Find your senior living options
DISCOVER A RESORT-STYLE SENIOR LIVING COMMUNITY
How our free service works
We provide a no cost referral service that offers the best senior care options, information, and resources in the Phoenix metro area. We understand how overwhelming and stressful it is to find a safe and trustworthy home for your loved one. With so many important things to consider, let us help relieve your anxiety by personally helping you every step of the way and simplifying this process. Our proven success can help you find the right senior living community for your loved one.
Being better informed means making better decisions
We are committed to empower you with the best information and tools to make the right decision for your loved one. Because we live and work in your community, we will personally guide you through this whole process of finding the right care in your area. Once we understand your needs we will customize a plan, tour communities, and find a solution that is the best fit.
Does your loved one need care urgently?
Our Senior Living Advisors have expertise in:
Paying for Assisted Living With Available Assets and Private Insurance
Tapping into Home Equity and Home Sales
Typically, real estate is one of the largest assets an individual has. If your loved one is unable to stay in their home, you can sell the home and use that money to supplement their retirement funds. Utilizing a home or vacation property enables a longer, stress free stay at an assisted living home. Certainly, the decision to sell a home can be very difficult, especially if there were intentions to pass this home to another kin. Also, the process of selling a home can be a long one depending on the current housing market. We are connected with real estate agents across the valley, so let us help ease this process of taking on another weight task.
Family Assistance
Commonly, close family members of a senior requiring assisted living will split the cost of the care. If there are multiple members willing to assist, the cost between everyone is relatively low and feasible. However, distributing the expenses can be tricky and potentially straining between all parties involved. A vital conversation to have is for everyone to be honest and upfront about their own financial obligations. This time is stressful so it is important to approach this conversation without judgement and pressure to contribute more than each party is able. On the same note, another conversation that is important to consider is for the senior(s) requiring care to be reassured that they are not a burden by receiving financial help.
Does your loved one need
care urgently?
Our Senior Living Advisors have expertise in:
Hospital or rehab facility discharge
Dementia and Alzheimer’s care
Life Insurance
Ideally, life insurance policies should benefit our relatives once we are gone. However, if seniors have need of funding for their current care situation, there is an option to take a portion from their current life insurance policy now. There are certain policies that have a cash value, referred to as the “surrender” value that the insurance company will give you for the forfeiture of the death benefit. Another alternative for maximizing life insurance before death, is to sell the current policy to a third party company. This is often called a life settlement or conversion. The third party buyer will continue the payments and will get the full death benefit when the senior passes. In exchange, the company will give the senior a percentage, ranging from 35%-50%, of what the death benefit would be. Of course, that amount varies based on the value of the policy and other factors, and is paid out in a lump sum. That payment is taxable so that may disqualify a senior from receiving Medicaid benefits.Long-term care
Long-term care policies are rare and with 44%-53% of applicants now being denied, if the senior has purchased a policy in the past, it offers a daily amount of money, $125 for example, to pay for care with a predetermined number of Activities of Daily Living (ADL’s). Depending on the policy, they may pay out for a defined number of years, up to a determined dollar amount in a lifetime, or after a specific benefit period has elapsed. You can learn more about LTC insurance on the US Department of Health and Human Services website.
Medicaid Assistance Programs for the Elderly
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) is the Federal Government’s program to create regulations and budgets for medical cost assistance. As with all states, Arizona receives funds, directed by CMS, to be allocated to state Medicaid and Medicare programs. Medicare has multiple parts which cover a variety of insurance costs and prescription drugs for anyone who is 65 and older or 65 and younger with disabilities. Medicaid provides health coverage to eligible low-income adults, children, pregnant women, elderly adults and people with disabilities. Medicaid is administered by states, according to federal requirements and is funded jointly by states and the federal government. Arizona Health Care Cost Containment system, (AHCCCS) is specifically Arizona’s Medicaid program and contracted health plans coordinate and pay for physical and behavioral health care services delivered by more than 104,000 health care providers to more than 2 million Arizonans. There is a separate division for elderly and disabled residents, called the Arizona Long Term Care System (ALTCS). This program provides health insurance reimbursement for individuals who are age 65 or older, or who have a disability, and who require nursing facility level of care. It can pay for care related services for those in adult foster care, nursing home, or for those in an assisted living home which is approximately $2,200 a month. The applicants must meet certain requirements in order to receive these benefits and the application process takes time to complete, review, and be certified.Process of the ALTCS application:
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- Receive funds to help pay for home care, skilled nursing, or assisted living costs
- There is an application process *It could take several months to complete the entire process* Once approved, they will receive retroactive benefits from the initial application date
- To qualify:
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- Don’t have to have a service connected injury
- Don’t have to be retired from the military
- Don’t have to have been in combat
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- Aid and Attendance Benefits:
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- You never have to pay it back and it is completely tax free.
- Like Social Security, this pension is dependable and is paid directly to you by the Department of the Treasury.
- This benefit can be used for in-home care, board and care, assisted living communities, and private-pay nursing homes.
