A Queensland operator told me after a recent trip to the US that his only thought was that his prices were too low.
More than 30,600 assisted living facilities are currently active in America, with an average occupancy rate close to 80%.
Assisted living is generally for the rich. Below are average monthly rates to live in assisted living communities in different states.
Most expensive
- New Hampshire — US$8,248.
- Washington D.C. — US$6,825.
- Delaware — US$6,101.
- Hawaii — US$5,924.
- Wyoming — US$5,894.
Least expensive
- Louisiana — US$2,946.
- Georgia — US$3,318.
- South Dakota — US$3,378.
- Iowa — US$3,420.
- Minnesota — US$3,472.
Assisted living was first created in 1981 in Portland, Oregon, by Dr Keren Brown Wilson.
“Wilson examined all the ways nursing homes were viewed as negative or institutional places, like the communal bathrooms and lack of privacy,” American Senior Communities told NBC.
“She wanted to create a way for seniors to remain independent and respected while also being able to receive the level of care they required.”
The average monthly cost for private, single-room accommodation in these facilities is US$4,803.
Emphasising the harsh reality that based on current income and savings trends, an average American would need 17.2 years to accumulate enough savings to afford one year in an assisted living facility.
