Assisted living facilities are an ideal option for seniors that are looking to receive a measure of aid in order to go about their day to day living. The scope of this particular service is pretty wide, as it can stretch from preparing daily meals and helping them take medication to driving them around to handle various errands during the day. It should also be noted that these special services are not just reserved for those that need help completing various activities for daily living. Indeed, assisted living is a terrific option for those that want a break from having to handle home maintenance and would prefer to spend more time on enjoying the leisurely life of a retiree.

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The cost of assisted living in Miami

Looking at Miami, the annual cost of assisted living, according to the 2015 Genworth Cost of Care Survey, is far below the national average. It will cost you $33,000 per year for assisted living in Miami and this is about $10,000 less than the nationwide average.

As expected, the nursing home services are a bit more expensive than assisted living care. You will spend an average of $98,634 per year for nursing home care semi-private room and $106,580 for a private room. The home healthcare services in Miami are also quite affordable as they will set you back $37,477 per year for homemaker service and or the home health aide service.

For qualified veterans and their spouses, further assisted living savings may be obtainable via the Aid and Attendance Pension Benefit, which can otherwise be known as the A&A Pension Benefit. This special benefit can provide a veteran up to $1,788 per month, a surviving spouse up to $1,149 per month, or a couple up to $2,120 per month. Furthermore, a veteran with a sick spouse that applies for the program is eligible to receive up to $1,406 per month. The process to qualify for the A&A Pension Benefit is relatively simple.

Eligible veterans or surviving spouses of eligible veterans must show the need for help with activities for daily living, otherwise known as ADLs. Some of these activities include bathing, cooking, dressing, medication management, leaving the house for errands and appointments, and grooming. With that being said, seniors do not need to demonstrate that they need help for all of these activities. Aid and Attendance funds can assist in paying for ADL services in numerous places, such as an assisted living community, skilled nursing home, or within the confines of the senior’s own home. For those that are interested, it should be noted that the application process could take several months from beginning to end, but retroactive payments are sent upon the program’s approval.

What to Expect in Assisted Living

Miami, Florida is an excellent choice for seniors looking for assisted living care thanks to its affordable pricing and good weather. The state of Florida requires assisted living homes to provide a medical examination report of each resident’s condition and care needs upon admission. The state also allows residents to receive nursing services from a private duty nurse, hospice agency or an outside home health agency. There are no facility restrictions on over-the-counter medications.

There are a variety of assisted living centers each with its own unique services. For instance, there are Christian centers that mainly look to attract Christians while there are vegetarian centers that accommodate vegetarian residents. There is always a unique selling point offered by Miami assisted living homes, so you need to know what exactly you are looking for.

What’s included in Assisted Living?

Most often, many facilities will offer the following services:

• Personal care services, which include assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs) such as bathing, grooming, eating among others.
• Medical management, including reminders to take medication on schedule and refill reminders.
• All meals, usually in a common dining area
• Individual living units (from single rooms to multi-room apartments with kitchen; some facilities have shared living units)
• Special care programs for residents with memory loss
• Wellness and fitness programs such as gym, pool, yoga, a walking club, or an on-site fitness room.
• Laundry and housekeeping services, usually includes weekly linens change and weekly house cleaning.
• Basic utilities, like water, natural gas, electricity.
• Emergency call systems to summon for help when needed.
• Transportation and shopping assistance often provided on a regular to medical centers, local grocers and retail shops.
• Social and recreational activities like holiday parties, field trips to museums and performances, game nights, movie nights, guest speakers, and religious services.

What may be available for an extra fee?

Some communities may also offer additional on-site perks that residents can pay extra to utilize. Typically, these perks can include private transportation, personal laundry service, beauty salon services, and massage sessions.

The continuum-of-care option

Additionally, many seniors look for an assisted living service known as a continuum of care, which essentially describes a facility that can provide accommodation for residents regardless of what their specific need may be. Residents in these particular communities typically don’t have to deal with as many big moves should their health or daily needs shift, and they will also remain in a familiar setting even if their health dictates that they have to move to a different building within the facility’s complex. Prices on continuum of care do fluctuate based on the actual service that is needed.

Resources, volunteer opportunities and points of interest for veterans

There are many opportunities for Miami based veterans and one useful resource is the Miamidade.gov website that provides assistance to veterans, widows, children and parents of veterans, retired veterans and their families regarding claims to the United States (US) Department of Veterans Affairs.

The program services includes assistance with burials, hospital bills, education, compensation, discharge review, vocational rehabilitations and insurance, dependency and indemnity compensation, military discharge review, veterans administration home loan, A&A pension, immigrations assistance, disability assistance, among many others. Government meetings, news and events are also available at miamidade.gov.