Status Monthly Benefit Amount (up to) Surviving Spouse $1,149 Single Veteran $1,788 Married Veteran $2,120 Two Vets Married $2,837 - Additional assistance:
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- Legal aid
- Help with completing VA claims
- Benefits counselors are available for information, counseling, and advocacy 1-800-852-VETS (8387)
- Independent living
- 55+ communities
- Assisted living Centers
- 10+ beds
- Assisted living homes
- <10 beds
- Alzheimer’s and dementia care
- In-home companion care
- Skilled nursing care
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What is Assisted Living?
Assisted living is a form of senior housing in which residents receive regular help with activities of daily living (ADLs) such as dressing, bathing, toileting, grooming, and more. Help with transportation, shopping, medication management, and other activities that seniors find difficult to do on their own is also quite common. Assisted living facilities primarily help residents with non-medical needs. Although minor and infrequent medical services, such as first-aid for a wound, can sometimes be met on-site by nurses. These communities may sometimes also be called ALFs, residential care facilities, retirement homes, or long-term care facilities.
Quality assisted living facilities can feel like a home thanks to their friendly staff, nutritious meals, and regular opportunities for socialization with other residents. They can also often look like an upscale hotel, with nicely furnished dining rooms and indoor and outdoor gathering places as well as well-kept private rooms. Of course, the appearance of ALFs varies quite a bit, so seniors should shop around for a location that meets their desired standard of living.
Comparison of Assisted Living to OtherForms of Senior Living | |||||
| ESTIMATED MONTHLY COSTS* | ADL/IADL ASSISTANCE | SKILLED NURSING CARE | 24/7 SUPERVISION | HOUSING ATMOSPHERE | |
| INDEPENDENT LIVING | Approximately $2,500-$3,500 | Not available | Not available | Not available | Homelike atmosphere but often structured like an apartment complex |
| ASSISTED LIVING | $3,300- $7,000, with a national median of about $4,050 | Available | Limited availability | Sometimes available | Homelike atmosphere but often structured like an apartment complex or hotel |
| MEMORY CARE | Approximately $4,300-$11,000 | Available | Limited availability | Always included | Similar to assisted living but more secure to reduce wandering and confusion |
| NURSING HOMES | $7,900-$13,400, with a national median of $8,500 | Available | 24/7 availability | Always included | Often similar to a hospital |
*These figures are estimates only and can vary significantly by area and facility. The Genworth Financial 2019 Long-Term Care Survey provides greater state-level cost data on most forms of care. Memory care often costs between $1,000-$4,000 more than assisted living each month, but state-specific data can be difficult to find.
Types of Senior Living
Independent Living Communities
In independent living communities, seniors live with almost complete independence in their own apartments, bungalows, or other styles of homes. Seniors often sell their houses and move into these communities so that they can be free of home maintenance tasks and enjoy their retirement more fully in a social setting. Other benefits of living in these communities include optional access to the cafeteria, pet-friendly amenities, help with laundry and other light housework, and even transportation. These communities are suitable for both couples and single seniors.
Independent living can cost roughly $2,500-$3,500 monthly, though pricing does vary widely based on local real estate markets. Typically, independent living costs far less than other forms of senior living since these facilities do not offer personal assistance with tasks other than cooking, chores, and transportation.
Assisted Living Communities
Assisted living communities often look like and have the same basic atmosphere as quality independent living communities. However, in an assisted living community seniors can get help with activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs). This means that, if they need it, they can get daily assistance with numerous tasks including toileting, bathing, dressing, medication management, and more. However, assisted living communities are not equipped to provide anything more than minimal medical care. Those who use ventilators or feeding tubes or those who otherwise need continuous supervision, whether medical or behavioral, cannot live in an assisted living environment.
Assisted living typically costs several thousand more dollars each year than an independent living community does. But it also includes a much more comprehensive set of services than independent living. According to Genworth Financial, the national median monthly cost of assisted living is $4,051. This number can be much higher or much lower depending on location and amenities.
Memory Care Communities
Memory care communities may be located in self-contained buildings or they may be located within other facilities that offer other levels of care. Regardless of location, security is paramount. Patients with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia are prone to wandering, getting lost, and becoming agitated or bored. So these centers typically incorporate secure perimeters, alarms, and other safety features. Patients who live in these centers benefit from 24/7 supervision, a home-like environment, activities designed to be fulfilling and stimulating, and staff who specialize in helping seniors with memory impairment. In addition to services specifically intended for those with memory impairment, residents of memory care facilities can receive help with all ADL and IADLs. Just like in assisted living, seniors in these communities may be able to get minimal medical care.
Memory care facilities require specialized staff training, more experienced staff members, and more security than ALFs. So they tend to be more expensive. As a general rule, expect memory care to cost between $1,000 and $4,000 more per month than assisted living in the same area. This translates to a cost anywhere from $4,300-$11,000 monthly.
Nursing Homes
Nursing homes represent the highest level of medical care that a senior can receive in a residential setting. They used to be the favored care solution for seniors who needed almost any form of help with ADLs and IADLs as well as for those who had any form of dementia. Now, medical professionals have recognized that nursing homes, which are often more like hospitals than anything else, are best reserved for those who need constant medical supervision.
Due to the operating costs associated with keeping an around-the-clock staff of medically trained personnel such as RNs and physicians, nursing homes are the most costly form of residential senior care. Staying in a nursing home for a month costs anywhere from about $7,900- $13,400, with $8,500 being the national median. It can easily be over twice the cost of assisted living in many cases.