When considering an adult family home or a move into a nursing home for yourself or a loved one, one of the biggest concerns is, “How much will it cost?” The answer can vary significantly depending on where you’re looking for the adult family home, the levels of service needed and the amenities you’re seeking. A key factor in your decision-making should be the level of care required and whether you will need to relocate if your level of care needs increase.
Consider the Spectrum of Care and Needs
Nursing homes and adult family homes provide a wide range of services, from basic assistance to daily living care to complex medical care. The level of care you require will directly impact the cost of your stay, as it affects the resources, staff, and specialized services required.
Basic Assistance Versus Skilled Nursing Care
- Assistance with daily living. Some residents in an adult family home or nursing home may need help with daily activities like bathing, dressing, and meal prep. This type of care usually requires less intensive medical care.
- Skilled nursing care is for individuals with chronic illness, injuries, or recovery from post-surgical treatments. Skilled nursing requires services provided by licensed nurses, medication administration, wound care, and physical rehabilitation. This higher level of medical attention increases the cost of the stay.
Specialized Care
Certain medical conditions require specialized care and that influences pricing.
- Memory care for residents with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease usually require specialized memory care units. These units provide a safe and supportive environment and are staffed by individuals who are trained in memory care.
- Rehabilitation services for people recovering from surgery, stroke or other medical events. Rehab services could include physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy and others. The frequency and intensity of these services impact cost.
- Complex medical needs such as those that require ventilator support or round-the-clock monitoring translate to increased costs.
Beyond the Basics
Other factors that influence pricing include:
- Amenities. Adult family homes and nursing homes may offer residents amenities such as in-house recreational activities, transportation, gourmet dining facilities, private rooms, and more.
- Location is a definite factor in the cost of the stay.
- Staff-to-resident ratio. Facilities with a higher staff-to-resident ratio may charge higher rates to cover increased personnel costs.
How to Find the Right Fit
When you’re exploring options for adult family living for yourself or a loved one, it’s important to have open and honest conversations about what you’re looking for in a facility. What is most important and what are items that don’t rank high on your list of priorities? When you are making an informed decision based on needs and wants and your budget for living expenses, you can find the facility that is the right fit for you or your loved one.
Adult family homes are designed to be more comfortable, and provide residents with more freedom than traditionally found in nursing homes. Adult family homes have been upgraded and converted to accommodate seniors who require accessibility features and medical equipment to ensure residents are safe and cared for while living in a comfortable and familiar home setting.
Adult family homes are usually set up for six to eight residents, have professionally trained caretakers and have the medical equipment needed to help residents just as a nursing home would.