Financial Assistance For Assisted Living – Elderly or senior citizens often have to rely on assisted living and they often find it hard to make ends meet, even for monthly bills, etc. Fortunately, several programs may be able to help these frail elderly so that they can be safe and have a proper life.
In definition, assisted living means that the person needs non-medical personal care and support for housekeeping and other related needs, including transportation, exercise, social programs, medication supervision, etc. The cost of assisted living varies from state to state, but the cost can be somewhere between $2,700 to $5,000 per month; with a nationwide average of $3,600.
The cost is usually determined by the fee-for-service pricing. This means that the resident can choose which service they need and they only have to pay for that portion. This is a different platform compared to the all-inclusive pricing (which means you pay 1 price that covers all services) because the fee-for-service pricing is much more affordable and cost-saving.
List of Financial Assistance For Assisted Living
Below are some of the options for financial aid for assisted living:
Medicaid
It has been proven that providing assisted living services is more affordable when compared to the skilled home nursing. The Medicaid program through the Medicaid Home and Community Based Services can provide support for a portion of the assisted living cost. Currently there are 45 states offering this benefit. It is hoped that the number of states offering the benefit will increase soon. Each of the state have different terms and service for the Medicaid Assisted Living benefit, so make sure you call your state’s Medicaid office and ask about the benefit they offer for this cause. You can also contact them to see if you’re eligible for the benefit.
Veterans’ Pensions for Assisted Living
If the elderly person was a member of the US armed forces and was honorably discharged, he or she may be eligible for the financial aid for assisted living from the Veteran Administration office. The VA’s Aid and Attendance Benefit may be able to give you up to $2,000 per month. Although this is a pretty significant amount of money, the process is a bit complicated and the senior may have to wait for some time before they are approved for the grant.
Non-Medicaid Programs
Medicaid funded nursing home program is an excellent program, but there may be other cheaper options available from your state. In general, to the state government providing financial assistance for assisted living is better than sending the elderly to nursing homes. The name of the program is different from state to state, for example, there’s Alaska Senior Benefits, Maryland Congregate Housing Services Program, Ohio Residential State Supplement, Texas Auxiliary Grants for Assisted Living, Nebraska Assistance for Aged, Blind and Disabled, etc. Contact your state’s Health and Human Services office to see the program available in your area. Unfortunately, not every state provides this benefit.
Last but not least, we recommend visiting the benefitscheckup.org and 211.org that may be able to know the available local, regional and national programs that can provide financial aid for assisted living.
References:
- Financial Assistance for Assisted Living – http://www.payingforseniorcare.com/longtermcare/paying-for-assisted-living.html
- Image: inassistedliving.org
