If you have an elderly parent who requires in-depth care or supervision, placing your mother or father in a nursing home may be advisable. After all, you may lack the skills, time and money to do the task without professional assistance.
The average daily rate for a private room in a nursing home in the U.S. is $290. For a semi-private room, your parent may pay an average of $275 per day. These average rates do not include extra items, though, which may add hundreds or even thousands of dollars to your parent’s monthly nursing home bill.
Included items
The standard nursing home room comes with a bed and some basic furniture, such as a bedside table or side chair. You can also expect the room to have a closet to store clothing and other personal belongings. Along with the room, monthly nursing home fees typically cover the following:
- Nursing services
- Meals
- Laundry
- Housekeeping
- Activities
Some nursing homes may also provide basic hygiene products, such as facial tissue or incontinence pads, without charging residents more.
Added expenses
Depending on the nursing home you choose for your parent, he or she may pay for add-on items each month. Along with prescription medication and medical supplies, haircutting services and cable television typically fall into this category.
In many nursing homes, residents have a spending account to use on some special items, while the nursing home bills other added expenses to private insurance, Medicaid, Medicare or the resident.
Budgeting for nursing home care for an aging parent often requires some smart financial planning. Ultimately, when interviewing potential care providers, it is critical to understand exactly what the facility and added expenses are likely to cost.