The Value of Assisted Living: Comparing Assisted Living Costs to Staying at Home
When shopping for an assisted living community for your loved one, sticker shock is a common condition. But is it true that assisted living costs more than living at home?
The true value of living in an assisted living community is quality of life. Not only is assisted living financially equal to living at home, it’s such a dramatically different way of life. Most people underestimate how much money they spend on food each month, and forget about all the miscellaneous expenses that crop up. Mentally, they simply add up rent or the mortgage and utilities, guess on how much they spend on eating, and come up with a figure that’s not accurate.
Assisted living costs include all basic living expenses such as rent, utilities, and food, but also include 24-hour security services, housekeeping, health monitoring services, lawn care, property taxes and insurance, trash removal, repairs and maintenance, and the most frequent things people forget to include—social activities and entertainment.
In fact, many seniors living at home cut back on entertainment as a way to save money.
With a senior living at home, the monthly budget usually has a blank space next to social and entertainment. Look at what your mom or dad are spending on socialization and entertainment—nothing—and that’s not a good thing.
Those senior social activities are important for all seniors to keep them physically and mentally sharp, and are the difference between surviving and thriving. But they may be especially important for many women whose retirement isn’t very relaxing because their workload actually increases with their retired husbands or partners at home all the time.
Sons and daughters need to take a hard look at their parents’ current lifestyle: “Do both people get to retire in this house? How did mom’s life change when Dad retired? Did it get better or did it get worse? We’re still dealing with an age group where moms didn’t get to retire, so we’re dealing with quality of life.”
After dealing with the initial sticker shock and touring an assisted living facility, most clients change their minds and realize assisted living is a great value.
These are the golden years, but they aren’t always so golden. At an assisted living community, people can have a quality of life where other people cater to them so they can enjoy life.
Oakmonte Village is a new 25-acre luxury senior living community in the heart of prestigious Lake Mary, Florida. Ideally located for ease and convenience, Oakmonte Village is within easy reach of many local Orlando amenities such as parks, walking trails, lakes, and more.
Oakmonte Village offers resort style living and freedom from home maintenance. Residents at Oakmonte enjoy amenities such as card and game rooms, fitness center, movie theatre, on-site banking, gift shop, pharmacy, outdoor swimming pool, full-service concierge and a diverse array of culturally rich programming. Oakmonte’s active lifestyle is supported by concierge physician services, rehabilitative and home care services as well as a continuum of care through our soon-to-open assisted living and memory care community. All without any entrance fees.
To schedule your tour and five-star dining experience please contact us at 407-732-5800
Orlando Senior Living | Oakmonte Village May 24, 2010
