New York Assisted Living

Moving into an assisted living community is a big change and one that can be a little confusing if you don’t know anything about these kinds of communities. What goes on in assisted living? What is the cost? Can I keep my pet and can my family visit? All of these questions are important to finding the best place to live during your retirement years.

New York is home to dozens of assisted living facilities and surprisingly many of the neighborhoods are well within the national average price of most assisted living communities. Not only can you get a taste of city life and live in a community that fits your needs, you won’t have to pay a lot of money to do so.

Assisted Living Costs In New York

Let’s take a closer look at the cost of assisted living in the state of New York because there are a few factors that can affect your total price. The national median for assisted living in the US is $3,600 and the median cost for the whole state of New York is $4,100. Now don’t get too disappointed with that number just yet because you might not end up paying that amount.

The location of your assisted living community is going to greatly affect your cost. For example, averages in Brooklyn are $3,125 and in Staten Island, the average is $2,950. You can also find averages of $5,626 in Long Island and $7,690 in Ithaca. So there is a wide price range when it comes to assisted living in New York and you can find a place that fits your budget.

Expectations For Assisted Living In New York

You might be hesitant to move into an assisted living facility because you aren’t exactly sure what goes on there. Contrary to popular belief, assisted living isn’t only for people who have medical issues or are invalids. Whatever is important to you, you can find a community that aligns with your life.

New York is a bustling city that has a rich and diverse background which is reflected in the assisted living communities here. You can find homes that follow your religious beliefs or active lifestyle. There are pet-friendly communities and ones that will allow family members to stay overnight and visit if that is something important to you. Simply put, your community is whatever you want and need it to be.

Finding The Perfect Community In New York

So how do you go about finding that perfect community? Word of mouth is a good place to start. Ask around your circle of friends or family members and start to gather some recommendations. You can also talk to your doctor or health care professional and see if they have any preferences for locations in the area. Talk with people you trust and have your best interest in mind.

After seeking verbal recommendations, you can start looking around online to see whether the recommendations fit your lifestyle. Many places have their own websites where you can see activities, living spaces, read reviews from residents, and possibly even do a virtual tour of the grounds. This can help you narrow down your list and find your top favorites.

Finally, go and visit the places that you really like. You can talk with their senior living advisor who can help you decide if this is the right place for you. Walk around and get a feel for the area and try to talk with current residents and get their opinions on their home. This is a great time to ask any and all questions you might have so there are no surprises and your move goes smoothly.

How To Pay For Assisted Living

This is another big factor in finding the right community for you, figuring out how you’re going to pay for your new home. One of the first things you should do is create a budget and look at places that fall within your price range. You can also consider things like getting a roommate or a semi-private room to cut costs. Just like regular housing, studio or one-bedroom apartments are going to cost less than a two-bedroom, so make sure you look at all of the options.

Finding money to pay for assisted living isn’t too difficult but it will take a little bit of searching. If you have a long-term care insurance policy, now is the time to use that. It can cover your costs without creating too big of a financial burden. Just make sure you talk to your agent to go over the details of your policy.

Medicaid and Veteran’s benefits are going to be another source of money for long-term care. Low-income families can take advantage of Medicaid’s coverage and end up with a large portion of their care costs covered. Each state has different eligibility requirements, so you can check here to see if you qualify. The same goes for VA benefits, check your local office to see if you can receive any money for assisted living.