Cost of Long Term Care Sees Sharp Increase

Cost of Long Term Care Sees Sharp Increase

Long term care costs climbed again in 2021, with rates for home health aides and homemakers seeing the sharpest rises, according to Genworth’s annual Cost of Care Survey. One thing contributing to the cost increase is the the coronavirus pandemic.

In the past year, Genworth reports the following national median annual costs and percent increases from 2020 to 2021.

Cost of Long Term Care

In Home

  • Home health aide services shot up 12.50 percent to $61,776. They provide hands-on personal care, but not medical care
  • Homemaker services 10.64 percent to $59,488. They assist with household tasks like cooking or cleaning that cannot be handled alone.

In a Nursing Home Facility

  • A private nursing home room increased 2.41 percent to $108,405
  • A semi-private room in a nursing home increased 1.96 percent to $94,900

In the Community

  • Assisted living facility rates grew 4.65 percent to $54,00 per year
  • Adult day care costs rose 5.41 percent from $74 to $78 a day

Comparison by State

Even though costs fell sharply in Alaska, it continues to be the costliest state for nursing home care by far, with the median annual cost of a private nursing home room totaling $378,140, down 13.38 percent since 2020.

Missouri was the most affordable state, with a median annual cost of a private room of $71,175.

Visit Genworth’s Cost of Care Survey to compare your state to others.

For the Boston area, Genworth reports the following 2021 median costs.

Homemaker Services $75,504
Home Health Aide $74,932
Adult Day Health Care $19,370
Assisted Living Facility $81,825
Nursing Home Semi – Private Room $157,863
Nursing Home Private Room $172,828

About the Survey

The Genworth 2021 survey, conducted by CareScout for the 18th straight year, was based on responses from 14,698 nursing homes, assisted living facilities, adult day health facilities, and home care providers.

As the survey indicates, long-term care is growing ever more expensive. Contact your attorney to learn how you can protect some or all of your family’s assets from being swallowed up by these rising costs.

Next Steps

At Baker Law Group, our elder law attorneys provide a variety of services to families.

  • Develop plans to pay for long-term care
  • Review Medicare and MassHealth eligibility
  • Ensure there are financial resources for a spouse
  • Work closely with others, such as geriatric care managers, accountants, and financial planners to address these complex issues in a thoughtful manner.

We offer a complimentary initial consultation to determine how we can best assist you.
To schedule a consultation:

Complete the Online Form or

781-996-5656 phone or

info@MBakerLaw.com email

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