Choosing an assisted living facility is a major decision that can impact your quality of life and well-being. One of the key factors to consider is the size of the facility. Some seniors prefer the amenities and social opportunities of a larger facility, while others prefer the intimacy and personalized care of a smaller one. In this article, we will discuss the pros and cons of choosing a large vs. small assisted living facility to help you make an informed decision.

Pros and Cons of Large Assisted Living Facilities: Large assisted living facilities typically have more amenities and social opportunities than smaller ones, such as:

1. More amenities: Large facilities often have more amenities, such as fitness centers, swimming pools, and movie theaters, that can make life more enjoyable and fulfilling for residents.
2. More social opportunities: Large facilities often have more social events and activities, such as dances, concerts, and outings, that can help residents stay engaged and connected to others.

However, large facilities also have some potential drawbacks, such as:

1. Less personalized care: With more residents to care for, staff may have less time to provide individualized attention to each resident.
2. Less intimate environment: With so many residents, it can be more difficult to form close relationships with staff and fellow residents.
3. Large Facilities often have high operating costs which leads to a higher price for the residents.
   

Pros and Cons of Small Assisted Living Facilities: Small assisted living facilities, on the other hand, offer a more intimate and personalized care environment, with benefits such as:

1. Personalized care: With fewer residents, staff can provide more personalized attention and care to each individual.
2. Closer relationships: With fewer residents, it can be easier to form close relationships with staff and fellow residents.

However, small facilities also have some potential drawbacks, such as:

1. Limited amenities: Small facilities may have fewer amenities and social opportunities than larger ones.
2. Limited staffing: With fewer residents, small facilities may have fewer staff members to provide care and support although their staff to resident ratio may be higher than larger facilities.

Conclusion: Choosing between a large or small assisted living facility is a personal decision that depends on your individual needs and preferences. Large facilities offer more amenities and social opportunities, but may have less personalized care and a less intimate environment. Small facilities offer a more personalized care environment and closer relationships, but may have fewer amenities and limited staffing. Contact us today to learn more about our assisted living options and how we can help you find the right fit for your needs.

Assisted living facilities provide a supportive living environment for seniors who need assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs). However, the transition to assisted living can be challenging, as seniors may feel like they are losing their independence and autonomy. At The Mapleton Assisted Living in Andover, Kansas, we understand the importance of maintaining seniors' dignity and self-respect while providing the care and support they need. In this article, we will discuss the challenges seniors may face in maintaining their dignity in assisted living and provide tips and strategies for helping them feel empowered, respected, and valued.
Challenges Seniors Face in Maintaining Their Dignity: Seniors may face various challenges in maintaining their dignity while living in assisted living, including:

1. Loss of independence: Seniors may feel like they are losing their independence and control over their lives when moving into assisted living. This can lead to feelings of helplessness and loss of self-esteem.
2. Changes in living environment: Moving into a new living environment can be stressful and disorienting, especially for seniors who are used to their homes and routines.
3. Dependence on caregivers: Seniors may feel embarrassed or ashamed to ask for help with personal care tasks, such as bathing and dressing.
4. Social isolation: Seniors may feel lonely and isolated in assisted living, especially if they are unable to participate in social activities due to mobility issues or health concerns.

Tips and Strategies for Helping Seniors Maintain Their Dignity: Here are some tips and strategies for helping seniors maintain their dignity and self-respect while living in assisted living:

1. Encourage independence: Assisted living facilities should strive to promote seniors' independence as much as possible. Encouraging seniors to do as much as they can for themselves, such as dressing and grooming, can help them feel more in control of their lives.
2. Personalize living spaces: Allowing seniors to personalize their living spaces with familiar items, such as photos, artwork, and furniture, can help them feel more at home and comfortable in their new environment.
3. Respect privacy and autonomy: Assisted living staff should respect seniors' privacy and autonomy, including their right to make their own decisions and control their own lives.
4. Foster social connections: Assisted living facilities should provide opportunities for social engagement and activities that cater to seniors' interests and abilities. This can help seniors feel connected, valued, and part of a community.
5. Empower seniors with technology: Assistive technology, such as personal emergency response systems and medication reminders, can help seniors maintain their independence and confidence while living in assisted living.

