All long-term care costs rose sharply in 2020, but assisted living facility costs increased the most, according to Genworth’s latest annual Cost of Care Survey. The across-the-board rises were due in part to increased costs brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.
In the past year, assisted living facility rates grew 6.15% (percent) for a median cost of $51,600 per year or $4,300 per month. Genworth also reports that the median annual cost of home health aides rose 4.35 percent to $54,912, while the median cost of a private nursing home room rose 3.57 percent to $105,850 and the median cost of a semi-private room in a nursing home is now $93,075, up 3.24 percent from 2019. The national median annual rate for the services of a homemaker also climbed 4.44 percent to $53,768.
In response to this year’s price increases, Genworth conducted a follow-up study to understand how COVID-19 is impacting the cost of care. Genworth found that labor shortages, personal protective equipment costs, regulatory changes, employee recruitment and retention, wage pressure, and supply and demand were contributing to rate rises.
According to Paying For Senior Care, assisted living in the Cape Cod region ranges from $3,208.10 to $8,122.47/month with the average cost being $5,490.00. However, there are many factors involved that may affect this average. The level of care needed for the individual, the type and/or size of the specific room accommodations or whether or not the individual may qualify for supplemental funding through public or private sources (i.e. veterans benefits).
For comparison nationwide, Alaska continues to be the costliest state for nursing home care by far, with the median annual cost of a private nursing home room totaling $436,540. Missouri was the most affordable state, with a median annual cost of a private room of $68,985.
The only care setting where costs did not increase was adult day care, which provides support services in a protective setting during part of the day. Costs for adult day care actually fell from $75 to $74 a day, a 1.33 percent decrease, perhaps because many adult day care sites have been forced to close due to the pandemic.
The 2020 survey, conducted by CareScout for the seventeenth straight year, was based on responses from 14,326 nursing homes, assisted living facilities, adult day health facilities and home care providers. Survey respondents were contacted by phone during July and August 2020.
As the survey indicates, long-term care is growing ever more expensive. It is highly recommended that you contact an estate planning or elder law attorney to learn how you can protect some or all of your family’s assets from being impacted by these rising costs.
For more on Genworth’s 2020 Cost of Care Survey, including costs for your state, click here or click here to contact Elder Law Attorney John G. Kennan
