Making Respite Care Cheaper

The results of cost of long term care in last year’s survey stirred disappointment among millions of Americans who are advancing in age and are caring for loved ones with illnesses or disability. The nation’s average rate for nursing home’s private room increased 4.4% from $229 in 2010 to $239 in 2011. The assisted living rate also increased from 5.6% from $3,293 in 2010 to $3,477 in 2011.5.6%

With those figures alone, anyone will be frightened to spend at least a year in a facility and feel guilty being sick or invalid. The sandwich generation will bear the brunt of their aging parents or loved ones, and will be affected with the extremely high cost of care.

Unfortunately, adult day care also increased its rates, but remains the least expensive form of care in the country. Adult day centers have the national average rate of $6/day versus the average rate for home health aides of $19/hour. The reason for adult day cares much lower price is they are run by many non-profit organizations. According to survey, there are more than 4,600 adult day cares registered in U.S and become a haven for 150,000 American adults each day.

 

In fact, keeping a loved one in an adult day care is one of the families choose to save on respite care. Caregivers who wish to get out from the shackles of stress brought by caregiving may keep their loved ones in adult day cares. Adult day centers provide opportunities for family caregivers to regain strength and keep sanity at bay