Ever wonder what the difference is between adult day care and assisted living?  Or what a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) is and why it’s so expensive?

The folks at SeniorLiving.org have your back.  They’ve created a brilliant bubble graph that helps seniors and their caregivers get a handle on the different levels of senior living (or senior care) and how they overlap.

Senior Living Spectrum

A few basics to keep in mind:

  • CCRCs are the costliest option because they are the ultimate retirement plan: every level of care is possible without leaving the campus.
  • In-home care is at the lower end of the cost spectrum due to its part-time nature.  For as little as $15/hour, an aide will come to the house and perform light duties or just check in on the senior.  The primary caregiver gets a break and peace of mind.
  • Not all states have Personal Care Homes (PCMs), a subset of assisted living that prevents its operators from dispensing medications or helping with financial tasks.  To find a PCM via the Senior Living website: search its assisted living options, then check the entity’s description to see if it is legally identified as a PCM or an assisted living facility.

Once you’ve wrapped your head around the bubble graph, you can search the options in your area here: Local Care Options