As the Silver Tsunami continues to grow larger on our shores, large assisted living facilities are sprouting up across the country. While this may seem to pose a greater challenge for smaller board & care owners, the industry knows that the residential assisted living environment (board & care homes) is a far superior service and at a lesser cost. Large assisted living facilities offer room & board-based rates but charge for levels of care. This could be anywhere from $500 – $1500 more per month. The average room & board pricing per month is approximately $4,500. Adding the costs for levels of care bring the monthly cost to $5,000 to $6,000 or more per month. The average costs for a board & care is approximately $4,500 per month and it includes levels of care.
Even the costs of caring for seniors in their own homes is far more costly than a board & care. It can be very easy for an individual to dismiss a board & care based on the sticker price, but when they look through an actual cost analysis, the better financial option becomes patently clear. What we provide at Villa Living is better 24 hr. care and at a better price point than living at home or in a large assisted living facility.
The following is a chart created by ‘A Place for Mom’ and illustrates the difference between a senior living at home and one who is living in an average-priced assisted living home in the Fontana, Upland, and Claremont area of the Inland Empire.
| Amenities/Services/ Expenses | Monthly Costs At Home | Board & Care |
| Monthly mortgage or rent | $953.00 | $4,500.00 |
| Property tax | $149.00 | N/A |
| Property insurance | $78.00 | N/A |
| Property maintenance costs | $100.00 | N/A |
| 24-hour security services | $100.00 | Included |
| Three meals a day | $494.00 | Included |
| Utilities | $265.00 | Included |
| Housekeeping services | $118.00 | Included |
| Daily health aide visitations at home (approx. 8hrs / day) |
$4,500.00 | Included 24 hr. care |
| Personal care | $45.00 | Included |
| 24-hour emergency call system | $50.00 | Included |
| Landscaping/snow removal | $100.00 | Included |
| Home maintenance | $147.00 | Included |
| Trash removal | $25.00 | Included |
| Social and entertainment | No social interaction | Included |
| Total Actual Costs | $7,124.00 | $4,500.00* |
*Private Room
There is quite a stark difference in the cost of board & care living compared to a senior staying in their own home. And as more people become aware of these vast differences, seniors and their adult children will come to understand that living in a board & care home provides much better one-on-one care at a lower cost and provides a dignified and quality life style.
