Most aging parents don’t want to think about the possibility of needing assisted living. There may come a time, however, when nursing home care is not required, but the needs of your parents exceed what you and other family members are willing or able to offer. 
Approximately 70% of people over age 65 will need some type of long term care at least once in their life, according to research from the US Department of Health and Human Services. Talking to parents about assisted living should always begin when there are signs before a crisis happens.
For example, perhaps you notice that your aging parents are having difficulty cleaning, cooking or maintaining a typical standard of personal hygiene. These can be signs that changes are occurring that require additional help. Leaving the water on, failing to turn off a stove, falling down or other crisis issues may lead to a more immediate conversation about getting support.
Research the costs in full so that you understand all the different senior care options available to you. These will vary from one state to another. In general, the monthly median costs across the entire country in 2021 were the following:
- $4,500 for an assisted living facility
- $5,148 for a home health aide
- $4,957 For homemaker services
- $7,908 for a semiprivate room in a nursing home
- $1,690 for adult day health care
If someone does not need immediate medical assistance or ongoing advanced medical care, you may be able to leverage in-home care or assisted living. This is never an easy conversation with your parents, but it can be an important one to protect their interests.
Need help deciding if a loved one needs Medi-Cal? Talk to our office today.
