Assisted Living Communities in Palmyra, Pennsylvania

Assisted living facilities in Palmyra charge an average monthly rate of $4,768. While this exceeds the state norm by 16% and the national average by 6%, it reflects typical care costs in the region. For example, local care costs slightly exceed rates in Bloomsburg, where seniors pay $4,473 for care, and Williamsport, where rates come in about 29% lower than in Palmyra. However, Palmyra may be an economical alternative to Lancaster and Reading, where respective rates run 16% and 20% higher than the local norm.

In Palmyra, assisted living facilities charge $4,768 per month for housing and custodial care.

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 Pennsylvania page.

Seniors in Palmyra pay $4,768 for assisted living, an option that includes housing, meals and individualized care services. This rate comes in at 9% below the cost of in-home care, which features nonmedical custodial care, and home health care, which includes skilled nursing services. Additionally, assisted living costs less than half the monthly rate of nursing home care, an option that includes extensive personal care and 24-hour medical support and monitoring for $10,494 per month. For those seeking more economically priced care, adult day health care facilities charge $2,011 for daytime services, although they don’t provide housing.

The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services regulates all assisted living facilities in Palmyra and the rest of the state, and it promotes a consistent standard of care through annual licensing processes and site inspections. Additionally, the department fields and follows up on consumer complaints related to residential care facilities.

• While Palmyra doesn't have a major medical facility, its proximity to Lebanon and Hershey gives residents access to WellSpan Good Samaritan Hospital and Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. These hospitals provide emergency and urgent care, trauma care and a variety of inpatient and outpatient services for seniors, as well as clinical trials and community-based services.

• On a cost of living index based on a national norm of 100, Palmyra rates 90.2. This comes in several points below the state norm of 94.6, indicating that this city ranks among the most affordable places to live in Pennsylvania. This may help seniors' retirement income cover living expenses and result in competitive assisted living rates.

• Palmyra ranks as safer than 36% of communities in the United States, indicating a higher-than-average crime rate. While property crime occurs more often here than in a typical U.S. city, the violent crime rate is slightly lower than the national norm. Fortunately, many local assisted living facilities have services and amenities such as escorted transportation and security gates to promote safety for residents and their belongings.

• Pennsylvania doesn't tax Social Security income, regardless of an individual's income bracket, and residents aged 60 and over don't pay state income taxes on their public or private pension income or withdrawals from their retirement savings accounts. As a result, the state's retiree-friendly tax laws may enable some seniors to afford local assisted living expenses in Palmyra.

• Palmyra's humid continental climate brings 121 days of annual precipitation, including 25 inches of snow and 43 inches of rain, and year-round temperatures ranging from 21 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. These temperatures align with national norms, but in general, the nation gets 14 fewer days of precipitation. To accommodate a variety of preferences, assisted living facilities typically provide indoor and outdoor activities and access to amenities.

• Lebanon Transit, which serves Palmyra, operates the Shared Ride Van Service, which provides curb-to-curb transportation services for qualified individuals. Those aged 65 and over qualify for reduced fares, which may be a budget-friendly alternative to paid transportation services through assisted living facilities.