The Cost of Long Term Care

The amount you spend depends on the level of service you need and the length of time you need care. The national average cost for a home health aide is $1,972 per month. The monthly cost for assisted living is $3,008, and $6,357 for care at a nursing home.¹ On average, residents of nursing homes stay for about two and a half years.²

1	U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Clearinghouse for Long Term Care Information, www.longtermcare.gov. Monthly home care calculation based on 2008 national average hourly rate of $29 and 17 hours of care per week for 4 weeks per National Claimant Study. Monthly nursing home calculation based on 2008 national average daily rate of $209 for 365 days divided by 12 months.
2	CDC/National Center for Health Statistics, “National Nursing Home Survey: Residents” (2004)