Arkansas Assisted Living for Couples

Assisted living in Arkansas for couples

Assisted living facilities are among the most popular retirement living communities, including for couples. They accept senior adults over the age of 62, allowing married couples or committed partners to live together. To be accepted, one must meet specific criteria, which often regard the monthly income and current physical health.

How many ALFs are there in Arkansas? In the state of Arkansas, there are 95 assisted living facilities. These retirement communities can be found in the following locations: Fort Smith, Fayetteville, Pine Bluff, Hot Springs, Jonesboro, and Little Rock. The Arkansas DHS Office of Long-Term Care licenses and regulates ALFs. These communities offer personal assistance with daily living activities, such as dressing, eating, toileting, and bathing.

Married couples can apply for admittance to such a facility. They both have to go through interviews, in order to assess individual needs and desires; the spouse who requires the highest level of care is given priority. Even though couples are allowed to live together, they receive individual service plans upon admittance. These plans must include behavioral care goals, mentions of recurrent medication, any existent impairments, level and scope of service, treatment and service schedule.

Prospective residents might be rejected if they require round-the-clock nursing services, suffer from terminal or long-term illnesses, or are bedridden. Senior adults who require restraints or those who might represent a danger to themselves or others are not accepted either. The same goes for seniors who have medical or transfer assistance needs that exceed the available scope of service.

Financing and costs of assisted living in Arkansas

The average cost for assisted living in Arkansas is $3,000 per month. By comparison, the national average is around $4,000. The respective price is for a private room, with one resident. Couples should expect to pay higher fees if they want to live together. Generally-speaking, assisted living is less expensive than nursing home and in-home care, but not as affordable as adult day healthcare and independent living.

From all the states bordering Arkansas, Missouri is the only one that offers lower costs, with the price for assisted living being somewhere around $2,800. The other states – Tennessee, Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Oklahoma – have higher fees. Within the state, there are considerable differences between locations. For instance, Fort Smith has the lowest fees, with an average of $1,500, while Fayetteville is considered the more expensive, with a median average of $3,300.

Couples who have a lower-level income can seek out financial assistance. The DHS Division of Medical Services provides the Personal Care Medicaid coverage, and the residents can apply to receive it. Eligibility criteria regard medical needs, level of independence, and finances/income. There is also the PACE Arkansas Program – All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly – which has its own eligibility criteria.

Seniors who are nursing-home eligible and want to move into an assisted living facility can apply for the Assisted Living Choices Waiver. The Supplemental Security Income is another possibility for financial assistance, as well as veteran benefits, long-term care insurance, life insurance policies, and reverse mortgages.

Assisted living costs in Arkansas

Assisted living communities provide access to housing, healthcare, and assistance with ADLs, welcoming seniors from all walks of life. The access to various services and amenities is also included in the basic care package. In the state of Arkansas, there are numerous assisted living facilities destined especially for seniors. The costs of assisted living depend on each facility and the benefits it might offer. For instance, many centers of this kind do not provide skilled nursing care. In the paragraphs that follow, you will be able to find useful details on assisted living and the associated fees to be paid. As a result, you will have all the necessary information to make an informed decision.

Average costs of assisted living and memory care in Arkansas

How much does assisted living cost in AR? The average monthly cost of assisted living in Arkansas is around $3,700 or $44,000 per year. This is considerably lower than the national median of $4,500 per month or $54,000 per year. Within the state, the most expensive assisted living communities are found in Hot Springs, averaging at $4,500 per month or $54,000 per year. As for the most affordable facilities of this kind, these are located in Pine Bluff, averaging at $3,300 per month or $39,000 per year.

How much does memory care cost in AR? If you are interested in memory care communities, you should know that these have an average monthly cost of $4,700 or $56,000 per year. Once again, this is lower than the national median, which is around $5,600 per month or $67,000 per year. Within the state, the most expensive memory care facilities are located in Hot Springs, averaging at $5,600 per month or $67,000 per year. Pine Bluff has the most affordable facilities of this kind, averaging at $4,500 per month or $54,000 per year.

Assisted living costs less than adult day care, but it is less expensive than all of the other long-term care options, including home care, home health care, and nursing home care. Memory care costs more than adult day care, assisted living, home care, and home health care. However, it is considerably cheaper than nursing home care, which averages at $6,600 per month or $79,000 per year.

What does into assisted living costs?

