When discussing the costs of caring for the elderly, most of the debate about where they should live focuses on nursing home expenses. It is partly because they are extremely expensive to live in for an extended length of time, but also that the government often ends up paying for the stay.
Relatively little attention is given to the intermediate places seniors might live in, when they are no longer able to live at home on their own but not yet in need of nursing home care.
These assisted living facilities are also expensive, and there is a cheaper option as the Motley Fool discusses in “Is Cruise Ship Living a Cheaper Option for Seniors Than Assisted Living?”
The average cost of an assisted living facility is around $45,000 a year. As it turns out, seniors can live on a cruise ship, if they want, for approximately $10,000 less per year.
Cruise ships also have much of the same assistance available as assisted living facilities. The ships prepare meals and assist with laundry, for example.
This does not mean seniors should live on cruise ships instead of in assisted living facilities. It does mean, however, that seniors need to be very careful in scrutinizing assisted living facilities, so they know what they will have to pay and what services are included with the fees.
If a particular facility cannot offer better service than a cruise ship at an affordable price, then it would be a good idea to look for a different one.
Reference: Motley Fool (Oct. 3, 2017) “Is Cruise Ship Living a Cheaper Option for Seniors Than Assisted Living?“
