Cost of Care Services
Where you live heavily determines how much care services will cost. Factors such as availability of services, skilled staff and cost of living influence the cost of care in your area. For this reason, it’s essential that you determine where you will be spending your retirement, and then research the available options and costs there.
Knowing how much long-term care costs will help you plan for the possibility of needing it in the future. Consider how much you’ll need to set aside or have available if you potentially require a type of care. Also, note that costs will rise yearly, and by the time that you get long-term care in the future several years from now, it might be well beyond what you allotted for.
Cost of Care in the U.S.
John Hancock conducts an annual Cost of Care Survey to give consumers the latest data and trends regarding the cost of services in the country. The following figures are taken from their 2013 report:
| Home and Community-based Care | Average | Annual | Yearly Increase |
| Home Health Care Aide | $19 hourly | $29,640 | 1.3% |
| Adult Day Care | $71 daily | $18,460 | 1.6% |
| Facility-based Care | Average | Annual | Yearly Increase |
| Nursing Home: Private Room | $258 daily | $94,170 | 3.6% |
| Nursing Home: Semi-Private Room | $227 daily | $82,855 | 3.6% |
| Assisted Living Facility | $3,247 monthly | $41,124 | 2.0% |
Notes:
- Home health care aide costs are based on care received for 6 hours a day, 5 days a week.
- Adult day care costs are based on care received for 5 days a week.
- All costs are rounded to the nearest dollar.
- Yearly increase is based on a 5-year period using additional data from the 2008 and 2011 Cost of Care surveys.
Cost of Care in Your State
In planning for long-term care, it’s recommended to first check how much care services will cost in your area. View the average cost of care in your state or city by going to our State Info page.
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