According to a recently conducted study, the popularity of assisted living is growing rapidly in the world of senior care.
One of the biggest reasons why this is happening is because of money. One estimate puts the median cost of a nursing home in the U.S. at about $7,908 per month. This same estimate puts the cost of assisted living at $4,807. The cost of full time in-home care before any insurance policies or other cost reducers are implemented tends to be very similar to the price of assisted living.
All of these options are expensive, but in the past, Medicaid (or Medi-Cal in California) has traditionally not covered assisted living or in-home care. However, state and federal governments are realizing that these alternatives can be just as effective while helping to cut expenses.
The good news is that assisted living facilities tend to be drastically cheaper than nursing homes. While nursing homes have long been the most highly utilized mode of senior care, this is beginning to change. Price has been a driving factor in this, but the pandemic highlighted other reasons why nursing homes are not as popular as they once were.
Trends in senior living over the last several years show what is popular and what is not.
In fact, the study pointed to a couple other factors besides finances. For example, societal factors also seem to play a role. During the pandemic, many nursing homes saw elderly folk becoming completely cut off from their families. This was especially true during the early days of the pandemic when people weren’t really quite sure what the virus could do or how it spread. At this point, many nursing homes were not allowing visitors of any sort in, effectively cutting seniors off from their social supports. Unfortunately, this took a big toll on the mental health of nursing home residents. The goal was to protect people, but for some, these measures did more harm than good.
People are social by nature. We need to interact with others in order to live a full life. The true benefits of social interaction aren’t just about interacting with people, though. The benefits of socialization are more fully realized when those interactions are with someone that is loved or truly cared about. Seniors don’t need to just interact with people; they need to interact with people that they love.
It makes perfect sense that people want to find alternatives to the nursing home model so that this can be accomplished with fewer hindrances.
At the end of the day, finding the right senior care makes a world of difference in the quality of life that someone experiences. However, what works best for you and your family might not be readily apparent. If you’re not sure where to start in your search or you’re not sure what type of care will help your family to meet your unique goals and needs, please feel free to reach out to us. One of our care professionals would be happy to talk with you and get you steered in the right direction.
Senior living can be overwhelming, but the right answer is out there. Give us a call today to learn more.
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