Top Things to Know About Assisted Living

It can be nerve-wracking when you’re trying to find assisted living for yourself or someone you love. There are a ton of things about assisted living facilities that you won’t be told up front. The contracts you sign are usually complex and full of fine print that you might overlook.

In order to help you prepare yourself for this process, we’ve got a few tips for you to help navigate this process. This should prepare you for some of the things to come.

Pricing Will Be Higher Than You Think

This is the sad reality of assisted living facilities. They’re expensive, and the base fees for rent go up every year. This is due to inflation, of course, and the ongoing upkeep costs of the facility. There are also a number of fees you might not expect. For instance, if someone needs food delivered to their room, or outside transportation, that will have an associated fee. Don’t be afraid to try to negotiate for a better price and make yourself aware of any fees that are hiding. Just ask the facility if there are any fees you haven’t been told about yet before you sign anything.

Medicare

Not every community will accept Medicare, but those that do can’t turn someone away for using it. However, communities aren’t eager to take in Medicare residents, as they get less money from them than those who pay on their own. As such, a number of facilities have limited “Medicare Beds,” and will often use that number to limit Medicare residents. However, if a resident gives three months of advanced warning that they will be transitioning to Medicare, this usually circumvents the bed limit.

There Are No Doctors at the Facility

Most communities simply don’t have a doctor on-site. Some have nurses on staff, but that’s not a given, so it’s a question worth asking. Generally speaking, most nursing homes will have a doctor on-call. This doctor isn’t located in the facility, so be aware of that when making a decision.

Residents Can Be Removed Anytime

All a facility has to do to remove a resident is tell them that the facility can no longer meet their needs. Make sure you read the contract very closely to understand the types of things residents can be removed for. Behavioral issues and needs that are too specific for the facility are some of the more common reasons given. Review these carefully before you make a decision.

You Could Be Stuck with the Assisted Living Bills

If you’re signing the contract on the behalf of a parent, and you sign your own name, you could be stuck with the bills should they be unable to pay. In order to prevent this, sign the name of your parent on the contract. Then, make sure to add “by (your name) acting as power of attorney,” and then the date. This will keep you from getting pinned with bills just for trying to help your parent.