the Price of Assisted Living Facilities

This is the monthly fee for an assisted living facility for one resident, aged 84. It includes the rental of a room, which consists of a large bedroom/sitting room, a walk-in closet, a small kitchenette, and a private bathroom with a stall shower. The kitchenette has 4 upper and lower cabinets, a sink, and and small area for a two-seater table. Residents are allowed to have a microwave, but no other cooking equipment. In addition to the room, the fee includes 3 meals per day, served in a common dining room. Snacks are available all day. Cleaning and laundry services are included. They clean the room weekly, take the garbage daily, and do the laundry once per week. Residents are invited to participate in activities and religious services that are offered on site. A van does transport to a local church on Sundays. Once each week there is a trip to either a local supermarket or big box store and the driver assists the residents with their shopping. The van will also take residents to doctor appointments as needed, although the facility does have a PCP and a psychiatrist that visit there on a weekly basis. There is a hair stylist and manicurist on the premises, but there is a fee for this. The rental fee also includes a personal alarm bell in every room in the event of an emergency. Personal care, including assistance with dressing, bathing, eating, and taking medications are provided for an extra fee. The grounds are maintained by the facility and there are no extra charges for this.

When you have a loved one who can no longer live alone, this is a great alternative to endless worry. The staff is wonderful, attending to residents' in a polite and friendly manner. The major problem is the food, which is not made fresh. This facility is part of a larger chain of assisted livings and they all use the same food service. It is more institutional fare rather than home cooking. There is a dementia unit separate from the rest of the building. This unit is alarmed to reduce the risk of a resident wandering off. The place is clean and well-maintained. In the winter, they would contantly disinfect to reduce the risk of flu sweeping the facility. I don't know how many people can actually afford to live like this, but it is a blessing when there are no alternatives. There is ample coverage at night in the event of a problem. There is a full-time nurse practitioner during the day in the event of a medical emergency. The local fire department is across the street in case an ambulance is required. The grounds are beautifully maintained.

If you are planning on moving someone into assisted living, find out if the facility will allow that person to spend a day there. Often, they will invite a prospective resident to spend a day, participate in activities there, and sample the meals. In fact, be suspicious if they will not allow you or your loved one to do that. Look over the activities schedules, talk to some of the residents, and spend a few hours there so you can really get a sense of what it is like to live there.