Costs of Long Term Elder Care and Senior Housing

How much does eldercare cost? The answer depends on both the type of care and the location in the U.S. What follows is an overview of senior care services and residential living situations and their average costs. Alternatively, use our Cost of Care Calculator to learn the specific cost of care in your area.

Elder Care Costs by Type of Care

Non-Medical Home Care

• personal hygiene
• laundry
• cooking
• transportation

Paradoxically, home care does not necessarily need to be provided in the home. It can also be provided to persons residing in assisted living. Location does not impact price. Typically, a home care aide will visit a home several times a week for visits lasting from 2 – 8 hours. In 2019, the national average for non-medical, in-home care is $21 / hour with different state averages ranging from $16 – $28 / hour. It should be noted these are average costs from home care agencies. Private individuals can be retained to provide some of the same services with fees 20-30% lower. Search for a home care agency or learn more about hiring independent caregivers.

Home Health Care

Home health aides offer skilled care such as checking patients’ pulse, temperature and respiration and assisting with medical equipment such as ventilators. They will visit the home as much as medically necessary but typically for shorter periods of time than home care aide visits. In 2019, the national average is $22 / hour with different state averages ranging from $16 – $29 / hour.

Adult Day Care

Adult day care centers provide the elderly with supervision, meals and snacks, assistance with daily living activities, and social and recreational activities in a structured setting during daytime hours. Some adult day care centers also provide transportation to and from the facility at no additional cost. In 2019, the national average is $72 / day with different state averages ranging from $35 – $136 / day. Adult day medical care provides the supervisory and social aspects of adult day care and offers more intensive health and therapeutic services for individuals with severe medical problems and those at risk of requiring nursing home care. Families should expect to pay 5% – 15% more for adult day health / medical care than for regular adult day (social) care.

Assisted Living & Memory Care

• bathing
• dressing
• mobility
• toiletry
• medication management
• light housecleaning
• basic health services
• supervision
• recreational and social activities

Cost is usually made up of monthly rent with additional fees based on the level of attention the resident requires. In 2019, the national average amount paid is $4,000 / month, and different state averages range from $2,844 to $9,266. Patients requiring Alzheimer’s or dementia care in memory care homes, also called Alzheimer’s units, costs an additional 20 – 30% more per month on average.  Find assisted Living and Alzheimer’s care communities or see residential care costs by state.  One can also read assisted living reviews here.  This can help families identify if lower cost results in lesser quality care.

Nursing Homes

Skilled nursing residences offer 24/7 care by licensed health professionals, including all housekeeping, medical, and social needs. In 2019, the average amount being paid for a shared room is $245 / day with different state averages ranging from $153 / day to $963 / day.  A shared residence usually costs 80-90% of a private one.  Find affordable skilled nursing homes.

Continuing Care Retirement Communities

CCRCs are residences that provide a continuum of care from independent living to assisted living to skilled nursing. These communities are designed to enable seniors to remain in a single residential location. This is particularly attractive for seniors with declining health conditions or couples in mixed health. While CCRCs offer much for seniors, they are the most expensive long-term-care solution available. There is a one-time entrance fee and monthly maintenance fees. Entrance fees range from $80,000 – $750,000 and monthly maintenance fees from $1,300 to $5,400. The location and size of the residence and the senior’s current health accounts for some the wide range in costs. There are also three types of care contracts that play a major role in fees. 1. Extensive or Life Care Contract is the most expensive option and covers all long-term care costs at no additional fees. This option offers a predictable monthly fee regardless of the needs of the individual. Therefore, they enable families to build a payment plan for the remainder of the senior’s lifetime. 2. Modified or Continuing Care Contract is less expensive than a Life Care Contract, but restricts the total number of days one can receive long term care. Should the senior require additional care, it can be purchased at the time for a discounted rate. Therefore, while less expensive, there may be unexpected future costs. 3. Fee-For-Service Contract is the least expensive monthly rate. But residents will pay separately for all long-term care. If extensive care is required, this will be very expensive.

Care Planning & Management Costs

Geriatric Care Managers (GCMs) are professionals that manage the coordination of care for an individual in need. They bill in a variety of ways, but typically their hourly rates are between $50-$200 / hour. A typical engagement involves a needs assessment, care plan creation and implementation. This might require 20-40 hours of work. Therefore, retaining a care manager might cost from $1,000 – $8,000. Medicare, Medicaid and health insurance very rarely pay for these costs. Long term care insurance might, but most often this is an out-of-pocket cost. In addition to the convenience and security they provide, Care Managers can save families money because their needs assessments align an individual’s present condition with only those services that are necessary at that time. This prevents unnecessary fees from home care providers and assisted living residences.

Daily, Weekly & Yearly Care Cost Reference Table

The quick reference table below shows the costs of each type of care by hour, day, month and year. Also useful is the easy-to-use, Long Term Care Cost Calculator provided by the website eCareDiary.