Caregiverlist® Announces Illinois Nursing Home Cost Index for December 2016
Chicago, Illinois (PRWEB) December 15, 2016 -- Illinois seniors needing nursing home care can now view the most recent ratings and costs of nursing homes in their area by using the interactive Caregiverlist® Nursing Home Directory. This month’s update of the Illinois Caregiverlist® Index indicates that the average cost of a semi-private nursing home room in Illinois is $166 per day, an increase from the 2014 cost of $158 per day.
Of the 823 total Illinois nursing homes, over 1/4 of the homes (214) score a 2-star rating or below. Just over 3.5% of the nursing homes in Illinois (29) rate 5-stars.
Caregiverlist® Nursing Home Index updates the costs and ratings for nursing homes in the state of Illinois to assist seniors investigating their senior care options. Medicare does not pay for long-term care, but does pay for short-term stays in a nursing home. Medicaid, for low-income seniors, does pay for an ongoing stay in a nursing home but does have a financial requirement in order to qualify.
Seniors in Illinois looking to plan ahead for senior care should review both the costs and ratings of the most important factors indicating quality of care for nearby nursing homes. This will assist them to be prepared should an emergency medical event occur. Most seniors do not plan ahead for their senior care needs. Many times Medicare will cover a portion of a short-term stay in a nursing home after a hospital discharge (usually only up to 100 days.) If the nursing home stay exceeds the Medicare-covered timeframe, those nursing home costs may become out-of-pocket costs.
Caregiverlist® Rating Criteria National Averages for Illinois Nursing Homes
December 2016, National Averages, Weighting for Rating
2 hours, 28 minutes: C.N.A. Hours per Resident per Day: 40%
15.7%: Long-stay Residents with Increasing Activities of Daily Living Needs: 20%
1.0% Short-term Residents with Pressure Sores (Bed Sores): 20%
Overall Medicare Star-Rating Score: 20%
December, 2016 Caregiverlist® Illinois Nursing Home Rating and Cost Index
Total Number of Nursing Homes: 823
Average Cost of Private Room for Illinois: $208
Average Cost of Shared Room for Illinois: $166
Average Star-Rating: 2.6
Illinois Nursing Home Star-Rating Results
5-Star: 29
4-Star: 202
3-Star: 378
2-Star: 146
1-Star: 68
The Caregiverlist® rating combines 4 criteria to calculate an overall star-rating with a 5-star rating as the highest and a 1-star rating as the lowest score, as rated against the results for the total number of nursing homes.
While ratings factor heavily into nursing home considerations, the costs of senior care are always a factor when choosing the right senior care option, as many seniors live on a fixed income. The average monthly cost of a shared room in an Illinois nursing home is approximately $5,050, while the average monthly private room cost is $6,326.
Low-income seniors in Illinois may qualify for Medicaid, with the financial qualification of no more than $2,000 in assets for individuals and a $3,000 limit for couples. Medicaid will pay for long-term care in a nursing home for as long as the senior qualifies. The Caregiverlist® By-State directory includes the Illinois Medicaid eligibility requirements.
Because seniors must private pay for a nursing home if needing care beyond the number of days Medicare will reimburse, many seniors also explore additional senior care options, which include senior home care and assisted living options. Some assisted living centers also provide nursing home care and will range in price from $2,500 to $6,000 per month.
If 24-hour senior care is not needed, many seniors opt for professional in-home care. Home care is rooted in the principle that older adults should be free to age at home with the level of care they need to be safe and comfortable. “With 9 out of 10 elders expressing a preference to age in place, it’s important to research the variety of caregiving options based on specific needs and resources,” says Margalit Tocher, president of Home Care Assistance of greater Chicago. In many cases, home care is a cost-efficient alternative to assisted living communities. “We work with many seniors and their families to develop care plans that best serve healthcare needs from dementia to recovery from a hip break. But we also help seniors thrive by keeping them connected to their communities and favorite activities.” In addition, senior home care agencies monitor the senior’s plan of care and train and support the caregiver.
Seniors should review the ratings and costs of nursing homes in their area and then visit the nursing homes which meet their budget constrictions. Ratings for nursing homes are only a starting point and while the Caregiverlist® Index calculates a custom rating based on the most important criteria for quality, Medicare will only begin auditing the nursing home’s submitted information for C.N.A. staffing next year. Right now all of the information for the nursing home ratings is self-reported.
About Caregiverlist®
Caregiverlist.com® is the premier service connecting seniors and professional caregivers with the most reliable senior care options, highest quality ratings and outstanding careers nationwide. Founded by senior care professionals, Caregiverlist® delivers the efficiencies of the internet to senior care companies by providing online job applications, caregiver training, background checks and industry news. Seniors and caregivers can access senior service information “by state,” view nursing home costs and star-ratings and learn about all senior care options and quality standards. For more information, please visit http://www.caregiverlist.com.
Renata Laszuk, Caregiverlist, Inc., http://www.caregiverlist.com, +1 312-669-8821, [email protected]
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