There are many housing options for seniors, from living independently at home or in a retirement community to those who opt for a bit more help at an assisted living facility. Board and care homes and nursing homes are two other options that often are more budget-friendly for those living on a fixed income. Facilities for seniors are becoming more and more common as the huge generation of Baby Boomers enters their 60s and 70s. Here are a few eldercare facts about which you might be unaware.
About 13% of the population of the United States is older than 65, and that number will continue to climb. Health care costs for seniors are high and continue to rise. Twenty years ago, the average cost of health care for seniors was about $9,000 per year. Today it averages out at around $15,000.
In addition to medical expenses, housing expenses can be quite high. It generally costs more than $3,000 a month to live in an assisted living facility, and while this facility cost usually includes many activities and amenities as well as all of your meals, housekeeping and help with some personal care tasks, the cost has to be covered completely with your own money. Medicaid, Medicare and other government assistance options cannot be used to supplement these costs.
Many of us have a fairly negative image of nursing homes in our mind, and more than 1.3 Americans live in these skilled nursing facilities. For some, it is a matter of needing constant medical care at a level beyond which can be accommodated at home. For others, it is simply the most budget-friendly housing option. The majority of residents in nursing homes use Medicaid to pay for most of their living expenses, which can easily top $80,000 each year. While it might seem a depressing housing option, many nursing homes these days are doing their best to provide homey dcor, interesting meals and plenty of activities for their residents.
Another option that allows a person to stay in their home and still have some level of care is hiring an in-home worker. Currently, about 40 million Americans are actually providing this service for their parent, which can be a difficult burden, particularly if you have to work and also care for a parent and raise your children all at the same time. While the industry of in-home care is booming, salaries for these workers are quite low, usually less than $22,000 per year. This creates high turnaround rates and often the caregivers are not high in quality. Still, there are about 1.3 million people taking these jobs, and hundreds of thousands more caregivers are needed.
There are many different types of eldercare to consider and most cities have many different facilities. To make the selection process easier, consider using a service like CarePlacement.com. The staff at Care Placement can create a list of suitable care options that will fit your budget as well as your own personal needs. From there, you can visit facilities or interview potential in-home caregivers and select something that truly works for you.
About 13% of the population of the United States is older than 65, and that number will continue to climb. Health care costs for seniors are high and continue to rise. Twenty years ago, the average cost of health care for seniors was about $9,000 per year. Today it averages out at around $15,000.
In addition to medical expenses, housing expenses can be quite high. It generally costs more than $3,000 a month to live in an assisted living facility, and while this facility cost usually includes many activities and amenities as well as all of your meals, housekeeping and help with some personal care tasks, the cost has to be covered completely with your own money. Medicaid, Medicare and other government assistance options cannot be used to supplement these costs.
Many of us have a fairly negative image of nursing homes in our mind, and more than 1.3 Americans live in these skilled nursing facilities. For some, it is a matter of needing constant medical care at a level beyond which can be accommodated at home. For others, it is simply the most budget-friendly housing option. The majority of residents in nursing homes use Medicaid to pay for most of their living expenses, which can easily top $80,000 each year. While it might seem a depressing housing option, many nursing homes these days are doing their best to provide homey dcor, interesting meals and plenty of activities for their residents.
Another option that allows a person to stay in their home and still have some level of care is hiring an in-home worker. Currently, about 40 million Americans are actually providing this service for their parent, which can be a difficult burden, particularly if you have to work and also care for a parent and raise your children all at the same time. While the industry of in-home care is booming, salaries for these workers are quite low, usually less than $22,000 per year. This creates high turnaround rates and often the caregivers are not high in quality. Still, there are about 1.3 million people taking these jobs, and hundreds of thousands more caregivers are needed.
There are many different types of eldercare to consider and most cities have many different facilities. To make the selection process easier, consider using a service like CarePlacement.com. The staff at Care Placement can create a list of suitable care options that will fit your budget as well as your own personal needs. From there, you can visit facilities or interview potential in-home caregivers and select something that truly works for you.
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