There are many options for elders who are no longer able to provide care for themselves. When making the choice between home care, home health care and assisted living, you want to understand the costs and all services that are included– or not included. This information will allow you to make better financial decisions, depending on you or your senior loved one’s needs.
Types of Care:
Home health care services typically include medication administration including injections, physical therapy, IV therapy and infusions, wound care, post-surgery care, management of chronic health conditions and maintenance of feeding tubes, oxygen tanks and colostomy bags. The goal of home health is to treat an injury or illness.
Non-medical home care services include housekeeping, medication reminders, meal preparation and shopping, companionship, transportation. Home care also includes assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs), such as bathing, dressing, eating and toileting. Respite for caregivers is a common use of home care services, as well.
Assisted living offers daily care in a community environment. It primarily helps your loved ones with non-medical needs like meals, housekeeping, and activities. Minor and infrequent medical services, such as wound care, can sometimes be met on-site by nurses.
If you want more information on the most significant differences in price for these forms of care, make sure to continue reading.
Costs of Care
Before we get started, take a look at this chart for the state of Utah averages:
Estimated Home Health Care Costs:
When prescribed by a doctor, home health care for older adults is covered by Medicare insurance. Your home health agency will coordinate care with your health care provider.
Estimated Home Care Costs
In Utah, the pricing of non-medical home care averages $500 each day for 24-hour round-the-clock care. For many families, that cost can be unmanageable without assistance or without reducing services and coverage time, leaving gaps of time your loved one isn’t receiving care.
Estimated Assisted Living Costs
Assisted living facilities have a very large range of costs, typically falling between $2,000 and $9,200 per month. The average you would expect to pay is about $4,000. Since the cost varies so greatly between assisted living communities, it’s essential that you contact them and ask for their prices. You may also find this information on their websites.
Pricing structures vary from all-inclusive to room rental plus fee-for-service pricing based on need. Typically, if a your loved one intends to use all the care services an assisted living community offers, it is less expensive to choose the all-inclusive model. If a resident will only require certain services or will use outside assistance for certain services, then the fee-for-service approach offers better cost savings. Be sure to ask how care fees and outside services are priced if not an all-inclusive model.
Home care and assisted living care professionals will aid with daily activities such as bathing, getting dressed, medication management, laundry and housekeeping. Visiting physical therapists, podiatrists and hair stylists/barbers services are additional services offered as needed. Assisted living residence costs typically also include a program of daily activities, outings, religious services and prepared meals.
Paying for Home Care, Home Health Care and Assisted Living
There are a few funding methods that you and your family can use to pay for care for your loved one. The most common options include:
- Private insurance
- Medicaid
- Medicare Benefits
- Aid and Attendance Veteran Benefit
- Life insurance
- Reverse mortgage funds
- Private pay
There are requirements to be met for each funding option and it’s wise to be knowledgeable about each one. If you’re unsure of how to pay for these expenses, make sure to contact Oasis Senior Advisors. We can discuss your care payment options and let you know what’s available near you. Reach out to us at 385-422-2500 to learn more.