The 3 Best Assisted Living Facilities in Ames, IA for 2024

 

Ames offers a retirement destination with reasonable living costs and tax deductions compared to national norms. Of the city’s population of almost 67,000, approximately 10.5% are seniors aged 65 or above. For entertainment and assistance, the Heartland of Story County offers local seniors leisure activities and life-enrichment services.

Assisted living communities can offer a lifeline for seniors who can no longer live independently at home. Caregivers assist residents with everyday activities, and facilities generally support seniors well-being through social and wellness activities, communal amenities and healthy meal plans. Many have around-the-clock staffing and emergency alert systems to further promote resident safety. Assisted living costs around $4,655 per month in Ames, more than the state and national averages.

This guide discusses Ames for older adults and provides handy cost comparisons for different types of local senior care and assisted living rates in the wider area. It also explores potential funding options and contains a table of affordable sources of professional support.

The Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals & Licensing (DIAL) licenses assisted living facilities across the state, including those in Ames. The department ensures individuals' safety, health and welfare through unannounced on-site compliance inspections and exhaustive investigations of complaints against facilities.

 

• Statistically, Ames is safer than 27% of neighborhoods across the United States. When it comes to violent crime, residents of Ames have a 1 in 488 chance of becoming a victim of a violent incident, while the statewide figure is higher, at 1 in 331. Per 1,000 residents, the comparative property crime rate is 15.43 in Ames, 15.68 in Iowa and 19 across the United States. Theft is the most common property crime in the locale, while burglaries and vehicle thefts are less prevalent. Vulnerable seniors may feel more at ease residing in an assisted living community than alone, with many facilities offering 24/7 security.

 

• In Story County, the physician-to-resident ratio is 1 to 1,517, less favorable than the statewide figure of 1 to 1,347. Concerning oral care, there are approximately 1,965 patients per dentist in the county, compared with the Iowa average of 1,436 patients per dentist. However, assisted living communities often facilitate access to health care through on-staff or contracted nurses, dietitians and therapists, as well as visiting dentists, optometrists and podiatrists. Additionally, some facilities have on-site laboratory, pharmaceutical and diagnostic imaging services.

 

• Should area seniors need medical assistance, Mary Greeley Medical Center is in Ames, providing comprehensive medical care and 24/7 emergency services. In the wider area, Boone County Hospital and Story County Medical Center are within a 25-minute drive.

 

• Although the overall cost of living in Ames is slightly higher than the Iowa average, it’s around 12.4% lower than the countrywide average. Additionally, Iowa Health & Human Services assists qualifying seniors through Medicaid waiver programs, which may pay toward assisted living costs and lighten the financial load.

 

• Ames offers year-round pleasant weather, with warm summers and mild winters. The city sees an average of 202 sunny days each year, just 3 less than the U.S. average. Winters bring an average of 30 inches of snow. Even when conditions keep people indoors, however, assisted living residents can usually enjoy a diverse weather-appropriate activity schedule.

 

On average, assisted living costs $4,655 per month in Ames.

The median monthly rate of assisted living in Ames is $4,655, which is 3.3% higher than the U.S. average and 6.2% higher than Iowa’s median cost. Assisted living communities in Ames are typically less cost-effective than those in Iowa City and Davenport, where seniors can expect to save $245 and $305, respectively, compared with their contemporaries in Ames. The same type of senior care in Des Moines outpaces Ames by 3.2%.

Seniors in Ames have several options for long-term care. Adult day health care is primarily suitable for seniors who live with family and require daytime support while their caregivers are at work. It’s the most affordable type of senior care in Ames, costing $3,409 less per month than assisted living. Individuals who opt to age in place generally pay around $5,625 for monthly in-home and home health care services, representing a 17.2% increase compared to the assisted living average rate.

In-home care provides help with daily tasks and personal care, while home health care includes clinical and therapeutic care in a senior’s home. Nursing home facilities provide residential, skilled nursing care and 24/7 monitoring. Seniors typically pay $6,874 for a semi-private room in a nursing home, which is $2,219 more than assisted living services.

While many families use their own funds or personal assets to pay for assisted living, there are plenty of additional options to cover these costs. Some additional ways to finance assisted living costs include:

• Veterans Benefits
• Life Insurance Policy
• Long-Term Care Insurance
• Reverse Mortgage

For more information about different ways to finance assisted living, visit our Assisted Living in Iowa page.