Senior Care Center1 Shares Tips On How To Make Assisted Living Affordable

Senior Care Center, a free online resource based in the US that helps families find long-term care facilities for their elderly loved ones, is reaching out to the community to share a new, free resource with tips on how to make assisted living more affordable. The organization’s platform is readily accessible to all who visit their website.

"Financial struggles are common for those who wish to find their loved ones a place in an assisted living or long-term care facility. This is without a doubt one of the most common concerns in our community, and this is why we have directed our analysts to research the cost of assisted living as well as how to make it more affordable," states Casey Ryeback, a representative of Senior Care Center. This research led to the team creating a guide on the best budgeting methods to live by, among many other contributions.

Ryeback continues, "We hope that this guide will help people understand the best practices when it comes to budgeting for assisted living costs. We know how challenging it can be to pay for such a service. With proper planning and by financial caution, however, one should be able to save a sizable amount of money for this purpose."

Through their blog post, Senior Care Center explains that the first step is to look at different assisted living facilities and what they have to offer. This involves examining how each provider deals with billing and structuring in their costs. The best way to save money is by looking for a facility that offers a ‘menu-style’ setup, where residents can pay individually for services they need while omitting things they do not. Learn more here: https://srcarecenter.com/other/assisted-living-on-a-budget/.

As another cost-saving measure, Senior Care Center encourages their community to locate a facility with a ‘buy-in’ structure rather than a monthly rent. These allow residents to put a down payment upfront and essentially purchase their apartment or condo in the assisted living facility’s complex. This one-time premium is sometimes offered as an option, with lower monthly costs for residents who take that route.

Once a facility has been chosen, the next step is to look for ways to reduce monthly expenses. This is only possible with institutions that allow personalizing service plans, where one would be looking to cut down on non-necessary service options to help reduce any recurring costs. The organization states that it is important to compare these prices as, in some cases, an inclusive pricing package might be less expensive than the a la carte option.

How much one can lower the cost of these services will also depend greatly on the state and area that the facility is located in. The lower, more affordable states can offer these services starting at $32,400 per year, while other states have few options below $72,000. Rural areas will have lower costs, though this does not reflect on the quality of the facility's service compared to more expensive centers in an urban area.

Among other tips to keep assisted living costs down, Senior Care Center advises their readers to plan ahead of time before they need to move into assisted living. Negotiating price flexibility with the facility is also a possibility, as some may offer move-in incentives or are willing to negotiate costs. If possible, they also advise considering the possibility of moving to a less expensive location.

Ryeback says, "While being near family can be very important and can justify you paying more, moving somewhere where assisted living costs are not as steep can prove more beneficial in the long run. Even if you end up having to pay for trips to visit your family, you could still save thousands of dollars a year. These are all details you want to consider ahead of time and possibly discuss with your family. If you are struggling to come to a decision, our advisors are always available to offer advice and guidance, answering all of your questions and concerns about financial planning."

The Senior Care Center1 website contains resources on several topics of interest for those taking care of elder citizens. One of their main focuses is to help families find long-term care facilities for their elderly loved ones. Interested parties may reach out to Casey Ryeback for more information on this. They may also consult the organization’s blog and read their latest updates on senior care.