Maintaining seniors' dignity and self-respect is essential to their overall well-being and quality of life in assisted living. At The Mapleton Assisted Living in Andover, Kansas, we understand the importance of empowering seniors and providing a supportive and respectful living environment. By following the tips and strategies outlined in this article, you can help your loved one feel valued, respected, and in control of their lives. If you're considering assisted living for yourself or a loved one, contact The Mapleton Assisted Living to learn more about our commitment to dignity and respect in senior care.

It’s natural for older adults and their caregivers to worry about the cost of senior medical care. We ask ourselves things like, how much does it cost? How will I/we pay for it? For how long? What if I/we need help paying for it? These are difficult questions. Fortunately, there are options when it comes to paying for senior care.  Often, a person will rely on a variety of payment sources over time, including personal funds, government programs, and private financing options.

According to the 2020 Genworth Financial Cost of Care Survey (https://www.genworth.com/aging-and-you/finances/cost-of-care.html), the average national monthly cost for Assisted Living care is $4,300. For comparison, the average monthly cost for care increases to $4,576 for Home Health Aide care and increases substantially more to $8,821 a month for private room Nursing Home care. Costs can vary substantially by location and we recommend you look at estimated costs in your local area using readily available online cost calculators like Genworth.

With that as background, let's look at some of the options.

Personal Funds (Private Pay)
Private payment for care using your personal or family funds is generally the first source of funding for care. These funds can come from your income or savings, including Social Security, but also pensions, retirement accounts, and proceeds from the sale of a home or other assets. Many government assistance programs have criteria that essentially require that the majority of personal funds be spent prior to becoming eligible for the government assistance.

Government Assistance
Many seniors are or ultimately become eligible for government health-related benefits. Although this is not a comprehensive list, some of the major programs are described below.

Medicaid: Medicaid is a joint federal and state program that may be available for those who have exhausted their own personal resources or have low enough income to qualify for government aid. Medicaid eligibility varies by state, but typically, it requires the recipient to have less than $2,000 in assets beyond their home and car.  Additionally, most state Medicaid programs implement at 60 month “Look-Back Period” where they review financial transactions of the applicant for below market dispositions or gifting of assets (e.g. selling or transferring assets to family at a discount).
Not all assisted living providers participate in Medicaid-funded programs due to low reimbursement rates and increased regulations. If you anticipate using Medicaid to fund your assisted living care, it’s wise to ask upfront if the facility accepts Medicaid. It’s also wise to start early, as the application documentation is quite extensive and it often takes 45 to 90 days for a Medicaid application to be processed by the state Medicaid office.
The exact services that Medicaid covers vary by state and the specific program a senior enrolls in. In many states, Medicaid programs go by another name (e.g. in Kansas it’s called Kancare), so it’s a good idea to look up the name of your state’s program online. Medicaid.gov is a good resource for state-specific research. Some other useful resources, particularly for state-by-state and estate planning information, are: PayingForSeniorCare.com (https://www.payingforseniorcare.com/medicaid-waivers/assisted-living) and MedicaidPlanningAssistance.org (https://www.medicaidplanningassistance.org/).

Medicare: Medicare does not cover assisted living room and board or personal care. 

Veteran’s Benefits: For those who have served our country, the Veterans Administration (VA) offers benefits that can be used to pay for assisted living, known as Non-Service Connected Improved Pension Benefit with Aid & Attendance (or simply, Aid & Attendance). This benefit is an “increased” monthly pension that can range from $1,244 to $2,295 per month in 2021. If you think you may be eligible for this benefit, apply sooner rather than later as eligibility is fairly complicated and there can be extensive wait times for approval. Although the Aid & Attendance program does have income and asset eligibility requirements, the financial thresholds for eligibility are significantly higher than for Medicaid (e.g. $127,061 in assets vs. $2,000 for Medicaid).
One important point to mention is that, in practice, individuals do not receive assistance from both Medicaid and the VA Aid & Attendance program at the same time. Both programs can be considered and potentially utilized at different points in time.  However, with married couples, one spouse can receive Medicaid assistance and the other can receive a veteran’s pension.

