Nursing homes have become common locations for post-surgery or senior care.  However, many are not aware of the substantial costs involved.  Insurance such as Medicare only allow coverage up to 100 days.  Medicaid does cover nursing home care, but only for very low-income seniors.  And the senior must be employed to receive those Medicaid benefits.

After that, staying in a nursing home can be incredibly expensive.  The cost can be as much as $15,000 a month for a private room.  If the senior shares a room, the cost can still be nearly $12,000 a month, usually much more than what was planned.
A more affordable, and often better, option is live-in care.  With the senior living in the comfort of his or her own home while a qualified caregiver stays with him or her and helps with activities of daily life, the cost can be half of what someone would pay to stay in a nursing home.  Often, seniors prefer live-in care so that they can continue to live in their house and have more freedom.  The caregiver can transport the senior to various social events or to run errands, options that may not be available to someone living in a nursing home.
Senior care costs today can be significant, and often the expense of a nursing home was not planned upon.  Finding a live-in caregiver can be the better option for the senior’s happiness and pocketbook.