As more people retire from their jobs in Rochester, there are more and more elderly who need to be moved into retirement homes or, better yet, assisted living facilities.
Assisted living facilities are one of the most excellent options for the elderly because they can still live in communities. The problem lies in the expenses and cost of assisted living.
Here are some pointers and guidelines on how to find affordable housing for assisted living facilities in Rochester.
1. Know The Different Options Available
There are different kinds of assisted living facilities available for senior citizens and older people. This will depend on your requirements, medical needs, and age. There are usually two types available.
One would be senior apartments. In this setup, seniors and the elderly are given an option to live in an apartment within a budget-friendly housing. Then, they are also given minimum assistance.
In addition, there is also a senior community that they can join to be more connected with others. You can check here for more examples of assisted living facilities.
The other type of assisted living facility is subsidized senior housing. This is a more affordable option since it is sponsored by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and other government agencies.
Costs with regards to the care of the seniors and the elderly will be partially paid by the government.
2. Consider Cooperative Housing
If you want to look for affordable assisted living facilities, you can also consider cooperative housing for low-income seniors.
These cooperative housing usually involve renting an apartment, wherein all seniors living in the building pitch in for all maintenance fees for the building.
It’s basically a community of seniors that is self-sustained by themselves. To give you an illustration, seniors are usually given roles and chores. These can range from cleaning the community kitchen to answering the phone at the front desk.
By having this set up, administration costs are cut down, which makes it a more affordable, assisted living facility.
3. Explore HUD Options
Fortunately, the government can help with subsidizing assisted living facilities through HUD. Here are just some of the housing options available from HUD.
- Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8 HUD Housing for Seniors) – This kind of housing is a government-regulated housing that’s for low-income seniors. The type of housing can vary from townhomes, single-family homes, condominiums, or apartments. To be eligible, seniors need to apply with a local housing authority. If you meet the qualifications, then you will be provided with immediate housing.
- Section 202 Supportive Housing Program – On the other hand, the Supportive Housing Program is a program that’s made explicitly for seniors over the age of 62. This can be an excellent option. However, the waiting list is very long.
4. Check Out Virtual Retirement Communities
Virtual Retirement Communities are modern assisted living facilities with low costs as well. This type of community will provide the elderly with different kinds of services.
For example, this virtual community can provide grocery shopping, transportation, outings for members, and even tree removal. Because of modern technology, seniors usually pay a low annual fee.
In exchange for this annual fee, an employee provides the services listed above to seniors.
5. Research on Your Community
Expenses can be stressful, but at the same time, you want the best care for your elderly loved one. Because of this, you need to find the right balance between value and cost. To do this properly, you need to do your own research.
Gather as many choices as you can so that you can make an informed decision, and here are just some suggestions to go about your research.
- Check online for the nearest assisted living facility and visit them either in person or virtually. If you want to visit it, you might want to bring your elderly loved one with you also. As you are there, you talk to both the residents and staff. Then, ask for a quotation for the costs as well.
- Ask for incentives, deals, and special prices on each assisted living facility. They may not advertise the discounts online, but they might let you know if you ask.
- Verify the state licensing of the assisted living facility.
- Talk to a government official working for HUD to explore your options to get more affordable housing.
Conclusion
Fortunately, there are inexpensive assisted living facilities that do not compromise quality. Due to this, many elders can enjoy a pleasant retirement in an assisted living facility with all the help that they need. Hopefully, the tips mentioned above can help you find affordable housing that offers assisted living.