Other Private Financing Options

Reverse Mortgage: this is a special type of home loan, only available to individuals age 62 or older, that lets a homeowner convert part of the equity in his or her home into cash. There are different types of Reverse Mortgages but the most common is the federally insured Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM).
The loan amount is tax-free and can be used for any expense. However, if you have an existing mortgage or other debt against your home, you must use the funds to pay off those debts first.
Reverse mortgages are usually only an option if the senior’s spouse, or another individual who is a co-borrower on the loan, still resides in the home and maintains it per the terms of the loan. Otherwise, the loan becomes due when the last borrower no longer lives in the house for 12 consecutive months, sells the home or dies.

Long-Term Care Insurance: this is an insurance policy, generally purchased years in advance, that is purchased through a private insurance company to cover the costs of senior care. The exact coverage depends on the type of policy you buy and what services are covered. The cost of the policy is based on the type and amount of services, how old you are when you buy the policy, and any optional benefits you choose.

Life Insurance: some life insurance policies allow for “living benefits” and the opportunity for the company to buy back the policy at some % of face value (e.g. 50-75%). In some cases, these policies require the policyholder to be terminally ill before a buy back can be considered. If your life insurance policy does not allow for “living benefits”, there are still options available. You may be able to sell your policy at some % of face value (e.g. 50-75%) to a third-party in return for a “life settlement” or “senior settlement”. In this scenario, you may receive a lump sum while the buyer becomes the beneficiary of the policy and is responsible for future premium payments.
There are a lot of options when it comes to how to pay for assisted living care. Don’t be afraid to ask for help navigating it! Please feel free to reach out to us at team@themapleton.com. We’re here to help. We realize we may not be a fit for your assisted living needs, but we would love to be helpful in any way that we can.
Until next time….

​Disclaimer:  This video and article are for educational purposes only.  It is not intended to provide any legal, medical, financial or other professional advice.  As with all of our educational content we encourage you to seek out competent advice from licensed professional.  While we make our best effort to provide correct and up-to-date information we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information provided.
 
Header Image Credit: ​https://www.maxpixel.net/Piggy-Money-Piggy-Money-Bank-Piggy-Bank-5085242

“How much does assisted living cost?”  This is a question we get a lot. The second question I reliably get after is, “why is this information so hard to find online?”  The truth is that because the costs vary so much depending on the care needed by each resident, it can be difficult for many to provide an estimate without a doctor or nurse assessing the potential resident.   I'll do my best to explain the factors that influence pricing variability in assisted living today (in 2021) so that you can make the best choice for you or your loved one.

There are two types of costs to be aware of that influences an assisted living’s pricing. First, there are the fixed costs. This is the mortgage for the facility and the amenities of the facility. This fixed cost varies greatly facility by facility and depends on size of building and staff, as well as other amenities offered to all residents, such as a hair salon, walking paths, swimming pools, etc.

​Second, there are costs that are specific to each resident that can vary widely.  These are called variable costs. The costs associated with food, staffing, medical care, and assistance with the activities of daily life change depending on the needs of the resident.  For example, a resident who is mainly independent, but needs help cooking meals has lower costs than a resident who needs assistance getting out of bed, dressing, showering, and eating because staff are devoting more hours to the second resident than the first. Additionally, a resident’s needs typically increase as they age, which results in the corresponding increasing expenses.

According to the 2020 Genworth Financial Cost of Care Survey (https://www.genworth.com/aging-and-you/finances/cost-of-care.html) the average cost of assisted living across the country is $4,300 per month.  In Wichita Kansas, where we are located, the average is higher than the national average at $5,168 per month.  In an effort to deal with the variable nature of caring for a resident there have been a few different pricing models that the industry has adopted:

1. the all inclusive fee,
2. Al-a-cart pricing,
3. a hybrid of the two, and
4. a “deposit” type of pricing.   ​