The term all-inclusive is often connected to travel. It will include all the essentials — room, food, drinks and activities — for a single price. However, when it comes to senior living, the term means something different.
It’s all about the care.
“All-inclusive senior communities will have all the food, utilities, and care included. It’s really good for budgeting,” Eddie Biggers, Founder and CEO of Where the Heart Is Atlanta told the AJC.
Instead of costs rising as care needs change, those living in an all-inclusive senior community pay a single price regardless, with increases only occurring if the annual price goes up.
“Places that don’t offer all-inclusive pricing charge for rent, the level of care the resident needs and can even have additional costs for services like medication management,” Biggers said.
This can make it hard to effectively budget month-to-month and can even cause a resident to be priced-out of a community should health care needs increase.
All-inclusive options for senior living
Three primary community types offer all-inclusive care for seniors: independent living, memory care, and personal care.
Based on your preferences for socialization, community size, and the required level of care, you’ll most likely lean toward one option over the others. If you have a progressive condition where your care needs will eventually increase, you can have peace of mind without the burden of extra costs when picking all-inclusive living, according to Biggers.
“All-inclusive living provides socialization, mental and physical engagement, medication management and personal care needs like laundry, room cleaning services, etc.” Staci Hannah, Founder of Graceful Journey, ATL told the AJC.
Independent versus assisted living
While they’re both often large communities with extensive opportunities to socialize and engage in activities, assisted living and independent living are not the same when it comes to pricing.
“With assisted living, there are levels of pricing that depend on the level of care. Independent living, on the other hand, can be all-inclusive,” Hannah said.
Although there aren’t many places around Atlanta that offer this option, a few do exist, helping people with set budgets find affordable housing and care.
“Even if a place isn’t all-inclusive, certain communities will work with your budget to accommodate your needs,” Biggers said.
Memory care communities
Many memory care communities are only all-inclusive in their pricing. This occurs because the residents share common needs and often require higher levels of care immediately after moving in.
“With memory care, the needs of the residents are typically already known, so it’s easier to package care and create more standardized pricing,” Biggers said.
Residents moving into memory care typically have Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia, and these communities are specifically set up to keep residents safe. Activities are often geared toward those with memory impairment and staff are specially trained to work with residents.
Personal care homes
For those who may need significant care and prefer living in a smaller community, personal care homes are almost always all-inclusive in pricing.
“Personal care homes give you a smaller environment with more one-on-one care and personal attention,” Hannah said. She also noted that some will take Medicaid, which is a big deal.
According to Biggers, many personal care homes will lock in a resident’s price for the entirety of their stay, providing price stability and individualized and extensive care.
Picking a senior community isn’t always easy with so many choices. Make sure to look for communities that offer the assistance you need at a budget-friendly price.
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