getting help helping your loved ones

Experts estimate that more than 735,000 across the United States reside in a supported living program. If you are caring for a loved one, and their needs are beginning to outweigh your ability to provide constant care, you might be considering an assisted living situation.

Here are two things that you should be looking for as you evaluate the contracts provided by these facilities in order to ensure that your loved one ends up in the right living situation long-term.

1. Check to ensure that the assisted living community only charges one fee for both board and care.

As you evaluate the cost of assisted living facilities, it's essential that you take the time to go over the contracts offered by each facility and determine what services are included in the monthly rental fee.

Finding a facility that charges a single fee for both board and care ensures that your costs will be affordable over time. As your loved one's care needs increase, your monthly fees could increase if the contract you signed with a supported living facility doesn't specify that care is included in the total cost of living.

Be sure that you look over each contract carefully to determine which living facility will be most affordable as your loved one's care needs evolve in the future.

2. Check to ensure that your contract includes a clause guaranteeing a locked rate for a specified period of time.

As time passes, the cost of goods and services increases. Economists refer to this as inflation. From January of 1990 to December of 2014, the nation experienced a cumulative inflation rate of 86.2%.

While you should anticipate that the cost of having your loved one live in an assisted living community will increase over time, checking the contract for a guaranteed price lock can be beneficial in reducing the amount of increase you experience. If monthly board and care costs can increase each time you renew your loved one's contract, you could end up paying more than you anticipated to maintain the level of care your loved one needs.

Care facilities that are willing to guarantee monthly costs for longer than one contract period can be affordable partners when it comes to ensuring the safety and well-being of your aging loved one.

Taking the time to carefully read through the contract provided by each care facility you are considering will help you find the most affordable facility to meet your aging loved one's care needs. for more information, contact a company like GENACTA Home Care.