home to help offset the cost of assisted living. After all, keeping up with the home maintenance and repairs can be expensive.
  • Long-term health care insurance: Check to see if your loved one has long-term care and/or Veterans Administration insurance to help pay for assisted living.

Discover Vibrant Assisted Living in Columbus and Delaware, Ohio

With three campuses in Ohio, Willow Brook strives to offer the highest quality assisted living care. Our Christian roots inspire us to help older adults to achieve their full potential by providing supportive services.

When your loved one wants to be independent but needs a little extra support, our assisted living communities can help. Get a firsthand look at the vibrant lifestyle waiting for your loved one at a Willow Brook community. Contact us today and schedule a tour.

I’d like to receive emails about blogs and news from Willow Brook