Before moving in an assisted living community, prospective residents are required to cover a deposit fee. This is returned when the move into the respective community has been processed. Residents are expected to cover fixed monthly fees, without entrance fees being necessary. The overall costs are influenced by the living unit type and size, the presence of a companion, and services one needs. Seniors have access to meal plans, general maintenance, housekeeping, laundry and linen service, etc. Daily utilities are included in the overall costs as well. Should additional services be available, the costs will have to be covered by the residents in question.

A care fee is expected to be paid, depending on the ADLs seniors will require assistance with. The care package can cover additional benefits, including emergency response systems, daily activities, physical and occupational therapy, scheduled transportation, and medication management. Should spouses decided to live together, a second occupancy fee will be paid. Some communities require seniors to pay extra for utilities, including the cable and Internet access. Third-party providers might offer healthcare but to a limited extent and on a fee-based basis.

What goes into memory care costs?

Dementia seniors can move into a memory care community, which caters to their specific needs. They have access to housing, healthcare and 24/7 supervision, as well as various services and amenities. Trained specialists look after seniors who suffer from different forms of dementia, providing around-the-clock support. Care packages are designed to take into consideration the type of dementia, disease stage, and symptoms experienced. Safety features are chosen to minimize the level of confusion and protect against wandering. Assistance with various ADLs is included in the basic care package.

Memory care facilities have dedicated therapists, which help seniors work on their memory, cognitive, and speech skills. General services are also available, including meal planning, maintenance, housekeeping, scheduled transportation, laundry and linen service, etc. Additional healthcare might be offered, including mobility assistance, wound care, and incontinence care.

Senior living in Arkansas - cost comparison with other states

The monthly cost of assisted living in Arkansas is below the national average, as previously mentioned. Arkansas has more expensive assisted living communities than Missouri and Mississippi, which average at $3,000 per month or $36,000 per year, respectively $3,500 per month or $42,000 per year. Both Louisiana and Oklahoma have more expensive communities of this kind, in comparison with Arkansas, averaging at $3,700 per month or $44,000 per year, respectively $3,800 per month or $45,000 per year.

As for memory care, the monthly cost is once again well below the national average. Arkansas is more expensive than Missouri, Louisiana, and Mississippi, but more affordable than Oklahoma. The overall costs are: Missouri - $3,750 per month or $45,000 per year; Louisiana - $4,600 per month or $55,000 per year; Mississippi - $4,300 per month or $51,000 per year; Oklahoma - $4,800 per month or $57,000 per year.

Finding the best senior living facility for your senior living needs

Careful research can help you identify the best assisted living or memory care facility for you or your loved one. The most important thing to remember is that the costs vary from one community to the other, in accordance with the available services and amenities.

Let us guide you through the decision-making process and make everything easier. Give us a call and we will gladly offer all the available details, including on the costs of each senior living facility.

Services provided to married couples by assisted living facilities in Arkansas

Senior couples residing in assisted living facilities have access to a diversity of services. The staff is available 24/7, being able to provide emergency care assistance. Registered nurses can help with daily living tasks, medication administration, and treatment regimens, such as diabetes care. Other staff might offer assistance with social and recreational activities, transportation, specific needs.

General services include: housekeeping, maintenance, meal preparation and serving (including snacks and fluids), laundry and linen service, etc. Some facilities have memory care units, providing care and services for residents who suffer from Alzheimer's disease or dementia. Medication management is an important part of assisted living, with the staff either monitoring the resident while self-administering his/her treatment or giving the respective medication to the resident.

The regulation regarding medication management depends on the type of facility. With Level I facilities, residents are monitored while they take their treatment. The staff might offer reminders and help them open various medication packages. In Level II facilities, registered nurses handle the medication administration, especially if senior adults suffer from physical or memory impairments.

Amenities for couples moving to an assisted living in Arkansas

Many assisted living communities have a home-like setting, allowing couples to choose a living space that suits their needs. ALF units are commonly designed in the style of apartments, with couples being housed together at their specific request. All the units have a fully-functional kitchen, a thermostat controlled by the resident, keyed entries, basic applies. Usually, couples live in separate wings, especially if they have complex healthcare needs. The apartments are located on the ground floor and are wheelchair accessible.

At an assisted living facility, you will typically find the following amenities: fitness center/gym, swimming pool, restaurant, social club, religious service. Some ALFs also have beauty salon and barber shop, massage therapy, private dining room, library room, computer room, game room. If residents have pets and don’t want to say goodbye to their furry friends, they can ask the respective ALF about their pet policy. Memory care units offer specific amenities, such as painting classes, learning center, guided walks, etc.