How Much Does Senior Living in Florida Cost, and How Can I Pay for It?
Brian SheridanJan 18th, 2023
When it’s time to move mom or dad into Senior Living, I’m happy to be able to help families find a community that meets their loved one’s needs, wants, and lifestyle. The goal is to create a successful transition that sees the older person settle happily into their new home while giving families more time for visiting and worrying less about providing care.
One primary concern of families at the beginning of the process is how much senior care costs. They also ask about available funding options they might qualify for to help cover the fees associated with care.
Funding options are essential to families because, let’s face it, senior living in Florida isn’t cheap. However, it’s important to recognize the significant value that senior communities offer. For example, your loved one’s home or apartment also comes with costs. Living expenses such as groceries, meal prep, home maintenance, and social activities also cost extra money.
However, most Assisted Living and Memory Care communities include accommodation, living expenses, and meals in the monthly fees. Plus, the value of placing your loved ones in a community where 24-hour onsite assistance is available in most cases is virtually immeasurable.
How much is Senior Living in Florida?
Let’s look at the three levels of care for a comparison of available services and costs:
Independent Living
In the Jacksonville/Northeast Florida area, you can expect to pay an average of $2,545 per month. This fee includes rent and, in most cases, at least one delicious meal per day in the community’s formal dining room. It also offers such resort-style features as fun, engaging activities, social events, access to amenities such as a pool or gym, and professional staff to supervise everyone.
Some non-health-related services, such as housekeeping, maintenance, and laundry, are generally supplied as part of the rental cost.
Assisted Living
Assisted Living in Northeast Florida cost an average $4,600 per month. The fees cover all living expenses, including rent, laundry, housekeeping, a full schedule of activities and social time, access to amenities such as a pool or gym, and more. Assisted Living residents also get three meals per day in the dining room, plus snacks.
Care is charged separately from rent. Care fees cover assistance with the Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), such as dressing, bathing, ambulation, and other daily activities.
Many people in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia won’t require Memory Care’s specialized services and security measures. They can save money by staying in Assisted Living for as long as possible before upgrading to Memory Care.
Memory Care
People with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia require a higher level of care and enhanced security features than residents in Assisted Living. In Florida, Memory Care costs between an additional $709 and $1,343 per month on top of Assisted Living fees.
Memory Care fees include everything that comes with Assisted Living, plus specialized brain-stimulating services that help preserve some memory and cognition. Day-to-day activities also focus on bringing comfort and peace to people with dementia.
Once upgraded, the resident may choose between small private rooms or shared accommodations. Some residents with dementia enjoy sharing a room as they find the company pleasant and comforting. This kind of living arrangement also keeps the costs down.
How families pay for senior living
Some of the more common ways families fund Independent Living, Assisted Living, or Memory Care for their loved ones include:
Private Pay
The vast majority of families fund senior care through private pay. Private financial resources include Social Security benefits, retirement savings, life insurance annuities, and life settlements. Families also fund senior living using the proceeds from the sale of the older adult’s home. This is ideal for older people who live alone or have become socially isolated.
Long-term care insurance
Many long-term care insurance policies will help fund Assisted Living or Memory Care services, but not Independent Living because these communities don’t offer help with the ADLs.
Medicaid
In Florida, Medicaid’s long-term care program helps seniors pay for certain assistive services at participating Assisted Living or Memory Care Communities. These services include help with the Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), personal care, medication assistance, and housekeeping. Medicaid will help pay for services only, not room and board.
Short-term bridge loans
Families can also apply for short-term bridge loans when their only asset is their loved one’s home when it is being prepared for sale. Elderlife specializes in short-term loans for those moving into senior communities to help cover some of the costs associated with Senior Living Communities.
Veterans Assistance Programs
For veterans, the Veterans Administration Aid & Attendance benefit can provide a significant source of funds for Assisted Living. The Aid and Attendance program is designed to help certain veterans pay for costs associated with personal care. A vet or their spouse needs to meet income, asset, service, and care needs requirements in order to qualify for benefits, which can be substantial.
Applying for the VAAA program can be very complex. You can get help from Patriot Angels, a national, fee-based resource that helps veterans with eligibility and the application process. Assisted Living Locators of Northeast Florida also works with local resources who can help you apply for the VAAA program at no cost.
Remember, you’re not in this process alone. Assisted Living Locators of Northeast Florida offers no-cost placement assistance. We’ll take the time to learn about your loved one’s care needs, lifestyle, and budget to come up with a short list of best-fit recommendations. We’ll also advise on all the different funding options to make senior living as affordable as possible.
Give us a call anytime. We’re here to help!
Help with understanding funding options for Independent Senior Living, Assisted Living, and Memory Care in Northeast Florida
Searching for the right Senior Living Community can be a daunting experience. With so many options available, you must be sure to choose the best-fit community for your elderly loved one’s needs.
When you’re starting your search for a Senior Living Community in Northeast Florida, contact Brian Sheridan of Assisted Living Locators. Brian and his team will take the time to get to know your relative needs, wants, and requirements and recommend communities best suited to meet them. They’ll even accompany you on community tours and attend meetings with staff to ensure you get all the information you need to make the most informed decision possible.
Contact Brian at 904-559-3203 or bsheridan@assistedlivinglocators.com to find the best Senior Living Community for you or a family member today!