November 27, 2012 -- Even as most people's pay stays the same or even declines, the cost of nursing home and assisted living continues its inexorable march upwards. That's according to the MetLife Mature Market Institute, which recently released its annual survey of care costs. If you download the survey you get access to the state by state and regional costs for care in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, home health care aides, and adult day care.
Nursing Homes
Nursing home care typically covers provides residents with a room, meals, personal care, nursing care, and medical services. The average cost of a private room in a nursing home hit $90,520 nationwide ($81,030 for semi-private). The least expensive state for a private room was Oklahoma at $147/day, while the most expensive was Alaska at $687/day. According to the Census Bureau 66% of nursing home residents are women.
Assisted Living
MetLife defines assisted living to include at least 2 meals per day with housekeeping and at least some personal care assistance. Residents might need some assistance but do not require around the clock care. Nationwide the average cost of assisted living hit $42,600 ($3,477/month) in 2012. Arkansas had the lowest rate at $2,355, while in Washington, DC the same service cost $5,933/month. Most assisted living facilities have additional charges for services such as bathing, dressing, personal care such as bathroom assistance, and medication managemen. These additional services can easily total over $1,000/month.
Home Health Aides
The national average for home health aides stayed unchanged in 2012 at $21/hour.
The average daily live-in rate for a home health aide is $251 and $247 for a homemaker/companion, roughly the same as it costs to stay in a nursing home.
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