As the Baby Boom generation ages, more and more people will turn to home health care as an alternative to residential care (retirement communities, assisted living, etc.).
Part of that is a growing wish to age in place and boomers’ embrace of new patient-managed technology, and part of it is just math: The number of senior citizens in America is expected to jump to 71 million by 2029, the year the last group of boomers hits the retirement age.
In the face of that shift, policymakers are pushing home health care as a solution to the cost of hospitalization, writes Liz Seegert in Covering Health, a publication of the Association of Health Care Journalists.
“Hospitals or nursing homes are no longer the only options,” U.S. Senator Harry Reid told a home health care conference in 2013. “In the months and years to come, the home health care industry will become the de facto solution for many as our aging population requires more care.”
Health Care by the Numbers
If you or a loved one are looking at home health care options, here are some figures from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services you may want to keep in mind.
Let’s start with looking at some average costs:
- A semi-private nursing home room is $205 per day, or $6,235 per month. For a completely private room, the cost is a bit higher, $229 per day/$6,965 a month.
- The average cost of a room in an assisted living facility is $3,293 per month.
- Home health aides charge $21 per hour.
- Adult daycare centers can cost an average of $67 per day.
Long-term care costs can depend on the type and duration of the care you need, as well as the provider you choose and where you live, HHS says. Costs can be influenced by:
- The time of day. Visits by a home health care worker are usually more expensive at night, and on weekends or holidays.
- Extra charges for services beyond basic food, room and housekeeping services at long-term care facilities. Some may offer all-inclusive pricing.
- Community programs such as adult daycare can also vary depending on whether the person utilizing them takes part in extra activities.
How a Stair Lift Installation Can Help
If you or someone in your family needs long-term health care, but wants to stay at home, installing a stair lift can help provide a solution, offering you continued access and freedom.
It will allow you to continue to use both floors of your home, without having to worry about the dangers that come with navigating the stairs.
If you’re ready to make this change in your home, contact PA Stair Lifts. We’ll advise you on installing and maintaining a stair lift in your home in Philadelphia, Bucks, Montgomery, Lehigh or Delaware county. Let us help you or your loved one stay at home.
